Team 696, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal.
Team member Mat Zampach, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, looks for breaks in the LED lights under the robot he is helping to build in the engineering lab on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Mach team member Alexander Luke, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, helps build a robot in the engineering lab on February 15, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team member Mat Zampach, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, who describes himself as a “go to guy for all things,” wraps zip ties around wires to hold them in place on the platform of the robot he is helping to build in the engineering lab on February 10, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team vice president Shay Sackett, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, tosses a large ball into a prototype robot outside the engineering lab to see if their design idea has merit on January 23, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Mach team members of Devon Taylor, Joshua Valerio, Elizabeth Abramyan, Shay Sackett, Mika Grigoryan and Afredo Degoma, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, all work on different aspects of a prototype robot they are building to see if the actual robot they will build will work, in the engineering lab on January 23, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Gears, just made by student Elizabeth Abramyan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, in a CNC machine in the engineering lab for a robot she and her team are building on January 23, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Freshman Daniel Torres, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, works into the evening with last year’s robot working on way’s to navigate it with his laptop, outside the engineering lab on February 10 , 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Head Programmer Aleksander Savchenkov, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, writes a program, using a language he created, to control the robot he and the team are creating in the engineering lab on February 10, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Mach team members Alfredo Degoma, Joshua Valerio, and Devon Taylor, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, work on wiring on the robot team they are helping to build in the engineering lab on February 14, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team president Saikiran Ramanan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, with the robot he is helping to build tipped on it’s side, gets inside to fix air leaks in the pneumatic tubing he helped to install in the engineering lab on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
The completed robot, designed and created by a team of engineering students with Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696 on February 18, 2014 at about 11:45 P.M., minutes before the midnight deadline when the robot has to be sealed. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
At 11:57 P.M., team president Saikiran Ramanan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, poses for a photo with the robot he helped build, sealed in a plastic bag, in front of a clock to to verify the robot is done by the midnight deadline on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Elizabeth Abramyan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, sets up a CNC machine to make an aluminum part for the robot she is helping to build in the engineering lab on February 10, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team member Ashot Chobanyan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, works with a 3D animation of the “chop-choo mechanism” the team developed to throw a ball for the robot he is helping to build on January 23, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Mach team member Alexander Luke, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, measures a rod of aluminum he will cut into 1/2 inch spacers for the for the robot he is helping to build in the engineering lab on February 14, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
With several team members watching, engineering instructor David Black, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, puts wheels onto a shaft for the robot he his guiding the construction of in the engineering lab on February 14, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Aleksander Savchenkov, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, talks with mentor Dr. Daniel Clouse, of JPL, about a future in engineering outside the engineering lab where they are helping to build a robot on February 14, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team member Miriam Grigoryan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, photographs every part the team used for the robot she is helping to build in the media lab on February 10, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Team vice president Shay Sackett and president Saikiran Ramanan, with engineering instructor David Black, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, weigh all kinds of parts to figure out where they will shave 4 pounds from the overall weight of the robot they are building in the engineering lab on February 18, 2014 so it complies with the 120 pound limit. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
A brace with the Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696 logo, on the robot the team is building in the engineering lab helping to build a robot on , 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Several team members, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, create frenzy of activity as the deadline for completion of the robot they are building approaches in the engineering lab on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Mat Zampach rests his chin on the robot that head programmer Jack Najarian and team president Saikiran Ramanan, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, are working on, threading in pneumatic tubing onto the robot they are building in the engineering lab on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Head programmer Jack Najarian, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, sits in the room with the laptop that will control the robot he and the team will test for the first time, only minutes before their deadline for completion on February 18, 2014. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Robotics team members, of Clark Magnet High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 696, lift a heavy plastic bag over the robot they made on February 18, 2014, which will be sealed until the robot will be used in competition. The team, which has been competing since 2001, had to create a robot that can pick up, or catch, a large ball, and throw it into a goal. They travel to Madera for a regional competition in early March where they will have to work as a team with other robots to score goals. The project theme was announced in early January. Using mostly equipment in the classroom, the students, under the guidance of engineering instructor David Black, and several mentors, developed, designed, built and tested a fully-functioning robot by the firm deadline of midnight on February 18th when the robot had to be sealed in a large plastic bag, clipped shut with a security tag. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)