The Flying Electric Rams are a dedicated team of students from grades nine through OAC who have come together to build Etobicoke Collegiate’s "RoboRam III" for entry in the fifth annual Canada FIRST Robotics Competition. The team’s experience, devotion and enthusiasm has led to an exciting commencement of the robot’s construction and development. The students have divided themselves into specific teams, concentrating not only on the construction aspects of the competition, but also on the various means of documenting the project. The binder and video are familiar territory to the Flying Electric Rams, but this year’s additional component of constructing a web site will prove to be a challenging experience. Continuing communication between the groups allow for an integration of ideas and themes, therefore ensuring that each segment will compliment the others. This process affirms the team’s goal of not only constructing a working, winning robot, but also generating an outlet for school spirit and pride.
Over 70 dedicated students are involved in all aspects of the competition and have been guided along the way with the help of 3 teachers and 12 engineering mentors. These teachers and mentors from Ontario Hydro Technologies and Boeing have helped to lead the Flying Electric Rams in the right direction and provided wisdom and encouragement.
With both their technical and financial aid, the team and RoboRam III have been able to take flight to successfully compete in a national competition of this calibre. Currently in their third year of competition, Etobicoke C.I. is confident that RoboRam III and all of the documentation submissions for the Canada FIRST Robotics Games will provide the quality, brevity, essence and functionality that is needed for such a demanding and all-encompassing task. "Semper ad Meliora," or "Always towards the better" is Etobicoke Collegiate’s motto. That goal, and the competition result, apply whole-heartedly to the Flying Electric Rams and therefore allows them to focus not only on the task at hand, but on the future as well.
