San Dieguito Academy Foundation

On January 5, a team of San Dieguito High School Academy students received a kit of parts, a set of rules for a robotic competition and a six-week deadline. Their assignment: design, build and program a robot to compete in a game that requires the robot to make laps around a rectangular track while moving large balls over and under a 6-foot-high intersection.

The group of robot-building students who accepted this challenge call themselves “Team Paradox.” And on Saturday, March 8, Team Paradox placed third in individuals scores at the San Diego FIRST Robotics Regional competition held at San Diego Sports Arena.

Then they went on the Los Angeles Regional competition, where they placed 19th. Kelsey Fox gave us an update:

Members of Team Paradox

So in Los Angeles, we were selected by the third seeded team to join their alliance. The alliance was composed of three teams, ourselves, The Torbots, and The Nerds. We made it to the semifinals to battle for the remaining position for the finals, hoping to compete against the Beach Bots, D’Penguineers, and another team for a chance to go to Atlanta.

For the first round, our opponents beat us, but we came back in the second round with a high score tying it up. In the last deciding round, the buzzer rang and we were ahead by ten points, 82 to 74. Unfortunately a controversial penalty was called, changing our score to 72.

After much contesting and discussion, the final score was 72 to 74, we had lost by two points. But the good news was that we were consistent and able to do just as well as we had done in San Diego. The Beach Bots and D’Penguineers went on to win the finals against the team who had defeated us.

Overall it was a great experience that was enjoyed by all.

We are very proud of Team Paradox and their achievements. Go, Mustangs!

You don’t learn nearly as well until you actually use it for something.” —George Stimson, Physics teacher and mentor to San Dieguito High School Academy’s “Team Paradox”

Team Paradox Teachers and Mentors include:

• Jason Berend, Teacher
• Chris Collins, Asymtek
• Rachel Collins, Asymtek
• Steve Des Jardins, Asymtek
• Robert Estrella, Asymtek
• Mike Godfrey, ViaSat
• Michael Hawkes, Asymtek
• Andree Pyfer, Intelligent Automation Systems
• George Stimson, Teacher
• Dan Strich, ViaSat
• Shea Wilson, Asymtek
• Tom Saake, Parent
• Rich Schermerhorn, Mission Design and Development
• and Nancy Meisenhelder & Denise Brown, Team Moms!