By Diana Blodgett, Cedar City Perfect Paradox Coach
Two minutes and thirty seconds. That’s what it comes down to after months of designing, prototyping, building, and testing. The robot is ready, the game begins. The first thirty seconds of the game are entirely pre-programmed. The timer sounds, our robot glides forward, picks up a game element and drops it in the high bucket. Eight points. Two more times during that first thirty seconds, it picks up an element and scores. Seamless. Beautiful. A representation of years of programming knowledge. The next one minute is driver-controlled. Practiced hands pick up their game controllers and fiercely focus as they meet the game challenge. They work together, navigating the game field around three other robots, their drive coach guiding them through. Pulses racing faster than the speeding clock, they are down to the final thirty seconds, end game. This year’s end game challenge, to suspend your robot off the ground, free hanging on a horizontal bar, an amazing accomplishment worth fifteen points. But the ultimate end game challenge this season is to climb the first bar and then ascend to a second bar, free hanging above the first bar. That ascent is worth 30 points, but when the audience erupts at seeing our bot achieve that highest climb, that’s epic.
The excitement of those short minutes can only truly be felt in person at a First Tech Challenge competition. Who are we? We are PERFECT PARADOX TEAM 8400 from Cedar City, Utah. Our robot is named Lady Nancy the Destroyer. And we love robotics.
Perfect Paradox competes in a challenge within an organization called FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). FIRST is a global organization in which teams build a custom robot to meet each year’s unique game challenge, announced in September. FIRST has three levels of competition. FLL (First Lego League) for grades K-8, FTC (First Tech Challenge) for grades 7-12, and FRC (First Robotics Competition) for grades 9-12. Each level encourages growth in engineering and robotics, while demanding the very best out of its team members. Our team requires clean language, a good attitude, hard work, a willingness to learn, and dedication to the team and teammates.
FIRST’s motto is, “We are not using kids to build robots, we are using robots to build kids.” As one of the coaches of the Perfect Paradox team, I’ve seen that firsthand. These kids grow in all areas as they meet the demand of the season. Beyond the engineering skills, they learn to communicate with each other, communicate with adults in the professional world, fundraise, reach out to and work with other teams, and so much more. I’ve seen kids that are hesitant to speak up when they first join our team find their voice as they are asked to share their ideas with the team, approach a business owner about a sponsorship, or arrange a tour with a facility. Watching that confidence grow, and hearing that voice be heard, it’s magic.
We learn through our mistakes. Every time our robot breaks, we uncover a weakness that can be strengthened. At a competition in Hurricane when the main support to our robot arm broke, we were out. We had to forfeit our last match, leaving our ally in a lurch. Afterward, we replaced all of our 3D printed parts with glass-fill ABS or aluminum. We went full terminator mode with modular parts that can be swapped out faster than the pits at Daytona. So the next time something breaks, and it will, we are ready. Bring it on.
At the state championship in March, held at SUU, our team won second place in the Inspire award. The Inspire award is the highest award that a team can earn in the FTC program. It is given to the team that not only performed well in the robot games, but also placed high in all other award categories (think, innovate, design, control, motivate, connect). That second-place win earned our team the opportunity to compete internationally at a premier event. Our team registered for a three-day competition in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and started putting all of our efforts into fundraising. The team worked hard for months to earn their way to pay for that trip, and they did it! Our biggest fundraising effort was through a partnership with Fundraising Adventures who connected us with Firehouse Subs and Dippers to sell buy-one-get-one free cards. If you’ve been awkwardly approached by a teenager in purple selling one of these cards for their robotics team, just know that you’re helping them grow and learn, even if you didn’t buy a card. We learn from all of it, thank you!
In Canada our team was competing against 38 other top teams from all over the world. China, Jamaica, Israel, Brazil, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Malaysia, Canada, and teams from all over the United States were there to compete. We translated our team information card for other teams into seven languages. It was an incredible opportunity for our team members!
When we arrived on day one, we had a table and space assigned to us. But we didn’t stay put in our own space, that’s not our team. True to form, the team got to work right away meeting other teams, learning their names, learning about their culture, sharing team merch, and cheering on their competitors every step of the way. We shared ketchup chips (sold in Canada) with other teams, they shared maple candies with us.
Through team members networking, they learned about several teams that needed help with their robots. Our team jumped in to help our competition with zero hesitation. The Jamaican team had a motor break, we gave them a spare motor we had, asking nothing in return, and helped them install it on their bot. Soon after, we learned that the Brazilian team was in trouble. Their bot didn’t pass inspection. Our team worked with them, coaching them through the adjustments that needed to be made in order to compete. We offered tools, and support, all while one of our parent chaperones translated our English into Portuguese and back. The Brazilian team passed their inspection and their gratitude was profound.
We started to have a steady stream of teams coming to our table, hearing that we might be able to help, and we did. Tools, parts, screws, advice. Anything we could do to help, we did. The team from Jamaica brought us cookies and sweet rolls to show their appreciation and asked for a picture with our team. I’ll treasure that picture always.
On day two the coach of the Brazilian team spoke in Portuguese with our parent chaperone and let him know that he is one of the organizers for a similar FTC event in Brazil next spring and he wanted to invite our team to travel to Brazil to participate in that competition. These competitions are generally only participated in by those who have been awarded placement to participate. He invited our team to join his event based purely on merit and the caliber of the team. It is a privilege to be invited!
A team from California was devastated to learn that the wheels on their robot had been damaged during shipment leaving them unable to compete as soon as they arrived. Again, we jumped in to help in any way that we could. We helped take apart and rebuild their wheels and got their bot ready to compete again. Their team ended up winning the first place Inspire award. After the awards ceremony their team gifted us one of their Inspire award medals, a gift that carried profound meaning for us. Earning that medal at such a prestigious competition is a once in a lifetime event. Receiving that medal in gratitude from their team was a true honor.
At the end of the third day of competition we were awarded first place in the Connect award, meaning that we connected well with our stem community at home. It was a fitting award for a team that connected so well with their stem competitors at the event. We were so grateful that we were awarded the well-earned connect award. But the cherry on top for us about winning that award had nothing to do with taking first place. The audience, hundreds of people strong, full of opposing teams, erupted when they read our name. Our Perfect Paradox chant exploded at full volume from the crowd cheering for our team. Those people cheering? We knew them. We knew their names. We knew their struggles. We grew together over those three days. Coming together across borders, across barriers, across languages, across cultures. This program we are a part of, it was never about the robot. It is so much more.
My husband Craig Blodgett and I coach the team. But we are truly honored to be associated with these teens that can look beyond themselves to the needs of others. They are the best of the best and we can’t wait to watch them SOAR.
We were so proud to represent Cedar City Lions Club, Iron County 4H, Cedar City, Utah, and the United States of America in Canada. And I can tell you, we represented well. Our team isn’t affiliated with any local schools, but you can find us anywhere servos are sold. We are a 4H robotics club and we are the Cedar City Lions Club’s newest Leo Club! We serve at Lions Club events such as the Kite Flight for Sight and the 4th of July Parade and festival at the park. Did you come to the dunk tank on the 4th? We were there! You’ll also find us at 4H events like the Iron County Fair and summer robotics camps. We love serving and giving back to our community.
If you are interested in being a part of this amazing program, find a team near you! That’s us. We’re it. Perfect Paradox. The next closest teams are in Hurricane (shout out to T.W.C.A!), and St. George (shout out to N.A.S.A!). Feel free to reach out to us anytime to learn more! You can reach us at [email protected].
For any kids wanting to join a lego league you can contact Marla at the 4H office at 435-586-8132. All of these programs rely on parent volunteers. Yes, that’s right, we aren’t paid for this. There are far more kids that want to join the lego league teams than there are parent volunteers to support the teams. A background in robotics isn’t necessary. A good coach is able to encourage kids, find team mentors, and support learning. Talk with Marla, she’ll help you out. Iron County 4H is also looking for community support in helping them find a location to meet. Right now, the group size is not only limited by the lack of parent volunteers, but also because they meet in a small shed behind the 4H office. If you know a good meeting place, please let them know! Wonderful, enriching programs like these rely on community support and we would love to have yours!
We also want to send a GIANT THANK YOU to our Perfect Paradox sponsors! You can view them on our website, https://perfectparadox8400.github.io/ . Thank you for helping us be more than we ever thought we could.
We are always looking for ways to continue to connect with our STEM community and learn from experts in our area! We love tours and mentors! We are also always looking for sponsors who are ready to help the next generation of STEM professionals who not only know how to solve problems, but see and meet the needs of others, communicate in more than texts, and think outside the box.
And one last thank you to this amazing community for supporting our team through this amazing, wild journey of robotics. It’s a fantastic ride!
