About JamesMonroebotics
The James Monroe High School FIRST Robotics Team was started in 2007 by Carl Bailey and Bryan Steckler with the purpose of giving students hands-on experience working with science and technology and competing in the 2008 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).
Wishing to have a successful team, Carl and Bryan gathered interested students and went to the Robot Rumble at the Virginia State Fair. After taking a tour of the pit area and watching the robots battle over inner tubes, most of the students were hooked on the idea of FIRST. After a few months, a team of eight dedicated students was established (see back page).
A $6,000 grant from NASA and a few other sponsors later (see “join” page), the team was well on its way to success. The team got its official team number, 2402, designed a t-shirt, bought tools, recruited team mentors (see back page), and started meeting often until the 2008 FRC kickoff finally came. They travelled to VCU for the kickoff, where the 2008 FRC, FIRST Overdrive, was revealed. They picked up their kit of parts, drove back to JMHS, and set to working full time for the next six weeks. After learning all about the joys and shortfalls of 80/20, getting practice using a drill press, and learning many vital lessons about the importance of planning, the students boxed up their robot, nicknamed “The Guillotine” due to its guillotineshaped lifting mechanism, and sent it off to the competition. There, they tweaked their robot, competed in several matches, and ended up placing 23rd out of 64 teams.
Our Goals
This year, we want to:
- Go to two FIRST Regional Events
- Start a FIRST Lego League team at Hugh Mercer Elementary School or Walker Grant MS
- Build a self balancing scooter as a team project
- Compete with our robot in the Robot Rumble
- Bring back the science fair at JM
- Raise $17,000 to pay for everything
- Recruite new members and helpers
Our Team
Team Members
- Carl Bailey (2008, 2009; Team Captain and Founder)
- Bryan Steckler (2008, 2009; Team Co-founder)
- Jonathan Ringold (2008, 2009; Chassis Team Captain)
- Michael Cronin (2008, 2009; Assistant Safety Officer)
- Larkin Willis (2009)
- Maddy Breedin (2009)
- Katrina Gavin (2009; Team Historian, Safety Officer)
- Logan Blosser (2009)
- Luca Terziotti (2009)
- Anderson Bell (2009; Programming Team Captain)
- Samantha Taylor (2008)
- Samantha Smith (2008)
- Kevin Schwartz (2008)
- Shari Tzul (2008)
Team Mentors
- Ms. Sheryl Crouch (2008, 2009)
- Dr. Carrington Bailey (2008, 2009)
- Mr. Joseph Wilkinson (2008, 2009)
- Dr. Thomas Litant (2008, 2009)
- Mr. Gregg Ringold (2008, 2009)
- Mr. Steven Schwartz (2008, 2009)
- Mrs. Suzanne Logan (2009)
- Mr. Michael Logan (2009)
- Mr. Gregory Martin (2009)
- Mr. Pete Schatz (2009)
- Mrs. Christine Dickinson (2008)
- Mr. Jonathan Wilkinson (2008)
