2009 Varsity Robotics Team

JD Baugher - Team Leader/Electronics

Melinda Merritt - Electronics/Website

Caite Hulin - Programming

Christian Smith - Shooter/Programming

Bryson Simer - Human Player/Drive Station

Ian Hall - Drive Base/CADD

Casey Mixon - Drive Base/Safety Capt.

Will Campbell - Driver/Safety Capt.

Michael Swan - Manipulator

Todd Moran - Manipulator

Jordan Harrod - Practice Field

Kevin Axinn - Practice Field

Junior Varsity

Levi Barris

Parker Lusk

Clint Shepherd

Andrew Runyan

Martin Orozco

Whitney Deras

Patrick Hylton

Sean Sawey

Justin Swink

Tanner Neese

David Koonce

Daniel Tinney

Trey Parkey

Team 1742 - Shockwave

Team 1742 is led by students participating in the Pre-Engineering Program at Moore Norman Technology Center. The goal of MNTC's Pre-Engineering Program (and FIRST Robotics) is to better prepare our students for a 4 year engineering degree after completing high school. FIRST Robotics is a component of our EDD (Engineering Design and Development) capstone course. To find out more about Pre-Engineering please visit the Moore Norman Technology Center Website.

2009 Chairman's Award Submission

In our rookie season of 2006 Team 1742 immediately recognized the impact and value of the FIRST experience in the lives of our students and community. It is our belief that the benefits to students is so great, that FIRST Robotics belongs in every school, and should be integrated into the curriculum of math, science, communication, and computer classes across the state. Since that initial FIRST competition, students and instructors from Team 1742 have dedicated themselves to modeling Gracious Professionalism, and communicating the value of the FIRST Robotics experience across the state of Oklahoma. As a result of that commitment, Team 1742 was, and is, an important factor in the explosive growth of FIRST Robotics in Oklahoma.

Team 1742’s conviction that FIRST belongs in the school day dictates our primary strategy of targeting the “movers and shakers” that ultimately make those decisions on opportunity and funding. Team 1742, in addition to the routinely giving robot demonstrations to students, teachers and administrators in area schools, Team Shockwave has made numerous presentations about FIRST Robotics to business, government, and civic organizations. We have made presentations to state legislators, the Noble Foundation, the Oklahoma State School Board Association, the Oklahoma Career Tech Convention in Tulsa, the Oklahoma Pre-Engineering Conference, Career Tech Directors, schools outside our districts to help start a team, local school boards, the chamber of commerce, and the Rotary and Lion’s Clubs.

The values that FIRST espouses: gracious professionalism, community involvement, teamwork and safety, dictate our actions as a team. As a result of our credence of Gracious Professionalism, we are often the first call if the local FIRST Robotics Regional Director needs a presentation or demonstration. We have make trips around the state to help other teams, and were fortunate to win the 2008 Johnson and Johnson Gracious Professionalism Award at the OKC Regional. We have been helped by many teams in the past, notably Team 476 and 1561 and we pay it forward.

Team 1742 makes it a point to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves. Every year the team anonymously adopts at least 2 families in the community and makes their holidays brighter by providing Christmas presents and dinner. During the year we have made significant donations to families and individuals when we become aware of a need. Although the team is the one giving, we feel like we are the ones who receive the true gift when we reach out to others.

Because of our unique situation and constraints imposed on the 2 year long Pre-Engineering Program and Moore Norman Technology Center policy, we will always be a team with a lot of Rookies in leadership roles. It is only teamwork and the support of each other that allow us to perform at the level we do. Everyone pitches in to accomplish the day’s priority, and build the best student designed and student built robot we can in 6 weeks.
This year team 1742 has been actively involved in spreading awareness of the FIRST Robotics program. For example, our team presented a past robot to a number of rookie teams at a conference at BOEING. In addition, Team 1742 travelled to multiple high schools to inform students about FIRST Robotics. Our active involvement in spreading the word about FIRST has played a part in the emergence of a new team at a local high school, team 2793. Due to our conviction to inform students across Oklahoma about the First, Team 1742 is still a major reason for the explosive growth of FIRST Robotics in Oklahoma.

In addition to our active involvement in spreading information about FIRST, we have also supported and mentored multiple local teams. We met with teams 2793 and 2829 multiple times throughout the build season. Our team helped these teams brainstorm, learns about LabView, and we even gave them speed controllers and a plethora of pneumatic parts. Also, team 1742 stayed and helped a number of rookie teams at the Oklahoma Robotics Conference in Stillwater. Team 1742 is honored to have the privilege of helping so many rookie teams get started in the FIRST Robotics program.

Team 1742 is not only convicted to better the FIRST Robotics program, but they also make it a priority to be involved in the community. This year, Team 1742 raised money to help two families have the Christmas they deserve. Every member of Team 1742 donated their own money to buy presents for these two families. In addition, the team donated candy to a local preschool to help them have a great Halloween. Team 1742 is a team that believes in the importance of community involvement.

Every year, Team 1742 makes safety a priority. This year, every member of our team is OSHA certified. Every member of our team completed a 10 – hour general industry course to acquire this certification. Due to this focus on safety, No member of our team sustained any injuries besides a few minor nicks and scratches. The OSHA motto “Start Safe and Stay Safe” can now be the motto of our team.

Due to our active involvement in FIRST Robotics, our support of our local community, our involvement in the explosive growth of FIRST in Oklahoma, and our emphasis on safety, our team is the definition of the principles that FIRST stands for. Our team considers it a great honor to be so involved in the FIRST Robotics Program. In conclusion, Team 1742 is a team that is passionate for FIRST Robotics and will continue to be involved for many years to come.