Marine City Cardinal Mooney robotics team competes at world championships

Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 4779, the RoboSapiens, recently took part in the 2024 FIRST Championship FIRST Robotics Competition.

Teams from around the world competed in the event, which ran from April 17 to 20 in Houston, Texas.

“Amidst the electrifying atmosphere and intense competition, the team immersed themselves in the thrill of robotics excellence,” Cardinal Mooney senior student reporter and RoboSapiens member William Wuerz wrote in a write-up of the event. “From the bustling pits to the adrenaline-pumping matches, every moment was filled with excitement and camaraderie.”

The RoboSapiens is comprised of 12 high school students and one seventh-grader and is a part of the Blue Water Area Robotics Alliance, a consortium of 10 St. Clair County high schools headed by Steve Tenniswood.

“During the qualification matches on the Newton field, the RoboSapiens delivered stellar performances, demonstrating their technical expertise and strategic finesse,” Wuerz wrote. “After the qualification matches had ended, they secured an impressive 11th place, a testament to their hard work and dedication. However, despite their ranking, luck was not on their side as they were not chosen to join an alliance for the playoff matches, marking a bittersweet conclusion to their journey.”

“Nevertheless, amidst the ups and downs, this year stood out as one of the best for the RoboSapiens since their inception in 2013,” Wuerz continued. “Their journey from Kettering University, Traverse City and the (Saginaw Valley State University) states event all the way to the world championship symbolized their growth, resilience and unwavering passion for robotics. As they reflect on their achievements and look towards the future, the RoboSapiens remain grateful for the support of their community and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. With their heads held high, they eagerly anticipate the next chapter in their journey, fueled by the memories made and the friendships forged on the global stage of robotics excellence.”

Lead Mentor Roy Miodonski said the world championships have the best-of-the-best teams from not only around the United States, but also from around the world.

“Regardless of an individual team’s outcome, all teams come away as winners because of the ‘global experience’ of cross-culture exposure,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of interfacing going on with the other teams, and the wealth of knowledge gained due to the extensive information sharing which takes place.”

The cost to attend the event was about $25,000, which covers the entry fee, lodging, food and travel costs. The group was loaned the money to make the trip possible, but the amount needs to be repaid.

“We’re still about $4,000 short to cover travel costs,” Miodonski said on April 25. “In addition to financial support, we’re always looking for businesses that are interested in ‘partnering up’ with us in various ways such as plant tours showing how they use robotics in their industry, and any opportunities available for student internships, job shadowing, summer jobs and the like. Reach out to me at robotics@cardinalmooney.org.”

Donations can be made at givecampus.com/schools/cardinalmooneycatholichighschool/cardinal-mooney-robotics.

Miodonski thanked the team’s sponsors and said that without them there could not be a program.

“These include Cargill Corp., PTM Corp., Ford Motor Co., PJ Wallbank Springs Inc., Stellantis, Comcast, Knights of Columbus, EFS Insurance Group, State Farm, Leslie Tire, Krieger Klatt Architects, Prism Plastics, Impressive Floor Coverings, Michigan Department of Education, Serra Automotive, Winters Sausage, Timbers Tree Service, Brico Mfg, Schaller Corp., Wynne Westrick Realtor and several individual donors,” he said.

For more information, visit sites.google.com/view/robosapiens4779 or search for “FRC #4779 RoboSapiens” on Facebook.