Cherry Hill High School East is proud to announce that they are home to a VEX Robotics state champion team for the fourth straight year in a row.
On Saturday, Feb. 23, East’s own Black Tie Robotics (team 2616B) was on the winning alliance along with two Calvary teams (169B and 169F) from Haverford, Pa., that took home the state tournament champion title.
For the first time, in a final elimination, best of three round contest that ended in a tie, a fourth match was required to determined the final winning alliance. After a nail-biting and unprecedented extra round, Black Tie’s alliance emerged victorious, underscoring East’s reputation as a powerhouse for robotics in New Jersey.
This years’ state championship was the largest VEX robotics event ever held in the state of New Jersey, with 47 teams competing from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Garden State Robotics runs the events throughout the season and selected Cherry Hill East to host the State Championship for the second time in three years thanks to the unwavering support of East’s administrators and staff that help make running such a large event so successful.
The win qualifies Black Tie Robotics (Iftikhaar Ali (‘13), Max Bliss (‘14), Conrad Kramer (’14) and Jeremy Welsch (‘14)) to compete at the World Championship to be held April 17–20 in Anaheim, Calif., along with teams from 30 countries around the world. Also qualifying for the World Championship were the winners of the Excellence Award, Team 750C from South Brunswick High School and Design Award winner Team 30D from Montville.
“This is the fourth year the robotics club has been here at East. It was started by two students about three and a half years ago. They did a Research In Science project, were very successful, and went to the World Championship as sophomores. As a result, they started the robotics club and competed at the world level the next two years.
They graduated last year, so we’re hoping that tradition continues from here on in,” said club advisor, Joseph Dilks.
Dilks is a mathematics teacher that has dedicated countless hours after school in order that the students have every opportunity possible to work on their robots. He shares their passion for the challenges that the competitions present and his dedication does not go unrecognized by the students. Iftikhaar Ali (‘13), the club’s senior officer, noted that “Mr. Dilks misses out time with his family for us. We want to build robots that Mr. Dilks can talk about with pride.”
In order to prepare for this competition, the students worked together to design and build a robot using the VEX Robotics Design System, that could quickly and efficient solve specific obstacles and challenges that come with playing the game, “Sack Attack.”
Each week, the students apply what they’ve learned about science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to build the semi-autonomous machines. An equally important set of skills is learned through competition — communication, project management, site management and interview skills.
This was the first time that all five East robotics teams, 2616B, 2616C, 2616D, 2616E, and 2616F all competed together in the same competition.
It was especially exciting for the newest freshman team, 2616F (Frightening Lightning) whose performance earned them a spot in the quarterfinal elimination matches as the fourth seed alliance. From the 47 teams competing, only 24 teams went into the elimination rounds where there are eight alliances of three teams each.
Last year, Cherry Hill East teams Army of Two (founding team, 2616) and Black Tie Robotics were recognized with the Teamwork Award at the 2012 VEX World Championship.
Their commitment to cooperation, unity and mutual respect that earned this prestigious award at the world competition level continues to this day. The Army of Two teammates both came home from college in order to help as well as to cheer on the East teams at this weekend’s competition; they could not be prouder of all five teams.
