Select Page: ClubsBrady Investment ClubBriareus SocietyDrama ClubGranite State ChallengeBBHS RoboticsFrench ClubInning ClubInteract ClubInvestment ClubLiterary MagazineMath TeamMusic MinistryNational Honor SocietyNewspaperSADDSki ClubSpanish ClubStudent CouncilYearbook

Link to BBHS Robotics 

What is the mission of the Bishop Brady Robotics Team P4 (Pi Phi Pho Phun)?

The Bishop Brady Robotics Team P4 (Pi Phi Pho Phun) introduces students to the fields of science, engineering and robotics in a hands-on and enjoyable way. The team builds and programs robots for competitions at the state and national levels.  The primary competition for the team is the FIRST program started by New Hampshire's inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen. ( www.usfirst.com ). Introducing high school students to the practical applications of engineering through the challenging and fun approach of the FIRST national competition yields education, competence and teamwork and plants the seeds of a promising career in the fields of science and engineering.

The team mission of advancing the application of math, science and technology in learning and education occurs every day that the robotics team meets.  Whether it is a brainstorming session for creative design principles, sketching a robot on a CAD program, or designing safety or environmental messages with the 3DS MAX program, the goal of using math, science and technology is being realized by the robotics team at Bishop Brady High School. The teamwork and leadership skills that the students learn will help build the healthy and vital communities in which they will live in the future.  The creative processes that they are learning, practicing and acquiring may open doors to new inventions that better enable communities to function in more efficient ways.

Who are the team's adult mentors?

The team has an encouraging adult network that supports, mentors and provides practical building experience for students interested in science, robotics, computer science and engineering. We currently have 2 parent coaches and 20 additional parent mentors who support the students logistically as the students design, build and compete their robots.

 Our coaches are Debra Slocum and Dr. Alexander Slocum. Deborah Slocum is an electrical engineer with a Masters in Electrical Engineering from MIT. Mrs. Slocum founded and has coached the Bishop Brady team since its inception in 2003. She has experience in control system design and robot control. She has helped coach two junior Lego League teams. Additionally, she has coached ten Robocup Junior teams, one of which won the World Championships in Soccer and Rescue in 2001.

Professor of Mechanical Engineering Alexander Slocum (PhD, MIT 1984) teaches the MIT 2.007 Introduction to Design course. He holds over 70 patents and has been recognized as the Massachusetts Professor of the Year in 2000.  He received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award in 1999 for his efforts in minority engineering educational endeavors. He was also awarded the ASME Leonardo da Vinci Award, a prestigious design award. He has more than 23 years of robotics and machine design experience. He is also an avid furniture maker.

What is the scope of the program?

The program runs throughout the academic year.  The team meets at least twice a week throughout the fall getting ready for the Savage Soccer competition held by Worchester Polytechnic Institute, Worchester MA.  This is a VEX competition using small robots over a designed course to accomplish a specific task. 

Work begins in earnest in mid-January for the Granite State Regional FIRST competition in New Hampshire, which is held the last week of February.  There is a six-week build period during which the students work both weekend days on all available weekend sessions.  The students must complete the building of the FIRST robot as well as the CAD design, and the 3DS Max 30 second animation spot for competition.  The month of March is full of design changes and new approaches as the team members put what they learned in the Verizon Regional to good use to improve the robot's performance in the 2^nd regional.  Seasonal wrap-up occurs in April and the planning process for the next season begins.  Fundraising may occur over the summer.  

Who is served by this program?

The individual students that participate in the Robotics program gain the most from the program in the short run. These young men and women experience the realities of teamwork. They must function as a team as they create a small business model that will guide them as they work toward their goal: constructing a working robot.  They must, within the business model's framework, design, fund and construct a robot that can win a complicated game designed by professional engineers.

Only one team is ever completely successful; yet, all the teams involved often learn many valuable lessons about life.  These young women and men come to grips with the fact that many things in life are beyond their control, that failure is another way to learn and that success still can be achieved in the future.  Other life lessons include stress associated with time-lines, group dynamics and funding limitations. These powerful and valuable lessons will serve well to prepare these students to become the future leaders of our state.

This by-product of the program will continue to create ripples of service long into the future as these young leaders become adults who move forward into their colleges and new communities with innovative and collaborative approaches.  The opportunities and lessons learned through this activity will indeed have long reaching effects on an audience unanticipated and unknown in the future.

What is the expected outcome of the program?

The expected outcome of our program is that our students will have the opportunity to learn the various skills needed to create a working and winning robot and to enjoy themselves through all the engineering, production and competitive processes.  Our team members have taken advantage of the many lessons provided by their experiences in the First Robotics competition. The 2006-2007 robotics season clearly demonstrated that the students were able to utilize the lessons learned.  The Bishop Brady Team finished 48^th out of the 52 teams in the FIRST Robotics competition Granite State Regional.  Undaunted by this disappointment, the Team renewed its efforts to learn from the 1^st regional and improve their robot for the Las Vegas Regional competition.  Using what they learned in NH, the Team's improved robot made it to the Quarter Finals and finished 4^th out of 50 teams.  The Team also was awarded two trophies for their efforts in the other areas of the competition.  It was our strongest finish ever!  It is expected that these experiences will aid in the formation of creative individuals who can influence and advance their chosen fields of work, their home communities and our Nation's interests at large.

How do we measure success?

The success is so easy to measure.  You just have to watch the kids.

It is in the chatter of an excited student who had an idea that gave the driving crew an edge over the competition by pinpointing the competition's weaknesses more rapidly during the first day of the elimination phase.  It is in the hours the 3 DS MAX team spent developing an animation sequence regarding environmental improvements that lasted for all of 30 seconds not a second longer. It is in the building, rebuilding and perfecting the robot over 5 weeks of building, competition and improvement through lessons learned and applied.  It is in the team songs, chants, applause and spirit throughout the 3 days of the competition. It is a teenager that hits the bed at 9pm because he has to be up and out at 6:30 the next morning to get the robot ready for another day of competition.  It is also watching one teammate suffer the agony of defeat while another teammate offer consolation, hopeful comments and friendship.  The success is SO easy to see.

      Additionally, four of the team members have received FIRST scholarships to colleges of their choice.

How is the program financially sustained?

Our fundraising efforts are just beginning, as we are a fledgling team in our fifth year. We are building relationships with businesses in our local area.  Last year, we demonstrated our robot and discussed the purpose and enterprise of our team with the American Council of Engineering Companies - New Hampshire (ACEC-NH).  Our entire team met with the Board members of the organization and gained their sponsorship for the FIRST Robotics program.  This presentation benefited not only our team but also the 50 other teams that participate in our regional competition.  We are proud to have begun this partnership that will help many students statewide and nationally.  Team members will continue to form new bonds with businesses in the local area that will support the endeavor.

We will also continue to fundraise as a team with Christmas wrapping and Borders Benefit Days through Borders Bookstores, working as a team at New Hampshire International Speedway parking cars (we did this as recently as September 16, 2007 from 3am till 2 pm), selling local merchants' fundraisers, running a community raffle, and holding bake sales and hosting problem solving competitions for the school at large.

Donations to the Bishop Brady team will cover entry fees of $10,000 to all events, as well as, $2,000 in materials for the completion of various robots.  Housing for the construction process and professional engineering mentorship are donated.  Several area firms to include: PC Connection, Banks Chevrolet, Bittware, Inc., Hoyle, Tanner and Associates Engineering firm, Concord Steam, Pepsi Co., Taylor Rental and Priority Title Company with financial donations. Additionally many local stores to include: Ritz Camera, Shaws, Hannaford, Santa's Village, Hood Dairy, Bagel Works, The Monarchs, The Fisher Cats, Concord Fencing Club, Cindy Ann Cleaners, The Palace Theater, Elizabeth Grady, Preference Styling Salon and StarBellies also sponsor the team with in kind material donations for our Robo Raffle or the FIRST Lego League competition.  Parental support provides transportation, food, chaperoning, fundraising and any additional requirements.

How does the team serve the greater community ?

The concept of being part of the greater whole is entwined in the daily curriculum at Bishop Brady High School.  This year the Robotics Team is embracing that responsibility and is adding a community service component to the team's vision of success.  These young men and women will take the opportunity to return their newfound knowledge and positive experiences to other youth in our local community. They have the chance to open the robotics frontier to all the local elementary schools in their region. On November 17, 2007, the Team will host first ever Concord Lego League Robotics competition in the Capital City.  Team members will help organize, staff and run the competition.  They also will mentor and sponsor two middle school teams of their own from St. John's Regional School in Concord.