Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, are shown at the competition, including Sam Geckler and Lisa Farrell, mentors, and team members Asher Lamb, Rishi Rao and Jiaxuan Wang.
In just a few days, Columbus’ Team 4926 known as GalacTech will compete with robotics teams from all over the country and world attempting to win an international championship.
Before that happens, however, they’ve got another big challenge — such as how to raise $20,000 in roughly 24 hours.
That’s just one of the things on Team 4926’s to-do-list as the group prepares to compete at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Championship in Houston, said Columbus Robotics president and team founder Sam Geckler.
The local robotics team, nicknamed “GalacTech,” was part of the winning alliance at the state championships this past weekend, which qualified it for the international championship. The turnaround between the two events is short to say the least; qualification matches for the FIRST Championship begin this Thursday and continue on Friday, with playoffs and finals on Saturday.
“It wasn’t an expected event, so it’s a pleasant madness right now,” said Geckler.
As the team seeks to raise funds for the trip, they’ve gotten in touch with sponsors who helped support a recent competition held at Columbus East High School in March. Geckler also expects there to be a GoFundMe campaign.
Another complicated aspect of the trip is logistics. Not all of the team members are going to Houston at the same time or in the same way. Some families are driving to the event, but most of the team will be flying.
Pits open on Wednesday for technical inspection and set up, said Geckler, and they’ll need some team members in Houston that morning to prepare. Their robot is already on its way to Texas; after state championships, it was loaded into wooden crates along with other equipment.
“We came home with nothing but medals,” said Geckler.
For those traveling to Houston from Columbus by car, Google Maps estimates the drive to be 15 and half hours long and a little more than 1,000 miles. Over 400 teams are registered to compete at the high school division of the international championship, with some groups coming from as nearby as Indianapolis, and others traveling from countries such as Brazil, Israel and the Netherlands.
During the event, each team is assigned to one of six competition fields — each named after a renowned scientist — and six competitions run in parallel, said Geckler. Each of these six competitions will produce a winning alliance, which then advances to Einstein Field for a round robin tournament and finals. Ultimately, one of these six alliances — each made up of four teams — will win the entire championship.
When asked how the team was feeling about their win at state and upcoming trip, Geckler said it hadn’t fully sunk in yet. He added that the Indiana finals were “super intense,” and local mentors are proud of the hard work and hours put in by students.
“It’s been a long-held dream to win a state championship, and it’s very, very difficult,” he said.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, was one of the teams around the state competing at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, prepares to compete at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics The Columbus Team 4926 robot is shown on the competition floor.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics The Columbus Team 4926 robot is shown on the competition floor.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics A celebration breaks out from the Columbus Team 4926 cheering area as the team finds success at the state championships.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics 20220419cr-robotics-12 Reis Simpson, mentor for Team 7457, Isaac Kannianen, Team 4926, member, Rishi Rao, Team 4926 member, Asher Lamb, Team 4926 member, and an unidentified team member from Team 4272 work together.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics The Columbus Team 4926 robot is shown on the competition floor.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, had its own flag for the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics The Columbus Team 4926 robot is shown on the competition floor.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, prepares to compete at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Asher Lamb, Team 4926, and teammate Isaac Kannianen compete at the state championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Sam Geckler, mentor – Team 4926, is shown with the team’s robot and team members, Isaac Kannianen, Asher Lamb and Jiaxuan Wang
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, prepares to compete at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, was one of the teams around the state competing at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, prepares to compete at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) State Championship.
Photo provided by First Indiana Robotics Columbus’ Team 4926, known as GalacTech, are shown at the competition, including Sam Geckler and Lisa Farrell, mentors, and team members Asher Lamb, Rishi Rao and Jiaxuan Wang.
