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Who are we?
The Alpine Robotics team about as diverse a group of students as you well ever find. From computer nerds to athletes, and debaters to young entrepreneurs, this rag tag bunch of students probably shares about one thing in common: a passion for engineering. Based out of Poudre High School, the team brings together thirty students ranging in age from fourteen to eighteen to work on a complex engineering project with professional engineers from local companies. But the team is about much more than building robots. In addition to the inherent engineering knowledge, students that participate in the program walk away with better team work, entrepreneurial, and time management skills. There’s no better outlet for real world application skills students learn in the classroom.
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So how can one program accomplish so many things? Each year the team competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, brings together over thirteen hundred high school teams to build a robot a meager six weeks that as capable of scoring points in a sports like competition. Each year the goal changes. Some years the robots lift boxes while others must shoot balls or do chin ups from a ten foot high bar, yet the lessons remain the same. However, as FIRST founder said, “First is the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” This synthesis of work and fun shines on the Alpine Robotics team. It’s a rare moment that you’ll find their meetings void of music and laughter. And when stress runs high, the hectic season is interrupted for quick games of Halo, a curling competition, or the occasional friends rerun.
The Alpine Robotics team is about more than robots. It’s even about more than engineering. It’s about people. Our team aims to expose the local community to the beauty of engineering and inspire future generations to explore the infinite opportunity the science and technology can offer.
Our team is open to any Poudre School District high school student that is excited about exploring engineering. No prior experience is necessary! In fact it is rare that new students on our team have ever designed or built anything. We would love to have you come by and see what your role on the Alpine Robotics team could be!
Your age certainly shouldn’t stop you from getting involved in science and technology. That’s why our team sponsors a local Lego league competition each year. If you are in the Fort Collins area in either junior high or elementary school, chances are your school has a FIRST Lego League team! If you can’t find one, let us know, and we’ll find a team in your area.
