Cyber Sisters win Award!
Our very own Cyber Sisters recently returned from a thrilling day of engineering and high-stakes strategy at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) South West Qualifier, held at Bournemouth University on the 27th. This year’s theme, DECODE, challenged teams to step into the shoes of digital archaeologists, tasking them with building and coding a robot capable of "uncovering the future" by retrieving and classifying artifacts across a complex field.
The day began with a few setbacks. The girls faced a shaky start during the morning’s qualification matches. However, showing the true spirit of the competition, the team refused to let anything dampen their spirits. With some inspiring teamwork, they got the ball rolling, delivering increasingly impressive performances as the afternoon progressed.
Competing against veteran teams from 6th forms, private schools and upper schools the Cyber Sisters held their own, demonstrating that age is no barrier to technical excellence. While they missed out on qualifying for the National Championships, their robot’s ability to tackle the difficult driver-controlled tasks was a testament to months of hard work.
The highlight of the day came when the judges announced the Reach Award. This trophy isn't given for the fastest robot, but for the team that best embodies the "More Than Robots" philosophy of FIRST.
The Cyber Sisters were recognized for their outstanding community outreach, specifically their dedication to working with local primary schools and industry companies to promote STEM. The judges were moved by how the girls have sparked interest in robotics beyond our school gates, acting as "STEM Ambassadors" for the next generation.
If you would like to support the Cyber Sisters, or would like for them to lead a workshop at your school, please contact Robotics@stmichaelsmiddle.org.
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