Our Team's Missions
Make FIRST and STEM more accessible in underprivileged communities
To make STEM and FIRST more accessible in underprivileged communities, we started and have continued to mentor 3 FIRST teams in Hartford, CT. We teach these teams about the engineering design process and how to collaborate together and create something great. We also assist them at events to make sure they are performing to their full potential.
Introduce FIRST and STEM to as many communities as possible
To introduce FIRST and STEM to as many communities as possible, we attend PRIDE events every June. For example, we annually attend West Hartford PRIDE and Glastonbury PRIDE in CT. We strive to educate the community at these events and connect students to teams in their area.
Help our community get to experience STEM first-hand
Last season, we helped start up our town's library makerspace in Glastonbury, CT. We advocated for more funding so the makerspace can get proper machines and staff. We also assisted with the interview process of finding a full-time and part-time employee. Once the makerspace opened, we hosted several introductory classes on how to use the machinery.
Ensuring everyone in our team can learn and grow
In order to ensure everyone in our team has the opportunity to learn and grow, we have a team requirement where members must learn at least one new skill per season. This is so that all members, even the veteran ones, can continue to expand their horizon.
Ensuring skills don't retire out of the team and get passed to new members
As we learn new skills, some skills are also lost when members graduate out of the team. To prevent the loss of knowledge, we use a process called gradual independance, where more experienced members pass on their skills to newer members, creating a learn-teach-repeat cycle.
Make FTC and FIRST fun and loud
At every event we attend, we use gracious professionalism to ensure both our members and other teams feel comfortable and like they're having fun. At events, we provide menstrual products in bathrooms to promote menstrual equity in FIRST. We also strive to help everyone we can at every event, regardless of if they're a stranger or if they're our opponent.