The FIRST Robotics Team 2471 (Team Mean Machine) composed of students from Washougal, Camas, Hockinson and Hayes Freedom did an absolutely amazing thing this weekend. They dominated over 100 teams on their way to winning the regional competition.
They won eight of nine matches during the preliminary rounds which left them ranked 1st. During the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals they held strong to become the Seattle Regional Champions. As a result of winning the regional competition, Team 2471 has qualified the World Championships in St. Louis the last weekend of April. Before that, however, they have one more competition this weekend at the Portland Regional Competition. If you have time and want to witness the spectacle that is a robotics competition, come down to the Memorial Coliseum on Friday or Saturday (3/25-3/26) from between 9:30am-4pm. You can also see it online at http://www.usfirst.org
Team 2471 was also awarded by the judges the Industrial Design for Engineering Award sponsored by General Motors which "celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively achieves the game challenge."
Team 2471 or Team Mean Machine has improved each year over the last four years. The very first year, Team Mean Machine was a CHS team only. The second year, four WHS students joined the team. This year the team was made up of Washougal High Students Patrick McCarthy, TJ Houze, Anna Kellogg, Jarred Freeman, Carolin Scheibel, Jacob Wright, and Riley Taylor joined Romney Kellogg from Canyon Creek Middle School along with students from Camas High, Hockinson and Hayes Freedom School. Along with the students, are the mentors. Team 2471 has absolutely incredible mentors. The dedication, hard work and long, long hours by the mentors and students is commendable and paid off. Congratulations to this year's regional robotics champions!
