All-Girls Robotics Team: NDB TigerBots

The all-girls Notre Dame Belmont TigerBots, FIRST Tech Challenge Team #7593, won their second FTC Qualifier against 24 teams in Daly City with their two alliance partners, Midnight Madness #7854 and Intersect #8865, held Saturday, January 23 at Jefferson High School. Even more encouraging, the TigerBots also won a judged award, the coveted Inspire Award, for being an exemplary FIRST team and were runner up for the PTC Design Award.

The Inspire Award is a judged award that is given to the team that truly embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FTC program. The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs, a role model FTC team, and a gracious competitor.

Working as a unit, this team has demonstrated success in accomplishing the task of designing and building a robot. The TigerBots reflect the values of a Notre Dame High School education – developing young women of great character who will lead a life of purpose and positive impact.

The girls made improvements on their robot from their last qualifier in Atherton held on December 6th at Menlo School. They programmed their robot PIP (Parts in Progress) to drop “climbers” into a bucket during the autonomous period, and they drove their robot reliably to climb the steep mountain and hang, using a clever mechanism with a measuring tape and hook that drivers extended to give the robot a lift.

As the TigerBots compete in multiple qualifiers they continue practicing and improving their robots before regionals. The TigerBots are advancing to the NorCal Regional Championships to be held on Sunday, February 28 at Newark Memorial High School.

This year, the TigerBots have successfully recruited sponsors including Google, Genentech, the Monsanto Fund, PwC, EMC, Intuitive Surgical, Tooland of San Carlos, and most recently, Bishop-Wisecarver, a women-owned linear slide company. The girls use CAD software donated by SolidWorks and an Ekocycle 3D printer donated by 3D Design and The Coca-Cola Company.

“It is great seeing the girls in their element. It is amazing how the girls adapt and overcome adversity. For example, at the competition, there was a hotspot interfering with their remote control. The girls did not panic. Rather, they got together with their mentors, and other teams and figured out the issue,” shared Dimitri Andruha, Notre Dame High School Math Teacher and TigerBots moderator.

TigerBots Team Captain Serena Grown-Haeberli ‘16, who won a FIRST Dean’s List Award for her leadership, technical skills and dedication to FIRST values last spring at World Championships, reflects the strong leadership skills that Notre Dame enables and encourages. She expressed her gratitude to the team after an early competition, “Thanks to all of my teammates - all of you made me proud, stepping up, and demonstrating an incredible amount of teamwork and gracious professionalism. You guys were incredible, and I’m looking forward to spending the season with you.”

Thank you, Serena for reflecting the values of a Notre Dame education - young women of great character and intellect who are prepared to lead a life of purpose and impact. Part of NDB’s mission is for all our young women to graduate full STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) ahead. Community support for NDB is an investment with positive returns - reaping benefits for years to come. Go TigerBots!