Weston robotics team gearing up for world championships

The night before any competition is stressful.

For ninth grader Alyssa Nie and her team, they have to make sure their robot is as ready as they are. Bags are filled with spare chargers, screws, anything that might be needed for a last-minute repair during a First Tech Challenge robotic competition.

Organized Anarchy, an all-ninth-grader robotics team at Weston High School, will be packing their bags once again at the end of April to participate in the FIRST World Championship in Houston, Texas. The team qualified on March 15.

Nie said the team melded well this year, and being able to work together is just as important as understanding the fundamentals of robotics.

“I really like our team dynamic,” Nie said. “You have to make sure you mesh, because the season is really long.”

The competition includes robot matches, where teams are paired together to achieve a goal using their robots. The teams must also present a portfolio explaining how their work has improved over the season.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Weston Observer (@westonobserverinsta)

Outside of competition preparation, Organized Anarchy mentors younger robotics teams in town, hosts scrimmages and does outreach at events like the Cambridge Science Festival.

“It’s a connecting point,” Nie said. “It’s nice because it combines my two passions, which are STEM and connecting to my community… I want to keep inspiring people while doing something that I love myself.”

The FIRST World Championship takes place April 29 through May 2 in Houston, Texas. Organized Anarchy is raising money to cover travel costs. More information can be found on the team’s website, organized-anarchy.org.