Shorewood's Team Pronto ready for robotics regionals

Team Pronto robotics club from Shorewood
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Team Pronto from Shorewood is competing in the Seattle Regional Robotics event at Century Link Events Center in Seattle Thursday to Saturday, March 28 to 30. 

Team Pronto robotics is a student-organized club that has in six weeks constructed a climbing and Frisbee-throwing robot. Team Pronto mentors are from Boeing, Microsoft, F5 Networks, UW Robotic Labs, Shoreline Schools and UW students.

The Seattle event is the world's largest robotic competition outside the world championships. There will be 64 teams competing for the chance to go to the world championships in April in St. Louis.

This year’s 35 Shorewood Team Pronto students put in more than 3,300 build hours in the shop and have a combined 3.75 GPA for the first semester.

The students’ task this robotic year was to design and build a robot that could throw a Frisbee into a goal and then climb a pyramid-shaped jungle gym.  Teams will compete as a three-team alliance. The alliances will be changed for each match.

After the six-week build the robot was locked up on Feb. 19 and team members did not see their robot again until this week’s competition.

The students' building was greatly aided by mentors from Boeing, Microsoft, F5 Networks, UW, and the UW Robotic Lab. Mentors have clocked well over 1,000 hours in the shop and raised money from their companies along with spending their own money so that Team Pronto could compete this year. 

"These mentors give of their personal time, energy and money to help our students succeed," said Wes Proudlove, Shorewood teacher and advisor to the robotics team.

Friday will be the first two qualifying rounds of the competition. Saturday Team Pronto will be competing for a place in the final eight of the event to make the finals. The championship rounds will begin at 1:30pm on Saturday.

More information on Seattle regional robotics event. Team Pronto’s website.