8 JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2020
The equivalent is a
football game where
the ref calls the captains
to the middle of the
field and gives the
sportsmanship talk. And
then, all of a sudden,
someone comes in
and taps the ref on the
shoulder and says, ‘Hey,
were not doing this.’
ROBOTICS MODERATOR
ERIC PRICE
Jesuit's Stealth Tigers Robotics team, along with
dozens of top teams from around the world,
converged on the University of Central Florida
on March 12 to begin three days of intense competition
in the FIRST Robotics Orlando Regional.
For more than two months, the Stealth Tigers
(Team 3164) had worked relentlessly in preparation
for INFINITE RECHARGE, the Star Wars-themed
competition for the spring 2020 FIRST Robotics
FRC season – the top high school robotics compe-
��������������������������������������������������������Carson Reams ’20 and
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the robot. Competitors and supporters had packed
the 5,000+ seat arena, ready to cheer. The anticipation
was at its peak.
Academy of the Holy Names junior Olivia Scarpo
was representing the Stealth Tigers at the drivers’
meeting. That’s when Sandra Contreras, FIRST’s
Regional Director, interrupted. With tears in her
eyes, Contreras announced the competition was
cancelled due to coronavirus.
“Everyone just kind of stood there like, ‘Wow. She
actually said that?’” Scarpo said. (The next day,
March 13, Jesuit would announce that virtual school
would begin the following week.)
Stealth Tigers club moderator Eric Price, who is
Jesuit’s engineering teacher, compared the timing to
a football game moments before kickoff.
“The equivalent is the whole team completing
their sideline warm-ups,” Price said. “The ref calls
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the sportsmanship talk. And then, all of a sudden,
someone comes in and taps the ref on the shoulder
and says, ‘Hey, we're not doing this.’”
All of the teams, including those from as far as
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calmly. The two-plus months of daily dedication –
from the season launch in early January to arrival
in Orlando – would not come to resolution as all
spring 2020 FIRST Robotics events were cancelled.
Jesuit Robotics
had developed
an awesome
robot this
spring, but
moments
before Regional
competition
was to begin,
it was cancelled
due to
coronavirus
The Stealth Tigers’ fast and functionally
skilled robot was ready to conquer
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INFINITE RECHARGE. According to Price
and assistant moderator Jason Ault, the
Stealth Tigers’ robot, named Switchblade
for its switchblade-like arm mechanism,
was more polished than any previous
Stealth Tigers robot.
“Based on all of the tests, we saw that
it shoots consistently from a variety of
distances and can do the all of the things
we had set it up to do,” Ault said. “The
team did a phenomenal job creating this
robot. It was primed for competition. It
was outstanding.”
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new Engineering and Robotics Lab
featuring state-of-the-art machinery
such as a 3D printer and CNC router. The
computer numerical control router is a
computer-controlled cutting machine
used for cutting various hard materials,
such as wood, composites, aluminium,
steel, plastics, glass, and foams.
“The CNC router was really challenging,”
said Daniel Prendes ’20, a four-year
veteran of the Stealth Tigers. “Seeing
what comes out of it, and how precise it
is, creating exactly what you designed,
was really rewarding.”
Working together as a team toward
a goal, day-in and day-out – including
many long days on weekends – fostered
great camaraderie. The result was a
memorable and impactful experience
that the seniors will carry with them.
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be in communication with all people in
(Jesuit Robotics),” Prendes said. “It’s a big
part of the club.”
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Ready,
Set...
GO
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