Robotics Finishes Year Strong, Takes Second at State

Capping off what Russell Clothier, district science teacher and robotics coach, called a ‘remarkable’ year, the FIRST Bots of Independence (FBI) finished second in the inaugural Missouri Robotics State Championship in Sedalia. Clothier marvels at how far FBI has come and how fast it has happened.

“For the first eight years of our existence, we never reached the finals of an event,” he said.  “Last year, we made it once, winning the Kansas City Regional.  This year, in four events, we reached the finals three times as well as making the division semifinals at the World Championship in St. Louis.” In 2015, the FBI once again won the Kansas City Regional and finished second in Denver and Sedalia.

Paired with robotics teams from Lee’s Summit North and Monett, the FBI-led alliance advanced all the way to the finals. Like they have throughout the year, FBI utilized their strengths- and the strengths of their alliance partners- to the fullest.

“Lee’s Summit North’s team (the Broncobots) robot had a unique set of characteristics,” Clothier said. “Using their robot and ours, we capitalized on each other’s abilities and talents.

“Congratulations to the students, coaches and mentors for a job well done!”