Coatesville's Robotics Team 7244 comes Full Circle with new robot, set for nationals

COATESVILLE, Pennsylvania -- A robotics club in Coatesville is making waves on the world stage thanks to some amazing students, a collaborative spirit and a robot named Full Circle.

"There are 13 of us on our team and all of us pitched in some way," said club member and driver Michael Gallagher. "Some were programming, some building, some driving. Whoever you are on the team you made a healthy contribution to this robot. It took about 8 months to build it."

Team 7244 is made up of a diverse range of students from grades 7-12 from around the Coatesville area.

Their hopes for a world championship are pinned on the aluminum frame and flashing lights of Full Circle, their robot that will compete in the first Tech Challenge World Championship tournament in April.

"They actually earned their way as Inspire award winner. They are the epitome of a FIRST tech challenge team. Not only do they build a good robot but they have the skills, they're good at marketing, expressing themselves but they also understand the core values of FIRST and what it takes to compete," says Tom Zawislak of FIRST Tech Challenge.

They'll have their work cut out for them as they will be competing against 160 other American teams.

This team competed in the State Championships in March and beat out 35 other teams to get a chance to compete on the world stage.

And it's not just robots they're building. It's the memories made along the way.

Senior Sam Tatum is one of the drivers of Full Circle. He knows the value the club can bring to students of all backgrounds.

"It's also the soft skills you develop," he said. "I was pretty introverted when I first started but it's helped me with public speaking and communication. We provide opportunities to people who may not have it initially."

These skills give them the self-confidence to compete on the world stage.

If you'd like to contribute to the team's efforts and to help cover travel expenses, you can donate to Team 7244 at https://gofund.me/b5408a0d