Robotics

When students build robots, robots build STEAM-loving students. Just ask any member of FIRST® Robotics Team 1939, which has qualified for six  World Championships and won dozens of awards since 2006. But robotics at Barstow is about much more than  competition.
It’s about leadership, sportsmanship and service to the community. Team 1939 members build competition robots  — and routinely win top awards for their efforts —  but they also use their STEM skills to serve others.  In classrooms and clubs,  robotics students learn mechanical and electrical engineering, design thinking, tool usage, prototyping, wiring and programming. They become innovators and confident thinkers as they solve problems and refine their work. And they transform lives through community service.

Program with a Purpose

Service & Leadership
Service and leadership are hallmarks of the Barstow robotics program. Team 1939 members are leaders of Go Baby Go, a program that adapts ride-on cars as mobility vehicles for children with disabilities. Working with Variety Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City, Barstow hosts an annual Go Baby Go community build with regional robotics teams, and our students have provided 80 families with vehicles since 2015. Team 1939 also created an instructional manual and global online forum so other chapters can follow Barstow’s lead.

Competition
The FIRST Robotics competition season begins in January and builds toward World Championships in April. Under strict rules with limited time and resources, students are challenged to build industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game in alliance with other teams. Our students learn the value of teamwork and sportsmanship as they compete in the “sport of the mind,” traveling to regional tournaments and compete at World Championships.

List of 1 members.

  • Photo of Cassie Banka

    Cassie Banka 05

    Director of the Dan and Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space KC, Engineering Department Chair
    (913) 825-4220

Robotics Courses

List of 2 items.

  • Middle School VEX Robotics

    Students learn to build robots—and character. They work in small teams to build, modify and program VEX robots to complete challenges and compete against each other. They also learn to work under the pressure of competition in a fun, supportive environment.
  • Upper School Engineering Design & Robotics

    Project-based courses focus on the engineering design process. Students work as a team to design entries for the KU High School Design Competition. The course also provides instruction in mechanical and electrical engineering, tool usage, Arduinos, wiring and mechanisms for robots. The honors level course includes more rigorous grading guidelines and advanced coursework.

Awards & Recognitions

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

  • 2020 Season*

    Robot Name: Arthur
    • FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award – Alexis Dixon
    • Greater Kansas City Regional Imagery Award
    *Season suspended due to COVID-19
  • 2019 Season

    Robot Name: Lancelot
    • Cow Town Throwdown winner
    • Missouri FRC Championship
    • Einstein Finalist, 3rd place
    • Carver Division Championship subdivision winner
    • Central Missouri Regional winner
    • Arkansas Rock City Regional Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
    • Arkansas Rock City Regional FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award – Asim Hawa
    • Arkansas Rock City Regional Judges’ Award
  • 2018 Season

    • Cow Town Throwdown winner
    • Missouri State Championship
    • Oklahoma Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
    • Heartland Regional FIRST Dean’s List Finalist – Alexey Ayzin
    • Heartland Regional Excellence in Engineering Award
  • 2017 Season

    • Cow Town Throwdown
    • Midwest Regional Judge’s Award
    • St. Louis Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
    • St. Louis Regional Finalist
  • 2016 Season

    • Cow Town Throwdown
    • Missouri Robotics State Championship
    • Queen City Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
  • Previous Seasons

    2015
    • Greater Kansas City Regional Imagery Award
    • Arkansas Rock City Regional
    2014
    • Cow Town Throwdown
    • Greater Kansas City Regional Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Gavin Wood
    • Greater kansas City Regional Imagery Award
    • Arkansas Regional Chairman’s Award
    • Arkansas Regional FIRST Dean’s List Finalist – Isabel Lloyd
    2013
      • Cow Town Throwdown Imagery Award
      • Razorback Regional Finalist
      • Motorola Quality Award
    2012
        • Cow Town Throwdown
        • Oklahoma Regional Imagery Award
        • Greater Kansas City Regional
    2011
        • Minnesota North Star Regional Imagery Award
        • Greater Kansas City Regional Finalist
        • Greater Kansas City Regional Imagery Award
        • Oklahoma Regional Finalist
        • Oklahoma Regional Cooperation Award
        • Oklahoma Regional Motorola Quality Award
    2010
        • Greater Kansas City Regional
    2009
        • Colorado Regional
        • Greater Kansas City Regional Chrysler Team Spirit Award
    2008
        • Greater Kansas City Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
    2007
          • St. Louis Regional
    2006
        • St. Louis Regional Daimler Chrysler Team Spirit Award
        • St. Louis Regional Highest Rookie Seed Award