“I like how WAPUR is low stakes and fun, but also a great learning opportunity for new members,” Skyline robotics student Simran Kheterpal said. “Every robot has to have a face, a name, and be silly, so it’s really fun for kids as well as high schoolers to see what all the different teams have done.”
Kheterpal said the competition is put on by AADL every year, and is a new game with the same basic premise as an FRC (First Robotics Competition) season.
“Teams from the county compete and have fun activities for kids, so it’s very community-oriented,” Kheterpal said. “The field size and robot construction are the same, but there is no size limit, the robots can have any kind of bumpers, et cetera. We use it to train new members and try out new things. For example, this year we have a robot primarily for new members so they can get hands-on experience, and a robot for us to experiment with our new swerve chassis and try building an elevator.”
Kheterpal first got involved in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 4th Grade and the school started their brand new FIRST Lego League team.
“I love being on a team and getting to know people while also working with cool technology and learning how to problem solve,” Kheterpal said. “The great experiences I had in lower and middle school kept me in FIRST all the way through high school, so it’s really important to be exposed to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) at a young age.”
She added that WAPUR is an educational activity for not only the teams that participate but also for the robotics community.
“WAPUR is an educational opportunity for all because of the wide range of participants,” Kheterpal said. “We tend to take it seriously and put several mechanisms on our robots, but teams also show up with chassis to have fun. Either way, it’s a learning experience for members of the team to be at a competition and build a robot. It’s also very community-oriented because it brings together teams specifically in the area, and is interactive for young audiences.”
And the event is not only for robotics teams, the event is open to the public as well.
“The public is invited to come watch, and each team has a table with fun activities for kids,” Kheterpal said. “I love how we can share our passion for FIRST robotics with our area, and also engage younger students in STEM by showing them how cool robotics can be. The main community support is from AADL who puts on the whole event. Previously, it was started by 3322 (the number of the Skyline team) but has grown into so much more and we are so grateful to AADL for restarting the amazing event.”
The extracurricular activity has many hands-on educational opportunities for the teams as well.
“I think the greatest thing we learn in robotics is how to problem solve, and how to work with a team,” Kheterpal said. “I’ve definitely found a family on the robotics teams I’ve been on, and it truly teaches the same responsibility, teamwork, organization and maturity that athletic teams do. It also teaches how to work through a big project or goal in a short amount of time, and how to brainstorm, debug, iterate and take responsibility for your work. Even if you don’t love STEM, there is a place for everyone on a FIRST Robotics team.”
“I think everyone should come to see WAPUR to learn something new and have fun,” Kheterpal said. “Not many people know what FIRST is, and this a great local event to learn what an amazing organization it is.”
For more information visit, aadl.org/wapur.
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