Club History
FIRST
The Hilo High Robotics Club was established by two science teachers in 2003, and its members participated in FIRST for two years(2004-2005). Due to matters out of our control, we had no adviser and the club went inactive. However, that taste of FIRST; the excitement, innovation, creativity, and competitiveness, why, that’s what drove our students to really push for the rebirth of the robotics club in 2006. We as students wanted to get right back into the action of FIRST, but we also knew that this time around our club needed sustainability to ensure the future of our robotics program and participation in FIRST. After a year of developing our club, started to grow in which 9 members turned into 51. We owe this to the excitement that FIRST generates among us students. Besides helping our club strengthen and grow, FIRST has given us a purpose and a mission. It was FIRST’s vision of inspiration that paved a path for our very own outreach programs; reaching out to the younger generation in our community. Through local science and technology fairs, and our very own Camp Eureka! We strive to embrace the mission of FIRST by generating a love for science and technology in the next generation. FIRST is the Superbowl of robotics competitions, it is the pinnacle of our program and ultimately, everything that our club , students, and mentors are,and will be, because of the passion, FIRST. “To create a world where science and technology are celebrated, where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.” -usfirst.org. This is etched in our minds, hearts and souls.
ROV
Hilo Viking Robotics first participated in ROV in the year 2006. Hilo High School hosted a few of the Big Island regionals, with multiple teams competing. However, in the year 2009, the club stopped participating in ROV due to personal preferences. Another club, HHS ROV Club was started, taking a few HVR members as well.
In 2010, the HHS ROV Club turned in to HHS+1. It composed of three Hilo High students and a home schooled student. They placed 1st overall at the BIRR (Big Island Regional ROV) Competition in 2010 and also received the Engineering Award for best design. This qualified them for the International ROV Competition, coincidentally in Hilo, Hawaii later that year. The team placed 5th overall out of around 50 teams in the Ranger class as well as received the Biggest Bang for your Buck award. This award was given to the team who spent the least amount of money on an effective robot. One of the Hilo High students also won the MVP award which was given to only three participants in the Ranger Division.
For the 2010-2011 School Year, HHS+1 merged with Hilo Viking Robotics. As a main source of fundraising, they hosted a ROV Edition of Camp Eureka, where they taught elementary students how to create their own ROV.
The HHS+1 ROV Team took on many new members, and due to more of them being from Waiakea High, they re-named themselves the Hawaii 808 Ninjas. The team then went on to compete in the 2011 MATE-BIRR ROV competition and take 1st place in the Big Island regional for a second year. The team qualified for the internationals in Houston, Texas. Thanks to the gracious donations of the Institute for Astronomy/Infrared Telescope Facility, the team did not have to pay to ship their robot. During the competition however, the team encountered mechanical problems due to shipping and placed midway through the rankings. They were a bit saddened by the loss, until they saw the squirrels. The whole team agreed that this was an amazing experience. The team decided not to compete in the 2011-2012 season.
WORK IN PROGRESS
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