United Technologies Center

UTC STUDENTS GET ROBOTIC "LEG UP" ON PHYSICS

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:17:17 -0500

Twenty-four (24) students from a number of area high schools, participating in the one-year Robotics program at the United Technologies Center in Bangor, will soon be leaving for regional competition in Worcester, MA. The team was established four years ago, and by popular vote of its charter members it was dubbed “FATAL ERROR” – a computer technology term. Computers are what “drive” most of what the team does.

In its short existence, the team has traveled to Hartford and Boston, and this year will be at Massachusetts’s Worcester Poly-Tech, competing from March 10th through 13th. The goal this year was to design a totally maneuverable semi-autonomous robot, capable of maneuvering a soccer ball around an arena, over obstacles as high as 14”, and with the ultimate objective of kicking the soccer ball through a target ring into a goal.

UTC’s robot was designed and built entirely by the students, meeting specified operational parameters chosen from a slate of possible actions, all of which have been presented by FIRST Robotics. “FIRST” is an acronym of “For Inspiration (and) Recognition (of) Science (and) Technology”, a program developed by inventor Dean Kamen, co-founder of Deka Research and Development of Manchester, NH. This year, precisely at 10 a.m. on January 9, each team, nation-wide, was assigned the tasks their robot is to perform.   They all found out simultaneously from the Internet, through a NASA satellite link beamed live from Deka’s headquarters in Manchester. Once the assignment is known, the team – which had met for months in anticipation of this event – begins to actually design the robot. It’s a true team effort.

The robot is built from a $6,000 kit of basic components, purchased from Deka, which arrives a huge plastic bin. The actual configuration of the robot is determined by the students – no two robots look or operate alike. In the case of UTC’s robot, built on a rectangular chassis with a wheeled stationary leg at each corner, its most striking component is a series of “Quonset-style” arches – bright blue “loops” built of PEX tubing obtained from UTC’s Plumbing and Heating Technology department – to provide roll-over protection for the computer and mechanical components. The chassis’s perimeter is protected by fabric-covered dark-blue bumpers, constructed from used “pool noodles” which were donated by the Bangor Y.

All through the design and construction process, the UTC students are working with UTC FIRST Robotics alumni – themselves former UTC students who have moved on into Engineering and Technology programs at both the University of Maine and Eastern Maine Community College. This interaction provides the current UTC students valuable exposure to the area’s higher education programs. The robotics program is very heavily “laced” with physics and engineering, and through robotics the students learn a very solid lesson in the application of principles of both disciplines.

The robot ships out of Bangor on February 23rd, in a 4’x4’x6’ crate. The “FATAL ERROR” Team departs for WPI on March 10th.   During the competition, the entire school can watch their team’s achievements on the Internet, via the NASA Satellite link. During the actual competition, the team-built robot is then driven by one student, while a second student operates the robot’s mechanical kicker.

Ron Canarr, of Orrington, has been the FIRST Robotics instructor for the entire four years. When asked how the school became involved in the competition, he replied, “How can we say this? Former (UTC) director Greg Miller ‘persuaded’ me to try it”. Canarr’s father was an engineer, and he followed in his father’s footsteps. He grew up in a “mechanical environment”, exposed to communications and engineering at an early age. His youth experience included controlling studio communication equipment from a remote location. Though his degree is actually in education, his talent is in technology. In Canarr’s life, robotics is coupled with computers and communication. Today, his students mirror his taste for technology.

Two years ago, a UTC robot was sent by Canarr's mother via U.S. Mail to his brother Rick, stationed in Kyrgyzstan with the U.S. Air Force. Canarr noted that one package carrier wanted $1,000, and another wanted $400. The postage was $60. After uncrating and set-up by Rick Canarr, the robot was operated through a series of complex maneuvers by students at UTC in Bangor, and they watched real-time video of its actions through the same satellite link through which the commands were being sent.

Both Fred Woodman, UTC Director, and Merle Adams, Assistant Director, are very enthusiastic about the program, the team, and its achievements. Adams noted that UTC had frequent visits by teams of educators from the Department of Education in the neighboring Canadian province of New Brunswick. The province had let its technical education program “slip away” about 15 years ago. Its absence began to cause increases in high school drop-out rates, and the lack of a skilled labor force was having a negative effect on the provincial economy.    For the last five years, NB educators have visited various technical education programs in both Canada and the U.S, including UTC, to “observe the (program) framework, take it back (to NB) and modify it to meet their needs, and are rebuilding their technical education program”. After that initial round of visits, their focus and repeat visits have been on UTC, and New Brunswick’s program is now heavily based on principles of the “Rigor, Relevance, Relationships, and Reflection” as developed by Dr. Willard "Bill" Daggett and used by UTC.

Outshone by the thrill of robotic competition, the students aren’t focusing on the physics basics they’ve acquired – they’re there to win! In the meantime, they’re doing area high schools proud, and advancing the cause of technical education!

Written by: Mike Gleason, UTC Staff

UTC Main Office: 207.942.5296

Fred Woodman, Director fwoodman.utc@gmail.com
Merle Adams, Dean of Students madams.utc@gmail.com
Ron Canarr, Robotics Instr rcanarr.utc@gmail.com

"INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS"!

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:41:53 -0500

Central High School Senior Dillon Morin, 18, is a resident of Hudson and spends half of each school day at the United Technologies Center (UTC) on Hogan Road. His academic classes are at Central High School in Corinth, but at UTC he's a second-year student in the Culinary Arts program, one of the many Career Training courses offered at the facility.

In a recent letter from the prestigious Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI, Morin was notified not only that he was accepted for admission, but also that he is to receive from JWU a Presidential Scholarship in the amount of $3,500/year for the full four years of his program. Further, he will receive an additional scholarship in the amount of $2,000/year for the full four years through his participation in the Skills USA/VICA Program, of which he's been a member in his two years at UTC. Academically, his record helped him to garner both scholarships. He's a "strong 'A'" student most of the time, with a "B" or two being the occasional exception. He was also accepted for admission at the University of Maine.

Surprisingly, Morin's goal is not to become a chef! His primary interest lies in becoming a Nutritionist. "My whole life I grew up seeing adolescents being teased because of their weight. I really want to help children and adolescents get a healthier lifestyle." Morin went on to say that his JWU education will lead him to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition, with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts. He hopes to someday be able to live and work in Québec City, the home of one of his grandmothers, and where much of his ancestry lies. "It's a beautiful city", he said, though he admitted that he's never yet actually been there.

Morin lives at home in Hudson with his father and step-mother, Ron and Laura Morin, and sister, Sami. When asked what got him interested in the Culinary Arts program, he replied, "My step-mom and I always cook together - she inspired me". His favorite ingredient is chicken, and he considers homemade Chinese food to be his specialty, acknowledging that most Asian dishes can be very healthfully prepared. In his spare time, Morin likes to "hang out with friends".

He anticipates that his combined scholarships will cover about one-quarter of the cost of his education, so acknowledges that he'll pretty-much have to get a near-full-time job while in college. That doesn't seem to deter him, however: He's a young man with a taste for and a vision of success!

For additional information, please contact Merle Adams, Dean of Students, at 207.942.5298, or madams.utc@gmail.com.
Caption to Accompany Photos (Photos by Mike Gleason)
Central High and UTC Senior Dillon Morin checks the progress of a meal in preparation in the kitchens United Techonologies Center, on Hogan Road in Bangor.

October 13th - College & Career Fair combined with Open House

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:36:17 -0400

UTC's Annual Parent/Teacher Conference - Tuesday, October 13 - 12 noon to 8 pm.

Click here for detailed information.

Parents, high school and middle school students will have an opportunity to interact with our faculty, university, college, military, and business/industrial representatives.

1st Out of State Articulation Agreement

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:56:25 -0400

Boston University's Center for Digital Imaging Arts has contacted UTC for an articulation agreement with the Information Technology Lab. This is due to the 2nd place achievement at national SkilllsUSA held this past June in Kansas City. Gold, silver and bronze winners at the state and national level will receive a $15,000 scholarship.

FIRST Robotics Team, "Fatal Error 1995"

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:13:07 -0400

FIRST Robotics Competition is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. The competition challenges teams of young people and their mentors to solve a common problem using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams have 6 weeks from the time they receive the problem and "kit" to design build, program, and practice operating the robot.

The "Fatal Error 1995" team included the 8 UTC students listed and 6 engineering students from UMO. During the 6 weeks, they met daily from 3:00 to 8:00 P.M. and on weekends. They competed in the Northeast Regional Competition in Boston against 49 other teams, many of which had professional engineers with many years of experience as coaches. Teams are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome obstacles. This all-student team came in 27th out of 50, which is a remarkable accomplishment.

The following students were on the 2008-2009 team:

* Joseph Baker - Electronics/Robotics - Brewer High School
* Todd Baker - Electronics/Robotics - Bangor High School
* Ross Blackwood - Electronics/Robotics - Central High School
* Caleb Clement - Electronics/Robotics - Hermon High School
* Albert Lewe - Electronics/Robotics - Home School
* Luke Trombley - Electronics/Robotics - Brewer High School
* Mitchell Jameson - Building Construction - Bangor High School
* Douglas Rideout - Information Technology - Hermon High School
* Ivan Flanzala - Information Technology - Home School
* Eli Simonds - Information Technology - Brewer High School

National Technical Honor Society

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:20:13 -0400

UTC is proud to announce that the following students have achieved all the goals of the National Technical Honor Society.

Ali Hoy, Culinary Arts - Bangor High School
Kayla Triplett, Health Occupations - Brewer High School
Eli Simonds, Information Technology - Brewer High School
Luke Thomas, Information Technology - Home Schooled
Tyler Grindle, Information Technology - Hermon High School

In 1984 a group of educators and business people joined together to form the organization that was to become the National Technical Honor Society. Their vision was to lift up outstanding career and technical students, advance excellence in career and technical education, and raise the bar for student achievement. From that small beginning, the National Technical Honor Society has grown to become the acknowledged internationally by industry and education as the leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education, with chapters in schools and colleges throughout all 50 states; the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico; and the Bahamas. Under the motto, "Excellence in America's Workforce Begins with Excellence in Workforce Education," the National Technical Honor Society continues to carry out its mission to lift up and publicly recognize men and women committed to excellence, values, citizenship, and achievement.
This year, in our quest to increase recognition for our most outstanding students, UTC decided to establish a chapter of National Technical Honor Society. We applied for, and were granted our charter earlier this month and tonight we are please to induct 6 students as Charter Members of the United Technologies Center Chapter of National Technical Honor Society.

To be eligible for membership, each student must be recommended by one or more faculty or staff. They must have a cumulative grade point average of 87 or higher in all classes throughout their high school education. They must have a minimum grade point average of 93 in their technical education classes. They must be honest, responsible student-citizens who are committed to personal and professional excellence as demonstrated by the highest standards of conduct, attendance, achievement, and community service. And they must have a definitive technical career goal.

Education that Works

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:15:54 -0400

Workforce Development in Maine = Economic Development in Maine

UTC's Pre-Apprenticeship Program combines Advance Placement (AP)
"Dual Enrollment" instruction reinforced with supervised (mentor) training specifically tailored to a student's selected field of study. This "Rigor and Relevance Approach" addresses specific academic requirements which complements and reinforces a diverse range of applied skills and personal growth.

Mastering a particular occupation requires:

Learning the skills of that occupation
Being proficient in each specific skill area
Possessing skills necessary to perform the task to the speed and accuracy required on the job
Learning to use specific skills in combination with other learned skills

Apprenticeship programs greatly help students attain these goals.

Benefits for students:

Structured on-the-job training with assigned mentor
Employability skill development such as Resume writing and Interviewing skills
Certification of Completion upon completion
Transferability into the State of Maine Apprenticeship program after high school graduation
Opportunity for full time employment
Tuition reimbursement for higher learning
Dual enrollment programs offer college credits through the University Community College University system

Benefits for Employers:

OSHA safety, ergonomics and harassment awareness training
Provides organized training plans
Produces well-trained, highly-skilled employees
Program saves employers time and money
Attracts enthusiastic applicants for hire and decreases turnover
Improves labor relations and productivity

Return later to see a listing of the students involved in the Pre-Apprenticeship and a photo gallery of students involved in Pre-Apprenticeship.

SkillsUSA -

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:14:42 -0400

UTC scores Gold and Silver Medals at the national competitions held this past June in Kansas City, MO.

Congratulations to Tyler Nadeau, Brewer High School, for his Gold Medal in First Aid/CPR. Tyler attended the Public Safety Program at UTC. Tyler had several competencies and a written exam to complete. Each task has a structured rating. Ritchie Palmer is the instructor. Special appreciation also goes to Don Wade who spent extra hours assisting with training Tyler. The following information is from the National Scope Requirements:

First Aid/CPR Knowledge Performance: There were two written knowledge tests - one for the American Heart Association and one for the American Red Cross manuals. Maximum points for the written knowledge test will be 10 percent of the total score.

First Aid/CPR Skill Performance: All skills demonstrated were based on nationally accepted standards as identified by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, National Safety Council and American Safety Health Institute.

First Aid/CPR Contest guidelines: Contestants demonstrated their ability to perform procedures or take appropriate action based on scenarios presented related to those listed in the Standards and Competencies.

Congratulations also to Matt Collamore, Hampden Academy and Kirby Kelly, Orono High School, for their silver medal teamwork win in 3D Animation and Visualization. The event was approximately 7 hours in length with opportunity to debrief with well known animators in the field. The following information is from the National Scope Requirements:

3D Animation Knowledge Performance: The contest includes a written exam assessing technical knowledge, production skills and creative/artistic abilities.

3D Animation Skill Performance: 3D Animation Guidelines: Several pages of guidelines are listed in the technical competition requirements. Teams were provided with an animated advertising scenario. A new candy was about to enter the "green" market. The marketing strageties including the container, backgrounds, candy shape, colors and enticement to purchase the product was a part of the explanation. Observations by judges included: team work, efficiency, time frame deadlines including necessary ethics for completion were considered.

The contest is a two-person event assessing the ability of the team to produce high quality images and an animated short subject using 3D computerized images. A practical visual design problem will be given, the scope of which should be viable within the seven-hour practical competition period. The problem will consist of a topic to communicate, its context and target audience, a rough script to follow, and an emotion or graphical effect that should be illuminated in the still and animated output.

Maine State Gold Medalists from UTC attended SkillsUSA in Kansas City, MO.
Maegan Carle Nursing Assisting/C.N.A - Hermon High School - 15th
Ivan Flanzala Prepared Speech - Home School - 7th
True Hesseltine Diesel Equipment - Brewer High School - 7th
Karianne Rogerson Action Skills - Hampden Academy - 7th
Kendra Wilder Customer Service - Old Town High School - 6th

UTC is extremely proud of all the competitors who attended the SkillsUSA National Competitions. The following listing of students who participated are considered in the upper 2% throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It is an event that will be remembered by everyone for an entire lifetime.

SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills and are rewarded with millions of dollars in scholarships and tools donated by industry sponsors. At the national level, in Kansas City, over 5,000 students compete in 87 occupational and leadership skills areas. Here at the state level, on March 14th over 680 students from all over the state of Maine competed in 57 contests held here at UTC, as well as Eastern Maine Community College and Job Corps. Forty-eight UTC students competed and won a total of 18 medals in the state competition. Mr. Wayne Jackson is the school advisor for SkillsUSA.

Welcome to the new UTC website!

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:39:46 -0400

Welcome to our new website! Our new site is designed to provide you with our latest news, detailed course information, and a look at what it's like to be a student here. If this is your first visit, take a look around, and please be sure to check out some of our top features:

View programs and courses: Our powerful new programs section provides detailed information on our programs and courses. You can view course details, requirements, times, and more.
Read our latest news and events: Keep up with our latest announcements and school events.
See what it's like to be a student: Our student success stories highlight just a few of our many graduates. Learn about the CTE school experience and what you can achieve when you graduate from a CTE school.
Apply online: When you're ready to apply, fill out our convenient online application.

Our new website is a part of the Maine CTE Portal, a network of websites for all 27 of Maine's regional career and technical education (CTE) schools. To view a statewide map of our locations, read news from other CTE schools, and learn more, visit MaineCTE.org.

Thank you for visiting our site. We'd love you hear you're feedback- if you have questions or comments, please contact us!