EM High Community Robotics involves students forming a Robotic team(s) to participate in available community competitions such as Skills Alberta, Vex Robotics and FRC - First Robotics. Students prepare for and attend tournaments to compete with and learn to work with other teams. Robotics involves problem solving through inquiry and students learn the soft skills of teamwork with an emphasis on gracious professionalism. This program is available outside the normal timetable for academic students seeking flexible delivery.
Students learn to design, construct and control robots and various robotic systems, both tele-operated and autonomous. Students learn Computer Assisted Design (CAD), electrical systems, mechanical, structural and programming. They create web pages, document the work with photos and work with industry mentors.
"FIRST equips our young heroes to solve hard engineering problems of the future with passionate regard for human dignity."
-Dave Lavery, Program Executive for Solar System Exploration, NASA
The Ernest Manning Robotics team competes in the international FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FIRST was created “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills”. Manning Robotics has competed at various events across North America against teams from all corners of the globe. Manning robotics is more than engineers. Team members learn skills in programming, design, business management, photography and video editing but most importantly, FIRST robotics students are leaders. Manning robotics alumni have gone on to study Law, Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Design, English, and Piloting at post secondary institutions all over the world.
Beyond just taking part in robotics competitions, Manning Robotics is a proud member of the local community. Manning Robotics represents both Ernest Manning and FIRST at various events including the Calgary Maker Faire, International STEM Fest, Beakerhead, as well as the annual Ernest Manning open house.
Two things matter more to Manning Robotics than anything else, and those are Professionalism and Safety, as can be seen by the various awards the team has won in these areas. Manning Robotics students are ambassadors for not only their school, but also their country, which is demonstrated every year when the team travels abroad to compete against other teams.
