May 1, 2018 -- The Heights High Robotics team rocked the regional Battle Bot competition! Heights High fielded two teams - the Black team placed first and the Gold team placed second. The April 28 event was at Lakeland Community College and included more than 20 teams from area high schools.

Each team designed and built a 15 pound remote controlled robotic devices to face off against other bots in a plexiglass battle cage. The bots feature a fast spinning weapon and protective armour. The battles include sparks and bots flipped high in the air.

The Robotics club advisor is engineering teacher Greg Nachman. Last year the team placed third at this event. “We learned from last years design issues and made specific improvements,” said Mr. Nachman.

 

“It also helped to have such a supportive sponsors who were important teachers, providing technical expertise and material support.” 

 The two Heights High bots compete.

 

The logistics were a bit more complicated this year, but the results were stunning. “We nearly doubled the size of our club and added another team and sponsor this year,” continued Mr. Nachman. “I was especially proud of how the team worked together to design and build two really good bots.”

The team will also compete at Nationals, May 18 and 19 at California University in Pennsylvania.

The sponsors are: Cleveland Heights based Nottingham Spirk, team members helped the students with design, engineering and also manufactured parts; manufacturing companies Talan Products and Dunham Products helped the students with design and manufacturing.

Student Team Members:
Black Team: Jaden Bellar, William Benham, James Birdsell, Patrick Dooner, Alex Grim, Gabriel Gosselin, Kihyale Hayes, Daymonique Judge, Kyle Mattox, Eric McCallum, River Meesig, Sam Mitchell, William Rosenberg and Ramon Wimbley.

Gold Team: Graeme Alcorn, Lawrence Amerson, Ryan Andrews, Jaylen Bellar, Shawn Crawford, Henry French, Grant Gober, Jazzy Gold, Greyton Manne, Macy Smith, Emma Vail and Niroshun Weerakkody

Support Team:
Pete Accorti, Talan Products, owner
Jim Szpak, Nottingham Spirk, lead engineer
Nate Moore, Talan, engineer
Miguel Lugo, Talan, engineer
Brandi Brandewie, Nottingham Spirk, documentation
Lindsey Tufts, Nottingham Spirk
Chris Fuchs, Nottingham Spirk, create parts
Don Fuchs, create parts
Shawn Dellinger, Nottingham Spirk, engineer
Tom Camiola, Talan, create parts
Joe Klukan, Dunham Products, President
Jennifer Bailey, Dunham, coordinator
Nick Mann, Dunham, create parts
Allen Wilkenson, retired NASA researcher
Lindsey Tufts, Nottingham Spirk, industrial design
Matthew Cassidy, engineer volunteer  
Desmond Leonard, alumnus, coach

The regional competition is sponsored by the Alliance for Working Together Foundation, a consortium of manufacturing companies. The group’s mission is to connect students to manufacturers and promote careers in manufacturing.