Stratford Robotics advances to world championship but needs funding help

A robotics team from Stratford has a chance to compete at a world championship, but they have one major hurdle to overcome. CTV's Jeff Pickel reports.

After a decade of trying and some close calls, the Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS) robotics team is going to the Vex Robotics Competition world championship.

“I was really excited. I know a lot of people on the team were really excited. It’s the first time that our organization has made worlds in the ten-something years it’s been running,” said Grade 10 team member Declan O’Neil.

Not only is it the first time for an SDSS team, but it is also the first time for any team in the Avon Maitland District School Board.

For team coach and engineering teacher Andrew Bradshaw, it’s not an easy path for public school teams.

“A lot of the teams are private organizations, private clubs, so comprised of high school students, but run by engineers,” said Strickland.

The team qualified by competing in a number of tournaments over the school year and did well enough to earn an invite to the world championship in Dallas, Texas in May.

“It shows that we are now one of the best teams in the world because we’ve made this competition,” said O’Neil.

It was not an easy journey for the team, over the last eight months they have built three robots, refining and improving each time.

For Grade 11 student Pasha Rusin-Franke, it’s the robots and his teammates who make the hard work worthwhile.

“I came for the robots, but I stay for the community. There are so many nice people here, I’ve learned so much,” said Rusin-Franke.

With the team’s success comes a financial obstacle.

“As a publicly funded school, a program like this just isn’t part of that budget,” said Bradshaw.

He says they are currently over $15,000 short to fund the trip, and the cost will fall to the team members’ families if they do not raise enough money.

“I always say that Stratford Robotics is not just for rich kids, it’s for smart kids. That’s the goal, is that hopefully we can offset these costs so it can at least be affordable for everybody.”

The world championship begins May 5th. Anyone wishing to donate can contact Bradshaw at [e-mail] or the Avon Maitland School Board directly.