Grizz
03-17-2008, 09:35 PM
If you're looking for dirty pictures or terrible crimes committed by kids, this ain't the thread but I knew the headline would grab some attention.
I doubt that few of you have heard of FIRST Robotics Competition (http://www.usfirst.org/what/frc/default.aspx?id=366) (I sure didn't) until I noticed a little blurb in the local section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Seems that these high school kids build robots and compete in regional and world-wide contests. Better yet, the regional competition was right up the road from me. FREE! Shucks, it was a miserable, rainy Saturday right after downtown Atlanta had been trashed by a tornado; momma had a migraine so why not get out and do something?
This is what I walked into, not knowing the first thing about it:
http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/tools/shared/mediahub/00/08/64/slideshow_464080_robot.0314_07.JPG
I'd guesstimate there were several thousand people there, at once very serious and then loudly cheering for their team. It looked like somewhat controlled bedlam and then I started to sort it out thanks to everyone I talked to. Friendly? Better than a church social. Helpful? They answered every question I had (and being totally ignorant, I had a lot) and made sure I understood. Didn't matter whether or not I was talking to one of the high school students, their parents or one of the coaches.
Do check the link to their main web site and if you hear anyone tsk-tsking about "kids today", give them a look at this. BTW - the world finals (yes, this is not just for the United States) will be held next month in the Georgia Dome (if they get it fixed). If you're in or around Atlanta, April 17-19, you might just want to give it a look.
I doubt that few of you have heard of FIRST Robotics Competition (http://www.usfirst.org/what/frc/default.aspx?id=366) (I sure didn't) until I noticed a little blurb in the local section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Seems that these high school kids build robots and compete in regional and world-wide contests. Better yet, the regional competition was right up the road from me. FREE! Shucks, it was a miserable, rainy Saturday right after downtown Atlanta had been trashed by a tornado; momma had a migraine so why not get out and do something?
This is what I walked into, not knowing the first thing about it:
http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/tools/shared/mediahub/00/08/64/slideshow_464080_robot.0314_07.JPG
I'd guesstimate there were several thousand people there, at once very serious and then loudly cheering for their team. It looked like somewhat controlled bedlam and then I started to sort it out thanks to everyone I talked to. Friendly? Better than a church social. Helpful? They answered every question I had (and being totally ignorant, I had a lot) and made sure I understood. Didn't matter whether or not I was talking to one of the high school students, their parents or one of the coaches.
Do check the link to their main web site and if you hear anyone tsk-tsking about "kids today", give them a look at this. BTW - the world finals (yes, this is not just for the United States) will be held next month in the Georgia Dome (if they get it fixed). If you're in or around Atlanta, April 17-19, you might just want to give it a look.