GHS Robotics Team fundraising for March competitions in Barrie

Barb McCabe, Rotary Club PR

GRAVENHURST — Our club is always so pleased to have our local high school students come to speak at one of our Monday noon hour meetings.

This past week was no exception.  We welcomed four of the talented exciting students of the Robotics Team from GHS.

These students are in their second year designing, building and competing.  The first year there were 9 members on the team and this year, with enthusiasm building, there are over 20 members involved  – an equal number of guys and gals.

The team is enthusiastically assisted by parent Linda Hachmer and teacher Iggi VanKooten.

We learned that in the time frame of Jan. 6-Feb. 19 this robotics  team must design and build (and finance) an entry into the “Deep Space” Competition.

It is not inexpensive, and funding creates more of a challenge as our high school is so much smaller than many of the competitors in larger communities.

Not  only are the team members using skills to design and build but they are also learning how to raise much-needed funds. There  are local businesses who are already on board with either direct financial backing or backing in other ways.

Their budget is $30,000 – but that’s mostly for accomodations for the two competitions next month in Barrie, VanKooten told Rotarians.

Saturday they were at Gull Lake Rotary Park where they were selling hot samos to the puddle jumpers and polar bear dip spectators.

This is a perfect opportunity to assist this team in meeting this challenge.

We heard of a  student who was  involved last year and is now taking industrial engineering as a post secondary choice.

It is wonderful to see this interest motivating a student in his/her future goals.

The two competitions that this team would like to attend take place March 1-3 and March 28-30 this year.

It is our plan within our Rotary Club  to  assist financially with this Robotics Club.

We look forward to hearing more from these students after they have competed; we wish them the best of luck.