Milton students will build robot to repeat 2001 National Championship

Milton Academy has launched its fourth year with the NU-TRONS F.I.R.S.T. Robotics team (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). The NU-TRONS, a tight-knit group of Northeastern University undergraduate and graduate students, and high school students from Milton Academy, Boston Latin School and Brookline High School, are sponsored by the School of Engineering at Northeastern University and Textron Systems.

F.I.R.S.T. is a nationwide program working with high school students to expose them to the challenge and excitement of engineering and robotics. Across the country, teams of high school and college students, teachers and engineers work in teams to design and build competitive robots. In 2002 roughly 25,000 high school students from 1,000 teams across the U.S. were involved in FIRST. In 2001 the NU-TRONS won the National Championships.

The televised competition kick-off and explanation of this year’s game will be held in Boston at Northeastern University on January 4. On the same day, the NU-TRONS will begin the five-week design and engineering project preparing for the March regional competition in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Students and parents can be involved in many facets of the process. The NU-TRONS are recruiting students to be involved in: robot design, electronics and controls, team strategy and driving, Web site design and organization, animation project development, fund raising, field construction, and the overall promotion of the project at Milton and beyond. The team seeks parents to help with the parent committee to oversee and support our many activities and goals along the way. If you have any questions regarding the Milton Academy F.I.R.S.T. contingent, please contact Tom_Gagnon@milton.edu.