Lapeer East Robotics Team prepares for competition, adds sponsor

Rick Chown, vice-president of PNC Bank, presented a check for $3,000 to the Lapeer East High School FIRST Robotics Team. The money will allow the team to compete in a regional competition March 5-6 at Kettering University in Flint. LAPEER — Armed with a new sponsor, a new robot and a 22- student team the Lapeer East High School FIRST Robotics Team is set for its first regional competition at Kettering University in Flint on March 5 and 6.

The team showed off its new robot Tuesday night at CCS Robotics on Imlay City Road. On hand were continuing sponsor Tony Diodato, owner of CCS Robotics and new sponsor PNC Bank (National City) and representatives, Rick Chown, vicepresident, Leanne Peterman, assistant vice-president, and Michelle Griffis, branch manager at the Lapeer Main branch, 948 S. Main St.

Chown presented a check for $3,000 to the team and the team’s advisor, George Mavis, industrial arts teacher at Lapeer East High School.

Students demonstrated the new robot which will compete with dozens of area robotics teams in a game of robot soccer. Each FIRST Robotics team receives an identical kit of electronic parts and a set of rules describing the game in January and then has six weeks to design and assemble the robot.

Students get technical advice and mentoring from Diodato and Mavis, but are responsible for building the robot.

“The students all have great ideas,” Diodato said.

In addition to fun, the six week build period has a serious side for Diodato who has hired three former Lapeer East graduates and former robotics team members for his business.

“It’s really like a six week job interview,” Diodato said. Other graduates have gone on to study engineering at Kettering University.

The competition events bring family, friends and many fans, said Mavis.

“It’s a basketball game atmosphere,” said Mavis. “Bring you ear plugs.”