What was previously an empty room in N227 is now a fully transformed workshop for the expanding robotics team. The team had been meeting in the S221 science classroom, but due to an increase in membership and cramped conditions, they have transitioned into the larger area this year.

According to head coach Darren Fuller, the robotics team was also meeting in the senior lounge, cafeteria and various other locations to accommodate the space needed to test and create robots. This lack of a convenient and suitable location greatly reduced the amount of time the team had to operate.

“Previously we would have a work session and have to put everything away, store it. It would take 15 to 20 minutes of every work session to just get things out at the beginning and put things away because we were sharing the classroom,” Mr. Fuller said. “Now, they can come in here, do some work, they can leave things out, come back. It allows us to pick up where we left off. It’s great.”

Assistant head coach Theresa Serangeli believes that the new space has had a helpful impact on team morale. 

“I think it makes everyone feel more empowered and proud, the fact that now they have an official space,” Ms. Serangeli said.

While the new room has fixed many of the obstacles the team faced, Mr. Fuller also acknowledges that the pandemic has made it difficult for the growing team to operate collectively.

“Even this great space is not enough because we have about 60 total students involved in the three teams,” Mr. Fuller said. “Because of COVID we can never all meet together anyway, because you can’t have more than 25 [students] without permission.”

While N227 is currently a permanent location, the robotics team hopes for a larger, single location eventually.

“We’re still a fairly new club,” team member Nico Ahmed said. “We’re still trying to get the kind of habit statuses of an actual big club.”