We are the robotics club, or team, of Tompkins High School. We are known as the Steel Talons and we are a registered team with the non-profit organization, FIRST. Our FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team number is 5427. Our team was established in the spring of 2014. We competed in two off-season robotics competitions in the summer and fall of 2014 using other established teams borrowed backup robots.
In January of 2015, we built our first robot as a team at one of the mentor's home and then moved into the newly built RSC in March and then competed in our inaugural competition at Lone Star Regional Competition finishing in the low 30s. In January 2016, we built our second robot as a team at the Robert Shaw Center (RSC) located near Raines High School and Rhodes Stadium. We competed in our second regional competition in April again at the Lone Star Regional competition finishing in the top 20. We typically compete in a summer off season competition and an off season competition in the fall. Please see the RESULTS menu option to check out our performance and the awards won over the past five seasons.
Interested students in 9th through 12th grade can join the team in the fall by mid-September. A new FIRST Robotics Competition season begins in early January of each year where we build a new robot based on that particular year's requirements. We have approximately 8 weeks to design and build a new robot. And then we go to district competitions and compete with the new robot. Our season is busiest in January and February and then in the weeks leading up to a district competition in March/April. In the fall semester our team gets trained in safety and how to use the equipment. There are monthly meetings for all student members usually held before and after school, but all build activities take place up at the Robert Shaw Center (RSC). Students must provide their own transportation to and from the RSC.
Each fall we accept new team members and open up membership application at the New Falcon Camp. All students need to complete the online membership form and pay the activity fee that covers a team work t-shirt and competition t-shirt, and a small part of the competition fees or the build season costs. We limit team size due to space constraints at the RSC and manageability to around 100 students.
Please follow our team on Instagram @5427steeltalons, Twitter @FRC5427 or on Facebook @FRC5427 for latest team news.
In January of 2015, we built our first robot as a team at one of the mentor's home and then moved into the newly built RSC in March and then competed in our inaugural competition at Lone Star Regional Competition finishing in the low 30s. In January 2016, we built our second robot as a team at the Robert Shaw Center (RSC) located near Raines High School and Rhodes Stadium. We competed in our second regional competition in April again at the Lone Star Regional competition finishing in the top 20. We typically compete in a summer off season competition and an off season competition in the fall. Please see the RESULTS menu option to check out our performance and the awards won over the past five seasons.
Interested students in 9th through 12th grade can join the team in the fall by mid-September. A new FIRST Robotics Competition season begins in early January of each year where we build a new robot based on that particular year's requirements. We have approximately 8 weeks to design and build a new robot. And then we go to district competitions and compete with the new robot. Our season is busiest in January and February and then in the weeks leading up to a district competition in March/April. In the fall semester our team gets trained in safety and how to use the equipment. There are monthly meetings for all student members usually held before and after school, but all build activities take place up at the Robert Shaw Center (RSC). Students must provide their own transportation to and from the RSC.
Each fall we accept new team members and open up membership application at the New Falcon Camp. All students need to complete the online membership form and pay the activity fee that covers a team work t-shirt and competition t-shirt, and a small part of the competition fees or the build season costs. We limit team size due to space constraints at the RSC and manageability to around 100 students.
Please follow our team on Instagram @5427steeltalons, Twitter @FRC5427 or on Facebook @FRC5427 for latest team news.