This article was written by Jared Voight
Members and coaches of Patrick Henry’s robotics team, Herobotics, gathered over Labor Day weekend, celebrating the team’s accomplishments in this past year’s FIRST Robotics Competition.
The 2020 Season of the FIRST Robotics Competition was cut short, like most things this year, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the robots were unable to compete in town this last year, the organizing committee behind the robotics competition continued to select teams for awards at an online ceremony in May.
At this digital ceremony, Herobotics was announced as a recipient of the Regional Chairman’s Award. This is the most prestigious award in the FIRST Robotics Competition, being given to a team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate, and best embodies the mission of FIRST. Herobotics was one of only three teams in Minnesota to receive this award in 2020, rewarding team members for engaging in community outreach, developing resources to assist other teams, and building connections across both the region and globe. This is the fourth time the team has received this award in its 13 year history. Herobotics additionally won the Regional Engineering Inspiration Award, the second highest award in competition, at a regional event earlier in the season, marking 2020 to be one of the team’s most successful seasons to date.
The team gathered in a socially distanced fashion on September 6 to celebrate its accomplishments with cupcakes and conversation. While the current status of the 2021 FIRST Robotics Competition is unknown, team members are working hard to be prepared for whatever comes their way.
Congratulations again to Herobotics, and good luck in 2021!