Lorain Titans Robotics
The Lorain Titans Robotics Team represents a dynamic group of middle and high school students from Longfellow Middle School, General Johnnie Wilson Middle School, Southview Middle School, and Lorain High School. Competing in the VEX V5 Robotics Division, our team fosters innovation, technical skills, and teamwork.
Why Choose the Lorain Titans Robotics Team?
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Student-Centered Learning: Our students engage in hands-on learning to master the engineering design process, mechanical design, programming, and teamwork. Guided by experienced coaches, they gain valuable skills that prepare them for future STEM careers.
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Student-Centered Application: Our program empowers students to take ownership of robot design, building, and programming. They apply their skills in competitive gameplay and standalone matches, showcasing their creativity and technical expertise.
Join the Lorain Titans Robotics Team to develop your potential and represent Titan pride in VEX V5 Robotics.
Join the Fun!
Interested students can pick up an application from the following representatives at their school:
- Lorain High School: Mrs. Hargreaves
- General Johnnie Wilson Middle School: Coach Reinhart
- Southview Middle School: Mr. Loy
- Longfellow Middle School: Coach Fahrney
Connect with your school representative to start your journey with us today!
Team practices are hosted at Longfellow Middle, the team's central hub. We offer transportation to Longfellow for students at the end of the school day, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate. However, please note that transportation after practice is not provided, so families need to arrange rides home.
Practice Schedule
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Middle School Teams: Monday to Wednesday, 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
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High School Teams: Monday to Thursday, 2:45 PM - 6:00 PM
Our Journey in the VEX Robotics World
The Lorain Titans Robotics Team has a rich history in VEX Robotics, beginning as Longfellow Robotics in the 2014-2015 season. Since then, Lorain Titan Robotics has consistently demonstrated excellence, qualifying for the prestigious VEX World Championships an impressive four times.
Milestones and Achievements
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2016: Our team secured the Worlds Middle School Teamwork Award in the Spirit Division, marking a significant achievement on the global stage.
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2022: Coach Denise Fahrney created the Lorain Titans Robotics Teams, expanding the program to include students in grades 7-12.
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2024: Two high school teams competed at the JROTC National Championships at Worlds, where one team earned the Judges Award in the Research Division.
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Ohio VEX VRC Championships: Every year that our team competed, one or more Lorain Titans Robotics teams qualify to compete at this elite state-level event, which showcases our program's continuous growth and success.
Lorain Titans Robotics receives limited funding each year, so the teams rely on sponsors to help meet the season’s needs. If you are interested in sponsoring our teams, please contact Coach Deborah Hansen at dhansen@lorainschools.org.
What's Next in 2024-2025?
Mark your calendars! The Lorain Titans Robotics Team is excited to host its annual VEX V5 blended competition on February 1, 2025, at Lorain High School. This event will bring together 60 to 70 middle and high school teams from across Ohio, all competing for top honors.
High Stakes
Every year, the VEX Robotics competition introduces a new game with unique elements, goals, and scoring criteria. To meet these challenges, each Lorain Titans Robotics Team is required to meticulously document their design, build, problem-solving, and competition strategies in a comprehensive engineering notebook.
Team Structure & Roles
Our teams typically consist of 3-5 members who collaborate to design a solution for the annual game challenge. Each member plays a crucial role in the team's success by taking on one or more of the following responsibilities:
- Designing: Creating the robot's structure and actions.
- Building: Assembling the robot based on the engineering design process.
- Sketching: Visualizing the robot and its components.
- Documenting: Keeping detailed records in the engineering notebook.
- Driving: Operating the robot during competitions.
- Programming: Coding the robot to perform tasks.
- Scouting: Analyzing other teams and strategies.
- Interviewing: Responding to judges' questions during competitions.
Student Testimonials
Being on the robotics team has opened my eyes and shown a side of me I would’ve never found. I cannot wait for these upcoming years. Every day I want to be in the robotics room just working my heart out, it is my new strong passion. We developed skills such as problem-solving, working together as a team as well as teams from other schools (Alliances) to compete, organizational and presentational skills, and learning from our mistakes. We have also combined our math and science knowledge with technology and engineering to create our VEX robots. We learned how to program our robots to perform autonomously and by remote control.Member of an All-Girls Team
Robotics helped me find my passion in engineering and guided me in developing many skills that apply to challenges I face throughout my life. Skills I gained like critical thinking and problem-solving help in overcoming and finding solutions to any challenge. Additionally, understanding the design process and creating unique resolves for the different game challenges throughout the years help me come up with the best ideas for engineering projects.Lorain Robotics Team member of five years who is now studying at The Ohio State University.