Team Winnovation finished an impressive third at the World Championships in Atlanta. The group has advanced to the World Championships five of the six years of its existence, competing this year against 342 teams! The Winnebago CUSD #323 recognized the team and its coaches for their great season during the Board Meeting last Monday.

The tower is in the process of being welded and the frame has been returned from welding. The auxiliary is being attached to the frame. The end game piece construction has been started. In trials, the auxiliary has been successful. Halfway through build season our goals for week four are to have a completed tower, and to have a moving bot! Thanks to everyone for bringing great food!

Parts were sent out to be water jetted and the frame was welded for the chassis. The auxiliary was prototyped and the field bumps and goals were completed. The team went out to assist the Oregon RoboHawks, team 2364, with programming and design ideas. We also checked on the Boone County 4-H Robotics, team 3352 (rookies to FIRST Robotics) that we are mentoring this year.

The January issue of Servo Magazine has just been issued and features members of the Winnovation Robotics team, John Ratzenberger, and Snuggles the Robot.

Even though the official robotics season is pretty short, Winnovation's isn't. This past off season the team has been very busy. They have gone to two off season competitions, IRI and AFC. They have also been busy fundraising and performing demonstrations for our sponsors. At a local Fourth of July Parade, the team had a float to show off our robot and what FIRST is to our community.

The FIRST(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics program is a program for students. Students do not have to be the smartest or the best at anything to do tasks for the Robotics Team. Anyone can be an important and valuable member by trying their hardest to learn and contribute to the team.