Twenty-one robotics and engineering students from Masuk High School will represent Monroe at Vex Robotics High School World Championship this April. Held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, the prestigious competition attracts award-winning teams from the United
States and abroad.
At this weekend's CTEEA Connecticut Super Regional Tournament in Manchester, CT, Masuk's robotics team, So Vexy It Hurts, qualified to join members of Vexy ^ 2, another Masuk team, in California. (Vexy ^ 2
Participating students are Chris Massar, Michael Massar, Kyle Parshal, Evan Sage, David Ball and Joe Pires. Also, James Cumberbatch, Anton Kaminskiy, Colin Dablain, Chad Bauer, Amelia Gouveia, Richie Infante, Neil McCarter, Kyle Granello, Orion Strickland, Adam Volman, Julian Iglesias, Michael Dydzuhn, Joey Maini, Emily Hammer and Anthony
Leon.
“I congratulate all of the members of So Vexy It Hurts for their hard work,” said Bill McDonough, adviser of the Masuk Robotics Team. McDonough is a resident of Shelton.
With the assistance of Assistant Coach Mike Cercone, of Milford, Monroe's robotics team meets three days a week after-school and in the evenings. Now in its second full year, the program's 70 members are responsible for the robot's design, construction and programming. The students also trouble-shoot problems and continuously fine-tune the robot's design. At qualifying tournaments, team members analyze competitors' skills so they could
strategically select teams to create alliances for the quarter and semi-final rounds.
McDonough said he was pleased by the performances of all of Monroe's robotics students at Sunday's tournament in Manchester. “There were 77 teams competing overall and four out of Masuk's five teams finished in the top 40,” McDonough said.
Additionally, three teams were chosen by top-seeded teams from high schools in New England to participate in the final Alliance round.
“Each of the three teams battled hard but they were eliminated in the quarter finals,” he explained.
The Vex Robotics High School World Championship is Wednesday, April 17 to Saturday, April 20. The expected cost is approximately $25,000. Donations are requested.
Looking ahead to the 2013-2014 season, Masuk's Robotics Team hopes to sign on additional individual and business sponsors. All donations are tax-deductible; checks may be made payable to Masuk Robotics Team, care of William McDonough, Masuk High School, 1014 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, CT 06468.
