Students with no experience are welcome to join the robotics team. We have many students every year that have no background in robotics and just want to learn.

The FRC preseason begins in fall and returning students are encouraged to work on self-guided projects, while incoming freshmen and new students learn the fundamental skills required for the season launch in winter. The regular season begins winter trimester and continues on into spring. Students are encouraged to participate in the preseason but it is not a requirement for participation during the regular season in winter.

Red Shift robotics has a preseason in fall that is two hours a week after school on Mondays and Wednesdays, and one or two Saturdays a month that run 10 AM-2 PM. Students are encouraged to attend all practices but we also accommodate students who want to commit to some practices but not all because of other commitments (theater, athletics, homework, etc.).

The regular season in winter has an increased commitment. There are three practices a week for 3.5 hours each after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Saturday practices are most weekends and run from 10 AM to 5 PM. Once again, interested students do not have to attend every practice unless you are part of the Robotics Leadership Team.
 

The robotics team is considered a team and does not meet during a regularly scheduled class period; however, because of the high level of time and developed skills, SAAS does give credit for participation in the club. Students can earn a credit for fall trimester and another credit for winter trimester. 

The robotics club builds coding skills through the instruction of Java, Python, and C++. There are pre-built libraries that offer access to our motor and servo controllers along with use of GitHub as a center of our code. 

Sport overlaps are common and we consider these for each individual student. The same goes for students committed to non-athletic programs.

Show up and commit to a practice! Communicate with one of the team mentors and come to practice after school on a practice day. Feel free to also reach out to Gerald Elliott with any questions you may have about the program. 

Red Shift (which we refer to as “terrestrial robotics”) participates in an event (FRC) that involves working with and against other teams to win games. Blue Shift focuses on a practical problem that teams attempt to solve with their design. While the event is judged and scored based on the team’s success in solving the problems, our robot is never in head-to-head competition against other robots. The underwater aspect also adds a significant level of difficulty to the design problem for Blueshift Robotics. Team members must take a deeper dive into engineering concepts due to the added complexity of performing underwater given that the robot must be able to maintain neutral buoyancy and stability while working several meters under water to solve the competition tasks.

Blueshift welcomes all participants regardless of experience level and finds roles and tasks that each member can contribute to and learn from.

Practices are once or twice a week for three hours, during winter and spring trimester. Extra practices are sometimes added in the weeks leading up to the competition.

Yes! You can get either one Computational Thinking or Entrepreneurship & Design credit for an entire year of participation in Blueshift Robotics.

Students with no experience are welcome to join the robotics team. We have many students every year that have had no background in robotics and just want to learn, which is why we have two sub groups in the Middle School program with one focusing on training and building engineering proficiencies.

The Middle School Fall Trimester program begins the second week of school and runs until the competition in November. The Spring Trimester Club begins the first week of spring or the last weeks of winter and runs until the competition in May or early June. 

Practices run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 PM - 5:15 PM. Students are encouraged but not required to attend both days and there is an option for students to move to the after school homework room before taking the after-school activities bus home at 6 PM. 

Sport overlaps are common and fine as long as students can commit to one practice minimum per week.

Look for the interest form that is emailed to Middle School families at the beginning of the year. You can also show up to a practice or email program director Gerald Elliott to express interest or ask questions.