Nova Labs Robotics at Worlds 2024
- Nova Labs Robotics
- Apr 22, 2024
- 2 min read
The Nova Labs First Robotics Competition (FRC) team had a rollercoaster of a season! Our goal was to make it to Worlds, and by winning Ashland to compete at Owings Mills and Districts, we all worked hard to achieve that goal.
When we did make it to Worlds, we were all blown away by the sheer enormity of the convention center, and by the creativity and uniqueness of all the other teams' robots and their approaches to problem solving.
Each and every member of our team had many opportunities to learn and experience new things. Some people attended seminars and panels, such as how to make a STEM resume, community for black engineers, and women in STEM. Others engaged with corporations about internships and engineering processes, such as the Imagineers, DEKA Research, and Crunch Labs. Our pit crew had the opportunity to help other teams by making new bumpers for a team from Mexico, sharing parts with other teams, and advising rookie teams on how to get ready for elimination matches. It was a great learning experience in so many ways!
Despite not making it past qualifications due to two mechanical issues that couldn't be overcome, we had the absolute time of our lives being there! We got to cheer on all the other hardworking teams, take inspiration and gather new ideas to execute next season, and most importantly, we were able to strengthen our bond as a team.
Our team is built by people, not robots, and during this remarkable season each individual demonstrated that when we come together as community, we can build an amazing robot. All of us were able to push ourselves and take further steps forward than any of us thought possible by working together to achieve our goal of making it to FRC World Championships.
What an incredible experience for your team—reading about how you all came together, helped others in the pit, and soaked up every learning moment at Worlds really made my day. It reminds me of a time when I was stuck troubleshooting my son’s Piper computer kit right before a school showcase; a quick call to the Piper customer service number got us back on track in minutes. That same site also has a bunch of free coding games and puzzle-based adventure missions for kids, plus build-your-own computer projects that teach circuitry and logic step by step—perfect for young minds who love tinkering as much as your robotics team does.