Mountaineer Area RoboticS

MARS was founded by five student members of a three time state champion WV FLL team. Building on the principle of creating a community-wide robotics program at the local high school and middle school levels, we have been able to bring together students from the two large and traditionally rival high schools. Our biggest supporter has been, and continues to be, the local university (West Virginia University). Without access to shop facilities, technically trained mentors, and space to construct our robot, we could not have started a FRC team in 2008.

In our initial year of competition (2008), the MARS team beat out seven other rookie teams for the Rookie All Star Award in Pittsburgh. In addition, MARS worked their way through the quarter finals and the semi finals in a three team alliance with team #337 and team #357 to win the Pittsburgh Regional. MARS then traveled to Atlanta for the World Competition, where we enjoyed two days of intense competition with teams from around the world.

In our second season (2009), MARS participated in many community outreach events, developed an inclusive marketing plan, started eight and sponsored ten FLL teams, helped FRC teams worldwide as a LabView Beta test team, published our SERTI packet, mentored a rookie team, and distributed Orbit Balls to teams in need. We made it to the semifinals at both the Pittsburgh and Palmetto Regionals as well as won the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Controls Award at both Regionals. We also won a safety award at the Palmetto Regional.

In our third season (2010), we ran a number of robotics weeks at a variety of summer camps, sponsored eleven and mentored fourteen FLL teams in three counties, and continued to grow the MARS team! MARS sponsored FLL teams swept the WV FLL state tournament, including first place overall, first in technical, and first on the robot course. The MARS FRC team competed in the Pittsburgh and Raleigh Regionals where they came away with the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Controls Award at both regionals; capping a string of four consecutive Rockwell Controls Awards. At Raleigh Team 2614 also won the Engineering Inspiration Award - sending team MARS to the World Championships in Atlanta, GA. In Atlanta, MARS team member Luke was named one of the 10 Dean's List Award winners for his efforts in building the MARS program.

In our fourth season (2011), our FLL program expanded dramatically and now includes teams in more than 15 counties. We started our first rookie FRC team at Winfield High School in Putnam County, WV. MARS sponsored FLL teams swept the WV FLL state tournament, including first and second place overall, first in research, and first on the robot course. The MARS FRC team competed in the Pittsburgh and Palmetto Regionals where they won the Entrepreneurship Award in Pittsburgh and the Engineering Inspiration Award in Palmetto - sending team MARS to the World Championships in St. Louis, MO. In Pittsburgh MARS captained the 4th seeded alliance and in Palmetto MARS captained the 2nd seeded alliance; making it to the semifinals in both events.