Demonstrations:
As a team we’ve been doing demonstrations in the area for years, most recently at the NBC 10 Tech Expo, the Franklin Institutes's Robot Day On The Parkway. This past fall our team, in collaboration with Harrisburg Robotics, helped coordinate a press conference at Pennsylvania’s state capital. Central Pennsylvania was historically underrepresented in the FIRST community. To raise awareness we gave a 20-minute television broadcast on Harrisburg’s public network prior to the demonstration. At the capitol, we and the other invited teams, used the press conference and preceding demonstration to raise interest, both publicly and politically, in FIRST. Miss Daisy was even honored by both the House and the Senate. As a result of the demonstration we now have three new teams that were started in the area. We are now working on an off-season competition to draw more teams in from Central Pennsylvania.
Singapore:
Not only do we do local demonstrations, we do them halfway around the world. Four years ago, our team helped to mentor a Singaporean FTC team. Two years ago when we made the trek to their small country on the other side of the world, I was one of the students who went. While there we gave 7 demonstrations in 11 days and presented to almost 5000 people. We were invited to present at the Singapore Science Center, and also presented at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. We are going again this coming summer, to continue our work with The Ministry of Education to encourage the growth of more FIRST teams.
How have they helped us?
Teaching methods- Curriculum Teachers and students went to classes to study their education system. Use them to help us improve our curriculum. Went to the polytechnic institute.
What are your purposes in going over there?
To inspire them in joining FRC (FIRST Robotics Competitions).
Cultural Exchange.
Mission statement: Change the culture
Awards document—
6 criteria
Assignment: create examples for each
1.Impact: School, engineers, Community
2.Why us? Why are we Role model team? What’s new this year—why should we win this year?
3.Communicated excitement—in school, community, outside world. Communicate to others.
4.Innovations—documented innovative ways to spread FIRST. We built everything from the ground up. Foundation.
5.Team partnership—students, universities, community, sponsors—year round
6.FIRST mission—change the culture: increase respect and appreciation for science and technology.