VRC Team 80,81,82,84,89Season Overview

Parents’ Meeting16-September-2009

Agenda Our Mission A little bit about us What our year looks like What we’ll do Safety Training Build Season Competitions

Our Mission

To inspire and educate pre-college students within the greater Downingtown Area school district in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on experiences with robotic technology. Build knowledge, an understanding of planning and project management and life skills (especially gracious professionalism, team work, effective communications, coopetition and leadership). Promote expansion of this program both within and beyond the Downingtown District.

Our questions: Did you learn something? Were there any safety problems? Did you have FUN?

Safety We use hand tools

Hacksaw, snips, files, hammer We work safely There is tool training by adult mentors Roboteers wear safety glasses

when cutting, filing and bending metal At events when competing

There are Safety Rules We build Safe Robots

A little bit about VRC program

Program started in 2007 and is growing 2007 - One robot – 6 roboteers 2008 - Two robots – 11 roboteers 2009 – Four robots – 26 roboteers 2010 – Six robots -- ?? roboteers

Each team of 3-6 roboteers builds a robot All-Girls team, first year team, advanced

team We currently have 4 mentors Offering Adult Mentor Workshops on

Tuesday nights at DEC More info at http://wiki.team1640.com

VEX Robot Start out in an 18” cube, but can

expand after game starts Weight is 12-20 lbs Metal frame (like an erector set) Plastic gears Motors and servos Battery powered Two roboteers drive Easy to build (and rebuild (and rebuild))

What our year looks like Training and building robots

5 weeks of training 3-4 weeks of mentor directed build 11 weeks of roboteer directed build

Competitions December 5, January 23, February 26,27, March 13

Off-Season Competitions Outreach Fund-raising

March VEX competition is held at DEC Summer fun – robot to play a different game

Clean Sweep The 2009/2010 game is called

Clean Sweep (show video)

Competitions Local Competitions

Penn State Abington - December 5, 2009

Christopher Dock High School (Lansdale) - January 23, 2010

Eastern Pennsylvania Regional (Downingtown) - March 13 2010

We host this competition as a fund raising event

Competitions Travel event

Mid Atlantic Championships - 26,27 February

Held in Westminster Maryland (2 hrs) Drive down Friday morning, return

late Saturday night Parents must attend with their

roboteer

Outreach Demos at Sugartown for their Lego

night Demos at community events Faculty and student demos in-

school and at Back-to-School nights Demos at Ramp Riot for the Girl

Scouts

Fund raising It costs about $1,000-$1,200 to start a

new team Grants from STEMRobotics help

About $300-$500 per team per year Money comes from

Corporate sponsors Private sponsors Money from the VEX contest

Space / Insurance is provided by DASD (thanks!)

Roboteers and Mentors wanted! Roboteers

Any middle school High School student

High School roboteers can do BOTH programs

Mentors It’s easy – we teach you! Workshops on Tuesday nights at DEC

Contact Me Foster Schucker – Chief Roboteer Foster at Schucker dot org