ISD’s FBI Robotics Team Earns Third Straight Berth in World Championship

Posted April 5, 2016

Thanks to an excellent showing in the Iowa Regional competition, the FIRST Bots of Independence (FBI) secured their third straight trip to the FIRST Robotics World Championship! Combining forces with teams from Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, the FBI- Team 1723- helped lead their three team alliance to a second place finish in Iowa and a trip to St. Louis April 27-30.

“We really improved throughout the weekend in Iowa,” said Lisa Randolph, teacher at Van Horn High School and one of the district’s four robotics coaches. “Team 1723 worked hard to make it to that final round.”

Using aluminum, sheet metal and plastic, the FBI- 30 students from Truman, Van Horn and William Chrisman -had six weeks to design, build and program their robot. Once finished, Team 1723 competed against nearly 60 other high school teams from across the metropolitan area in the 2016 Greater KC Regional Robotics Competition in March before going to the Iowa competition in Cedar Falls.

“We couldn’t do this without the support of the Independence School District and our robotics team mentors and sponsors,” Randolph said.

Team members include:

Students: Ian Coburn, Cailyn Crowley, Alesha Diman, Aimee Dietiker, Michaela Ebert, William Elliott, Eli Freeman, Remy Mathenia, Michael Morash, Yvette Rito, Renan Troy, TJ Welsh, Britten Clarke, Brody Bailey, Sammi Taylor, Jennifer Fadler, Josh Kalig, Skylar Fulton, Jacob Overbay, Jordan Fountain, Connor Jones, Madeliene Lyons, Kaitlyn Waage, Brittany Tooley.

Coaches:  Russell Clothier, Brad Drinkwater, Jared Hook, Lisa Randolph

Mentors:  Jared Fordham (BATS), Archie Gatrost (CPRS), Nick Green (Honeywell), Marty Morrison (Cerner), Pete Simmons (CPRS), Jason Sachan (Cerner), Lucy Wray (alumna), Billy Diman (Independence School District), Quentin Vowells (alumnus), Candy Wilford (alumna), and Jonah Hankins (alumnus).

FIRST- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology- was created to inspire student interest and participation in STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.