INDUSTRY INSIGHT
ROBOTICS PROGRAM
SPONSORED CONTENT
Robotics Program
AT CARDINAL WUERL NORTH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School launched its Robotics program in the fall of 2014 with the opening of the new campus in Cranberry Township . The program was spearheaded by two underclassmen , Matt Esser and Colton Eisenreich , who wanted to enhance the school ’ s extra-curricular opportunities . The students created a business plan for a grant that would assist in developing the Robotics program .
With the help of CWNC faculty member and team moderator Miss Brianne Goodwin , the Robotics team competed for the first time during the 2014-2015 season . The team continued to improve throughout the off-season and forged monumental strides forward in competition during the 2015-2016 school year , ranking sixth out of 58 teams in Ohio and eighth out of 52 teams in Pittsburgh . This past season saw the entrance of two new mentors , Mr . Dave Yackuboskey and Mr . Dave Pacella , both with significant robotics backgrounds .
“ We are very proud of the growth and success our Robotics program has achieved over the past three years ,” stated CWNC principal
Mr . Luke Crawford . “ It is a testament to the hard work , intelligence and creativity of our students and faculty here at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School .” Mr . Crawford gives full support to the program and recognizes the great potential that exists in the field of robotics . He notes , “ Integrating the principles of design , programming and engineering into our curriculum is precisely what makes CWNC such a great place for young men and women to expand their horizons . This is just the beginning of our bright future in STEM education .”
In addition to increased student participation , this past season also included successes for the team at both the Ohio Regional and Greater Pittsburgh Regional competitions . One of the greatest highlights of the season was mastering the rope climbing element of the competition . “ At our first competition , we realized we had over-geared the system ,” recalls Matt Esser . “ After countless tries … we finally fixed our system … the first time we climbed in our match , the entire team jumped and cheered .”
This coming year , the CWNC robotics team seeks to create multiple teams within the school and throughout the community . A specific goal is to qualify to compete in an international competition in Detroit , Michigan , in 2018 . CWNC is also launching a robotics elective course for the 2017-18 school year . According to Mr . Yackuboskey , “ this elective will train freshmen and sophomores in the basics of robotics — from designing the robot , to programming , wiring and marketing the robot . This class will act as a junior varsity team for our current club .”
The future is promising and exciting for this growing endeavor at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School .
Ross Township | Summer 2017 | icmags . com 29