Todd Pazz Interviewed Cold Logic 3617, Marquette’s Robotics Team, for the 8th Day Directly From the U.P.’s Builder’s Show

Marquette, Mich.– 03/09/2018- Reporting Directly from the U.P. Builder’s show over the weekend, Todd Pazz found some interesting people to interview for the 8^th Day. He found himself drawn to a unique looking robot along with the robot’s team and handlers. This group of people was the Marquette Robotics team: Cold Logic 3617.

Todd happened upon the team and their robot from 2014, Bruce, in the hospitality room of the Builder’s Show while on his way back from a free doughnut run! Jessica (Alyssa’s mother and head coach of Cold Logic 3617), Alyssa (head scouter for data analysis), Lauren (award-winning team member), and Molly (media coordinator) were all apart of the interview at the Builder’s Show as part of their community outreach. Their goal at the Builder’s Show was to recruit and accept donations for the team as well as be involved with the community by educating everyone about the FIRST Program (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and to hopefully spread the interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) through their robotics team. Find out more about their Goals and Values at http://www.coldlogic3617.org.

Part of the competition this year in Escanaba, the team has to put together a robot that can pick up power cubes (essentially milk crates) and put them on switches (teeter-totter) or put them five to seven feet in the air on another switch, and to also climb one foot off of the ground- that’s where Eugene comes in as their 2018 robot. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication from the team members to be able to make functioning robots to compete.

Fundraising & Recruitment

Cold Logic 3617 was contacted by the people who run the Builder’s Show this year and asked if they wanted to run the hospitality room for donations and the team couldn’t pass up the opportunity, especially since it was such a great way to educate people about how fun and interesting robotics can be. In order to be able to compete every year and keep the program running, the team has to raise at least $21,000. The funds go towards registration fees, parts and towards hotel and food stay so that no member will ever have to worry about not being able to go. The team is in need of any donations so they go to events, they work for tips, work on business letters, write grants, bag at Econo Foods, and they accept any help that someone could offer like teaching skills, media advice/help, construction and construction materials. Anyone who would like to contribute to this kind of extracurricular activity for the children can donate! Check out http://www.coldlogic3617.org.

Robotics is organized into teams of people who build the robot, strategize, and everything in between. Cold Logic 3617’s main philosophy, Alyssa says, is cooperative competition (their word: coopatition). “We’ve had one year where a team didn’t have enough people to compete so we gave them our star player in hopes that it would make them a better team so that we were playing the best teams.”- Alyssa.

“…there are no other clubs like it (robotics). There is a lot of sports clubs, and people usually flop towards those when they start high school, but people really don’t think about other clubs that are offered, much like robotics, so I really want to keep pushing more people to join the club.”- Alyssa. Cold Logic 3617 mentors all of the younger teams in the area to keep the program going in the future and to make sure kids have a chance to be interested in STEM skills at a young age. The team is always looking for people to help with promotions, artwork, book-keeping, setting up venues, organization, and outreach.

Who Can be involved?

Anyone who is apart of Northstar, Online Homeschooling, Marquette Area Schools, the Alt. Schools, Gwinn, or anyone who doesn’t have a team is welcome to join. Freshman-Senior’s are welcome, and it is free to join, as long as they can make it to the meetings.

The meetings are every Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 6:30 pm- 8:00 pm at the Jacobetti Center in room 205. People who are interested in what the club does or the robots are also welcome to come to the meetings. The Cold Logic 3617 club will even set up a presentation/meeting with people who are interested. For anyone who is interested, you can get in contact with the team on multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and their website, all by looking up Cold Logic 3617. “…Definitely, come check out what we do and don’t be afraid to show up. We are very open and inviting. I’m sure everyone who comes will find something they enjoy with Robotics.”

What’s Next for Marquette’s Robotics Team?

After competing in Escanaba, the team will continue to integrate the community into FIRST and, as Todd Pazz said, “… the magic of the modern world.” Excitingly, the Cold Logic 3617 team said they would love to build a robot for Sunny FM! Hopefully, the team will even walk in the parades with Great Lakes Radio this year!

Want to help or get more info about Marquette’s Cold Logic 3617 Robotics group? Check out their website, http://www.coldlogic3617.org.

Links:

http://www.coldlogic3617.org