Gar-Field Robotics Team Prepares for State Championship

Tucked back in the corner of the technology classroom on the bottom floor of Gar-Field High School, a team readies for competition.

Team captain Nick Reeves and member David Gibbs are huddled at the computer with the rest of the team trying to troubleshoot a problem with their robot.

“We don’t have driver control,” said Reeves as he knelt down to tend to the team’s robot. The robot is made out of a myriad of supplies ranging from LEGOs, all-terrain wheels, zip ties, metal tubing and various computer and motorized devices.

The Gar-Field High School Varsity Robotics team, also known as Team 33, is preparing for the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) State Championship at the University of Virginia on Saturday.

The team, comprised of Nick Reeves, Neil Singh, David Gibbs, Wei Low, Celena Chun, and Scott Schwoppe, meets throughout the week from September until May to dedicate their time to the Robotics team.

After fixing the driver control issue, the team gathers to demonstrate how their robot would compete on Saturday.

“We’re given a standard equipment list that we start with,” said Reeves. “It’s a very expensive sport, but we work around the design constraints to work with what we’re given.”

Each team is given a kit worth $1,000 of supplies but can add various elements to the robot, although this team likes to work with the challenges they are given.

Gar-Field’s robotics program is in its fifth year and according to coach Tina Reeves, it’s one of the best.

“It’s difficult to keep robotics teams sponsored,” said Tina Reeves. “But we have amazing help from our administration and the county, they’re fantastic.”

While the team is competitive within the robotics arena, they also have been recognized for the work they do within the community.

At their last competition in Annandale, the team brought home the Inspire Award, which is the most prestigious award in the FIRST Tech Challenge league.

The team works with the community, including younger middle school robotics team to help bring them into the fold of robotics.

“Our motto is ‘gracious professionalism,’" said Wei Low as she shows off the team’s engineering notebook.

The notebook is filled with algorithms, equations, team photos and notes along the way. It is the team’s go-to record for all the changes they may have made while modifying their robot.

All of Team 33 plans on studying engineering or some form of computer-related study when they go to college. 

The team heads to state competition on Saturday; check back with Woodbridge Patch to see how the team did.