During the 2014-2015 season, Saints Robotics went to competitions at Glacier Peak High School and Auburn High School. During the off season, freshmen were noticeably more involved in learning and applying new skills, culminating in the construction of a tee-shirt cannon which came in useful for subsequent demonstrations at elementary schools, assemblies, and even the Seafair. Though faced with difficulties such as losing funding from several sources, the graduation of several important members, and the loss of a former mentor’s laser cutter and a Boeing mentor, the team pulled through and built a robot to answer that year’s unique challenge, Recycle Rush.
Aptly named Treecycle, the robot performed clumsily during the first competition, but the loss of its arms lead to increased effectiveness and an amazing comeback in the 2nd round. Although not making it to district finals, the team nevertheless won an entrepreneurship award for its outstanding business plan which detailed how each subteam worked together to spread passion in science and technology, as well as setting goals to achieve in the coming years. By fulfilling and exceeding these objectives, Saints Robotics will continue to grow as a team and spread opportunities in STEM while building increasingly competitive robots. As a result, each and every member is looking forward to another season of enjoyment and enrichment.