STUDENTS' OWN WONDER MACHINE HIGHLAND HIGH TEAM CONSTRUCTED ROBOT SOLO.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Faced with a cash shortage and the absence of the faculty team adviser, who had a death in the family, the Highland High School robotics team got a late start in building this year's robot.

School robotics teams normally have six weeks to design, assemble and test a robot; the Highland team did it in half that time and produced what team members say is the best robot they've created in four years of competition.

``What you are seeing is the result of a test - a test of wills and endurance,'' said math teacher and team adviser Paul Schmidt, who had to temporarily abandon his team when his father died. ``The students stepped up, faced challenges and were very successful. This is the best robot to come out of our program.''

Five feet tall and moving on four wheels, the robot resembles an angular black cage made of wire mesh, decorated with green neon light rods, with thick foam on its top to protect students from the sharp edges.

The robot made its debut Tuesday in a school ceremony: It rolled up a ramp, and a vertical slide inside it lifted to release a ball onto a platform.

The robot's name is Schmidt Finder, 3WNM-WS?. The last part of the names stands for ``three weeks, no money and where is Schmidt?''

Senior Allen Wong pointed out the complicated wiring of the robot. ``They give you the rules and the wires, but they don't tell you how,'' said Wong, who wants to become an electrical engineer like his father. ``It was really, like, real life. We were given time that was not enough time to build anything.''

This is the first year for junior Kristin Van Buskirk on the team.

``I was interested in learning how the robot works and wanted to learn how to build them and the mechanics involved,'' Van Buskirk said.

She said the team worked long hours, from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. after school, and on the weekends they would start in the morning and go until 7 or 8 p.m.

Team president Matt Blake said the team was determined to finish the robot.

``We figured we are in it and we are really determined in learning about the robot, plus it's just so much fun,'' Blake said. ``I enjoy being all around this and working with people.''

The team received financial help from Highland's student government. To compete, it costs $6,000 to register and participate in a regional event and get a kit of parts and associated materials and support.

The team had $2,800, and the student government loaned the remaining $3,200, Schmidt said.

Representatives from Lockheed Martin on Tuesday presented a check for $3,000 to the robotics program.

``We've been supportive of the robotic teams at both Lancaster and Highland high schools for four years through mentors, materials and monetary contributions,'' said Ellen Bendell, community relations representative. ``We want to reach out to students to encourage math, science and engineering so we can grow future engineers that we will need.''

Two Lockheed employees, supervisor Ken Macofsky and carpenter Jim Burling, built the wooden crate that the robot will be shipped in to its first competition. The crate is decorated with a Lockheed Martin ``Skunk Works'' symbol.

``Last Friday, we drove over there with the robot. Ken and his team sized up the robot and created a crate that the robot fits in like a hand in a glove,'' Schmidt said.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 3 -- color) Brendon Parker, left, operates the remote control that operates Schmidt Finder, 3WNM-WS?, the Highland High robot. Below, the cage-shaped robot, with student Allen Wong watching closely, powers up a ramp and slides a ball onto a small stage. Bottom, the inner workings of the robot's wiring, compressor and regulator systems.

(4) Highland High School robotics team members and others gather around the Schmidt Finder, 3WNM-WS?, named after their temporarily absent adviser.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer