Computer Department – Concept Schools » “CASCADE EFFECT” FTC QUALIFIER

Chicago Math and Science Academy hosted “Cascade Effect” FTC qualifier. Thanks for all of our volunteers for making this event successful.

Winning Alliance:

Captain:	8907	Blue Box Bots	Elgin, IL
1st Selected:	5037	got robot?	Elgin, IL

Finalist Alliance:

Captain:	7738	Vaders	Batavia, IL
1st Selected:	4965	Animatores Romani	Chicago, IL

Judged Awards:

Motivate Award
The Motivate Award recognizes outstanding team spirit shown though costumes and outfits, team support, and other methods of standing out and raising attention. Teams that reach out to their schools and community to raise awareness of FIRST and their FTC efforts have done so in a variety of cool and inventive methods – this winner is no exception. Here is what the judges had to say:
This team may be young, but they’ve got some big ideas. They may be a rookie team, but they’re techno-fabulous. They may also monkey around, but they work collaboratively towards success. The motivate award goes to:
Winner:	8685, Techno Tamarins, Belvidere, IL

Connect Award
The Connect Award is a bit different than the Motivate Award. Winners of the Connect Award have done a great deal of community outreach not only to spread the word about FIRST but specifically to include engineers, scientists, and other technology professionals into their outreach efforts. This creates connections between teams, FIRST, and the professional world that can last years beyond their participation in FTC. Connect Award winners also develop and execute plans to fund their team including clear goals and objectives – including how they can give back to their community in the future. Here is what the judges had to say:
This team’s outreach efforts have shown that nothing is impossible. These community warriors are not afraidof a little grease. After all, many long days and nights have made them wiser. The connect award goes to:
Winner:	9239, Wise Owl Warriors, Rockford, IL

Rockwell Collins Innovate Award
The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award is robot specific. It celebrates teams who come up with innovate solutions to the Game Challenge that most others have overlooked. These solutions can’t just look good – they’ve got to work… at least most of the time. Historically, some of the most innovative breakthroughs in science and technology have come when fresh thinking is applied to a known problem. This year’s Rockwell Collins Innovate Award winners demonstrated that type of thinking. Here is what the judges had to say:
The winner of this category goes to a team of great inno-vaders. This team’s robot was not only creative, but also displayed a very competitive force. Only one quote summarizes their performance: I am your father! The innovate award goes to team 7738, the Vaders!
Winner:	7738, Vaders, Batavia, IL

PTC Design Award
We are happy that PTC has offered to sponsor the PTC Design Award. The intent of this award is to expand the challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. These elements can be shown in the simplicity of the design as it applies to the tasks, the look and feel of the robot, and how the design allows us to think of robots in new ways. The Design aspects must serve a function – but they should also differentiate the robot in a unique fashion – not an easy task with a limited set of parts and game challenge. Here is what the judges had to say:
This team came from brutal battlefields through beautiful architecture that has withstood Chicago’s test of time.They decide to cut their design before the Cascade Effect Challenge.Since its creation, this team continues to make great strides towards achieving gracious professionalism – Veni, Vidi, Vici! The winner ofthe PTC Design Award is:
Winner:	4965, Animatores Romani, Chicago, IL

Highest Ranked Rookie Award
Celebrates the highest-seeded rookie team at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds.
Winner:	8907, Blue Box Bots, Elgin, IL

Dean’s List Semi Finalists
Winners:	Christopher Laker and Robert Russell from 5037, got robot?, Elgin, IL

Think Award
Every team at this event has had to think – hopefully a lot. The Think Award recognizes the team that has successfully thought, organized, and documented their journey from their starting point to their final design. The engineering notebook is the record of this journey. Just like in real life, teams that can document their process have the best chance at learning from it and improving on it. Here is what the judges had to say:
Making their opponents green with envy, this team scrapes their way to the top. Do you think you got game? You think you got style? You think you got game? Well this team definitely got a robot!
Winner:	5037, got robot?, Elgin, IL

Inspire Award
The Inspire Award is the highest award given by FTC. The winner of the Inspire Award is automatically eligible for advancement to the next tournament level. The Inspire Award winner is the ‘prototype’ for what we’d like to see all teams achieve as part of the FIRST Tech Challenge. They do many of the things mentioned in the other awards. The difference is that they’ve tied these together in a comprehensive manner resulting in success in the competition, outreach to the community, robot design, team spirit, and engineering accomplishment. That’s a tall order but we’ve got some great candidates for this award today. Here is what the judges had to say:
This team was above and beyond in community service and outreach. When it comes to their performance, they entered the field with a roar! This team truly deserves this award because THEYYYYY’RRRRE GREAT! (tony the tiger).
Winner:	7301, Tiger Robotics, Wheaton, IL
2nd Runner Up:	5037, got robot?, Elgin, IL	3rd Runner Up:	7738, Vaders, Batavia, IL

Advancement Criteria to the 2014-2015 Illinois FTC Championship Tournament

Rank	Team #	Team Name	Award	Qualify for IL FTC Championship Tournament
1	7006	Robotitans	Qualifier Host Team	yes
2	7301	Tiger Robotics	Inspire Award Winner	yes
3	8907	Blue Box Bots	Winning Alliance Captain	yes