Robotics team qualifies for world championship, needs $15K to compete

By Ryan Thomas, Editor|April 21, 2016

IMAGE / Katie Valley

The Hybrid Hornets will be competing at the world championship Wednesday, April 27, in St. Louis, Mo.

The Hybrid Hornets robotics team 5150 is advancing to the world championship competition after it finished second in the state championship.

Going to the World Championship is expensive, and the team needs to raise an estimated $15,000 before the competition in St. Louis, Mo., on Wednesday, April 27.

Between lodging, registration, money for replacement parts, and travel expenses, the Hornets are in need.

Mrs. Cindy Carnes, team mentor and parent of senior Gabe Carnes, drive captain, said any money will help.

“We didn’t expect to get this far, but everyone is so excited to go,” Mrs. Carnes said. “These kids are going to need a lot of help.”

Mr. Andrew Spiece, adviser of team 68 Truck Town Thunder, wants the team to be able to attend the World Competition.

Spiece has set up a GoFundMe  page for the team to raise money.

Any written checks should be made payable to “Kearsley Hybrid Hornets” and mailed to 4075 Mitchell Drive, Flint, Mich. 48506.

The Deltaplex in Grand Rapids hosted the state’s 102 best teams and through qualification rounds they finished with a 9-3 record, ranked as the No. 4 team heading into playoffs.

The team then won in a best of three match in octofinals, quarterfinals, and semifinals. They ended up losing in the third game of the final.

Senior Michael Fitzgerald feels that the team did well, especially given their lack of experience.

“We’re only a third-year team, and we’re up there competing with the 10-year teams,” Fitzgerald said.

Work getting started on the "Scaling Arm"
IMAGE / Photo Courtesy of Hybrid Hornets
Workers get started on the scaling arm.

The team benefited from the new Autonomous Command (Auton for short) and scored a season high 376 points across 12 games during the autonomous time period.

The team’s bot, Sir Buzzbee of Robotis, may get a few tweaks before the competition. The team has considered adding a “scaling arm” if it has time to do so between fundraising efforts.

The Hybrid Hornets ended the local season ranked fifth in Michigan, which has 411 teams and is considered one of the most difficult circuits in FIRST.

“Teams are coming from all around the world,” Fitzgerald said. “This stuff is so intense, and I’m really excited for the opportunity to go and play against the best teams in the world.”