Finigan School of Distance Education

Gabi, one of our Year 11 students, has been busy competing in the FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) with some very impressive results. Gabi provided the following report.

Greetings, my name is Gabi, and I am a participant in the FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC), an engaging platform tailored for high school students keen on delving into STEM disciplines. Within this competitive arena, teams are tasked with the construction of robots occupying a cubic meter dimension, subsequently pitting them against one another within alliances comprising three teams. This dynamic unfolds within a condensed timeframe of six weeks, commencing upon the disclosure of guidelines in January. The focal objective for our team this year involved propelling sizable foam rings into a designated goal, positioned approximately a meter wide and elevated seven meters above ground level.

The culmination of our efforts materialised on March 15th, as my team embarked on a three-day competition, navigating through intense rounds of challenges. Notably, our team secured the esteemed position of second pick within the initial alliance and clinched victory in the finals alongside two formidable counterparts: the Baker Redbacks from Barker College in Sydney, Australia, and Guangzhou Wayi from Guangdong, China. Furthermore, our team received the prestigious Impact Award, a distinction revered as the pinnacle of recognition within the competition's framework.

Looking ahead, April heralds a transcontinental journey for our team as we set our sights on two pivotal competitions in the United States: one situated in California at a national level and the other in Houston at an international echelon. Personally, entrusted with the role of main seed driver, I am honoured to represent my team as its primary female first-pick driver for the second consecutive year. It is worth noting that our team operates within the confines of a community-based model, characterised by modest financial resources primarily derived from instructional courses, sponsorships, and grants. Consequently, my involvement in robotics spans six days a week, with each session extending for a minimum duration of five hours.

For those keen on tracking our progress, our team maintains an active presence on Instagram (@frc5985), offering regular updates throughout the forthcoming months. Additionally, all our matches will be accessible via live streams on Twitch, subsequently archived on YouTube for retrospective viewing. To locate these events, inquiries under the title "Southern Cross Regional 2024," "East Bay Regional 2024," and "FIRST Championship 2024" shall yield optimal results. Identified by team number 5985 and christened as Project Bucephalus, we eagerly anticipate the unfolding of these upcoming ventures.

Thank you to everyone who has put up their hand to be a performer for the District Arts Festival. Look out for an email with more information soon.

We are now on the hunt for students who would like to be in the STAGE CREW. This will involve being at the Canberra Theatre for the shows and rehearsals and helping backstage as well as moving props on and off the stage. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be involved in a theatre production!

Dates for the Festival are 12th – 14th August. More information about accommodation options will be released soon.

Please email deborah.degraaf@det.nsw.edu.au if you are interested in being in the stage crew.

The PDHPE Faculty attended the recent Socceroos vs Lebanon soccer world cup qualifier at Canberra stadium as an end of term faculty gathering.

Jeremy from Year 12 created this photograpic composition titled 'Solarisation - Felicia the cat as Merribee silo'

Check out some of the fantastic things our students have been creating below.