This year our theme is, “So that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind.” The reason for us choosing this theme is to represent our efforts to recruit and assist new teams in our area, as well as provide support to our international partners from Chile and Brazil. Besides supporting Chile and Brazil, we are supporting three new teams we helped establish this year. La Puente, Huntington Park and South East High Schools will have their first FRC experience this year. We have provided workshops, mentoring sessions, technical support, machined parts as well as provided parts and supplies to assure that the teams we helped start will have the best experience possible.  Besides helping these schools, we are also supporting our neighboring school Fremont High School that asked for our help.  By helping others we are gaining valuable experience to identify and solve problems.

This year we had our first FTC experience. With the support of the Amgen Foundation we were able to compete in the Las Vegas Championship Tournament where we finished 3rd.  Even though it was our first time competing in this format, we provided support for two other schools, West Adams High School and John Muir Middle School that were also having their first FTC experience.

Besides doing robots, we are also involved in other STEM related activities in our community. We have provided robotics workshops at local middle schools to encourage other students to see the exciting opportunities available through STEM careers.  Our biggest accomplishment as a team and a program is the 10th anniversary of “Viva Technology,” a program designed to promote interest in STEM education. 10 years ago this program was founded in part by our academy teachers and students.  Since December 15th, 2001 over 72,000 students in 12 states and Washington DC have had the opportunity to experience this program.

We are also reaching out to teachers at conferences by showing how language and math literacy can be tied to STEM programs. This year we presented at the California State Literacy conference. 

“So that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind” is more than just a phrase we chose, it is something that we have learned to live by.

Robo-skunks 2011-2012