Seaside High School to Host 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition Monterey Bay Regional

Scanning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2024

Contact:

Marci McFadden, Chief of Communications & Engagement

831-706-6971

Seaside High School to Host 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition Monterey Bay Regional

Seaside, CA - The 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) Monterey Bay Regional comes to Seaside High School, located at 2200 Noche Buena Street, for one day of practice rounds and two days of competition between March 28 -30, 2024.

Two of Monterey Peninsula Unified School District’s high schools - Monterey High and Seaside High - will field teams in the competition. Monterey High’s team, Robodores (4255) consists of 20 students ranging from freshmen to seniors and Seaside High’s team, BayBots (4171) consists of 15 students also ranging from freshmen to seniors. Schools from central and northern California will compete, 36 teams in all.

Beginning in August through December 2023, students have competed in preseason, where they use built robots from the previous year to introduce ways of play, design and programming. It is a strong opportunity to engage in off-season events to build skill. In January 2024, the season began with new design parameters, and teams have been designing and building a robot to compete in the game.

“As we embark on another exciting year, our Monterey High School team is once again fully engaged in the design, construction, and testing phases of our robotics projects,” said Robin Coyne, teacher and robotics coach, Monterey High School. With more than 13 years of leadership within the program, Coyne emphasizes, “Robotics transcends mere construction; it's a platform for nurturing essential leadership qualities and preparing students for the dynamic landscapes of their future careers. This immersive experience fosters collaboration, sharpens critical thinking, ignites shared creativity, and refines the art of collective problem-solving through the iterative design process."

"Throughout countless practice sessions and dedicated weekends, our team at Seaside High School has poured their passion and commitment into crafting their robot," said Michelle Chen, teacher and robotics coach, Seaside High School. "Witnessing their rapid growth and learning in this condensed time frame brings me joy and pride."

Robotics also brings together the community. Parents and community members get involved as mentors and provide support in programming, fabrication and design. For example, Monterey and Seaside high schools have received support from the Naval Postgraduate School and professionals, such as Metal Specialties, in the area who want to support the students in this tech challenge.

Learn more about the Monterey Bay Regional at http://cafirst.org/frc/montereybay/.

Schedule

Thursday, March 28, 2024

12 - 6:30 p.m. | Practice matches

Friday, March 29, 2024

8:30 - 8:50 a.m. | Opening ceremonies
8:55 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Qualification matches
1:00 - 5:45 p.m. | Qualification matches
5:45 - 6:15 p.m. | Awards ceremony

Saturday, March 30, 2024

8:30 - 8:50 a.m. | Opening ceremonies
8:55 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Qualification matches
1:30 - 4:30 p.m. | Playoff matches and awards ceremony

# # #

About Monterey Peninsula Unified School District

The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is home to approximately 9,600 students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. The district also houses preschool and adult education. The district is built on a solid foundation of effective instruction, positive school culture, systems of support, and collaborative leadership. The district is nestled along the Monterey Bay, and stretches from the city of Marina to the north to the city of Monterey to the south, and includes the communities of Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Sand City and Seaside.