Correction please Kurt,
PNTA, the Pilgrim Nuclear/Plymouth North Technology Alliance is decidedly not defunct.
This high school engineering organization was founded to provide kids with real engineering challenges..and PNTA has been doing this uninterrupted since it's inception in the Fall of 1994.
I invite interested parties to visit our website to learn about what we are doing...apologies in advance for any incomplete links...our web site is a testing/learning platform for students and as such is NEVER finished...The site like everything else we do is a learning tool for kids and adults too!
Since 1994 we have designed and constructed 16 "Scratch built" robots of 60 lbs or more and an Electrathon car.
5 FIRST bot's
1 Electrathon electric Racing Car
4 BattleBots
6 Concept bot's
1 Under Sea ROV ( a joint project with Benthos Corp. It's on the web site.)
We are proud of the electrical and mechanical design and manufacturing skills our students have developed..Most are attracted to our program because of the projects we choose, but the students remain because of the camaraderie and high achievement we expect as the price of participation...
We are dedicated only to learning and doing engineering, and we remain "Agnostic" in our approach to programs, technology and specific vendors. Our projects are managed by teachers, but executed by students. We are sort of like an athletic club for engineering, we don't care as much about what you design and build, or particulalrly how you do it, as much as that you ARE DOING IT. If you like Tennis, Ping Pong or Gymnastics...fine. If you like Wrestling, Hockey, Boxing or Rugby that's cool too...the fact that you are exercising, not driving around in a car or watching TV with a bowl of potato chips is what's important...We justr want avenues for quality involvement in learning and doing.....
Students produce the working drawings, program the control systems, and service the bots...and everything else that goes into organizing and maintaining an engineering team.
Since we are able to campaign multiple projects that are used twice a year or more..we have the opportunity for "Many Hands" to be and stay involved in more than just fundraising. (And we have to do a lot of that too)
If the project is not completed on the very strict deadlines, and to an acceptable standard, then that team simply forfeits the opportunity to” play" for that competition...better luck next time...Real lessons for a real world, and all student centered. Kind of like working on the farm back in the day...very Darwinian.
There are many ways, many paths that allow each of us to reach the very worthwhile educational objectives we all know and appreciate...
The PNTA organization is fortunate and grateful to have the talent and energy to try several of them...and yes it's just as tough, just as exciting and just as worthwhile as FIRST...no better...and of course no worse...
While it's possible to corner the market on prescription drugs (Viagra) and fantastic Gizmos (Segway)...
Nobody has THE market on making people smarter, better or more capable...and each of us decides for themselves the paths they take to self fulfillment and self actualization...This is what PNTA tryst to offer...choice and selection in the paths to knowing and doing. After all there are many "Sports" in the Olympics of Smarts.
By way of example, please try this: Follow the link below and scroll to the very bottom of the page...Those are PNTA uniforms and we hope the sound bite is familiar and that the universal message of all engineering competitions rings clear.
http://www.battlebots.com/videos.asp
To those old time FIRSTers who might remember the PNTA team...we hope you have a very merry Christmas, we hope you have an exciting FIRST season and we applaud you for the effort and work you put into your jobs, your class work, your families and your efforts to birth the new sport of mechanized competitions...of all kinds!
Mr.B