The Holy Cows

Last updated September 02, 2019

The Holy Cows, FRC team 1538, is a FIRST Robotics Competition team that was founded in 2005,^[1] and is a school-based team from High Tech High in San Diego California.

The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international high school robotics competition. Each year, teams of high school students, coaches, and mentors work during a six-week period to build game-playing robots that weigh up to 125 pounds (57 kg). Robots complete tasks such as scoring balls into goals, flying discs into goals, inner tubes onto racks, hanging on bars, and balancing robots on balance beams. The game, along with the required set of tasks, changes annually. While teams are given a standard set of parts, they are also allowed a budget and are encouraged to buy or make specialized parts. The FIRST Robotics Competition is one of five robotics competition programs organized by FIRST, the other four being FIRST Lego League Jr., FIRST Lego League, FIRST Lego League Jr. Discovery Edition, and the FIRST Tech Challenge.

Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Charter School, often referred to as High Tech High (HTH), is a public charter high school in San Diego, California, United States. The school is now one of several schools operated under the High Tech High charter schools umbrella organization.

Recognition

Chairmans Award

The Holy Cows received the highest award of the FIRST program, the Chairmans award on April 27, 2013 at the St. Louis World Championships.^[2] Upon winning the award, the team was inducted to the FIRST Hall of Fame,^[3] and garnered both regional and national recognition from the FIRST community. Additionally, the awards grants an automatic invitation for the team to every future world championship.

San Diego Regional

Since 2009, The Holy Cows have won the Chairman's Award at the San Diego Regional for five consecutive years (as of December 2013).^[1] Additionally, the team has won numerous other awards through its career, both at the San Diego Regional and other competitions.

Outreach

Battle at The Border

Starting in 2011, High Tech High's The Holy Cows and Francis Parker School's W.A.R. Lords (We Are Robot Lords) began hosting an off-season FIRST Robotics Competition. Known as The Battle at the Border, the event is intended to allow rookie teams to engage in a simulated competition, prior to the start of the next year's official season. Additionally, teams are encouraged to use the event to familiarize new students with the program.^[4]

Fall Workshops

The Holy Cows host the Fall Workshops at High Tech High annually. The event is intended for other FRC teams, and offers a wide variety of lectures focusing on various aspects of the FRC program.^[5]

2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

In 2013, The Holy Cows and four other FRC teams lead the 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, including: Team 16; The Bomb Squad, Team 180; S.P.A.M., Team 25; Raider Robotix, and Team 1477; Texas Torque.^[6] The teams represented the FIRST program, and brought awareness to a national audience.

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, one of the world's largest parades, is presented by the U.S. based department store chain Macy's. The parade started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit. The three-hour parade is held in Manhattan from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thanksgiving Day, and has been televised nationally on NBC since 1952. Employees at Macy's department stores have the option of marching in the parade.

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References

1 2 "Team Number 1538". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑ "2013 FIRST Championship Awards". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑ "FRC Winners". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑ "About Us | 2019 Battle at the Border". Battle at the Border: About Us. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑ "Fall Workshops San Diego". CA FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑ "FIRST Teams and Robots Lead Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". Business Wire. 2013-11-28. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

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[usfirst-1] 1 2 "Team Number 1538". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

[2] "2013 FIRST Championship Awards". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

[3] "FRC Winners". US FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

[4] "About Us | 2019 Battle at the Border". Battle at the Border: About Us. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

[5] "Fall Workshops San Diego". CA FIRST. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

[6] "FIRST Teams and Robots Lead Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". Business Wire. 2013-11-28. Retrieved 11 December 2013.