About Us - What is The Brigade?

Team 1980 The Brigade is a FIRST Robotics Team in Harford County, Maryland. We are headquartered at the Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Maryland and are neighbored by the Aberdeen Proving Ground, which is also the home of the first digital computer. Aberdeen High School is home to the Science and Mathematics Academy, a magnet program which promotes STEM education and attracts students throughout the county who are interested and have a strong ability in science, mathematics and technology.

Our team began in 2006, after breaking off from another FIRST Team, Team 1719.

team picture

Our History

Team 1980 "The Brigade" has its beginnings in another FIRST Team, Team 1719 "The Umbrella Corporation". Team 1719 started as a joint effort between the Park School of Baltimore and the Science and Mathematics Academy of Aberdeen High School for the 2005-2006 season. After a successful rookie year, including a trip to the FIRST World Championship in Atlanta, Team 1719 split in two. Thus, Team 1980 of the Science and Mathematics Academy of Aberdeen High School was formed. Mentors came from Black and Decker and the local military base, Aberdeen Proving Ground. Team 1980 was also fortunate enough to receive a grant from the Army Research Laboratory and resources from countless other sponsors.

Awards

2008 Overdrive Trenton Regional Finalists
Team 1980 was selected in one of the elimination round alliances. With great teamwork and communication between the alliance teams, Team 1980 and its alliance partners were able to become the regional finalists.

2008 Overdrive Chesapeake Regional Best Website Award
We were able to design a website that displayed team spirit and illustrated, in a creative manner, the goals of the FIRST Robotics program. In addition, we created a website that was user-friendly and helpful to developing teams.

2007 Rack n Roll Duel on the Delaware Winners
Our team entered the “Duel on the Delaware“ and won at Salem Community College in Carney’s Point, NJ with a robot that was graciously loaned to us by Team 225. Our objective was to use the competition as a means of giving the students an appreciation of real competition (and the corresponding requirements of robot design) and to develop some driving skills. We were ranked 11th at the end of the qualifying matches but were overlooked during alliance selection, possibly due to being unknown. As things turned out, however, we were asked to substitute for a disabled robot in the final elimination match which our alliance won, 104-59.