Community Events
FTC State Championship and Jr. FLL Expo
Everyone was roaring with excitement at the Arthur Ashe Center, on March 3rd. While the FIRST Tech challenge teams fought hard throughout the day for first place, Jr. FLL teams showed off their lego© models and talked to friendly reviewers about their snack for their competition. Kids had a lot fun making marshmallow catapults and structures, and made some cool buildings with lego©'s.
Jr. FLL expo at Patrick Henry Charter Elementary School – February 2012
On February 23rd, Sparky robotics and Teal Tornadoes took a trip out to Partrick Henry Elementary school, to demonstrate the excitement of FIRST Robotics and Tech challenge! We had a lot of fun, and talked to the kids about what they were building, and the snacks they had chosen for their challenge. The kids got a chance to drive some mini FTC robots, and got their very own robot driver's license!
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Regional Tournament – November 2011
24 FLL teams, a large number of Sparky students, parents, and alumni gathered at Deep Run High School to celebrate the 2011 Food Factor season. Many team guides enjoyed spending the day with FLL teams while parents and alumni were judges, referees, and tournament directors. Students also helped man the VirginiaFIRST traveling road show booth, where children and adults of all ages were able to have a robot driving adventure!
Skipwith Elementary/Three Chopt Elementary/Community Carnival - October 2011
Fall is a time for candy apples, pumpkins, and carnivals; this year, it was also a time for robotics. Just one of the many activities Sparky participated in this year was the fall carnival at Skipwith Elementary. We wanted to inspire children to change the future, and what better way than promoting robotics at a fall carnival? We spiced up the carnival, with many hands-on, kid-oriented activities. Our biggest attraction was the "demo bots", small robots driven by remote controllers. The children had a blast driving them, and many came back for extra turns! As each robot came to life, the kids' eyes lit up in wonder and smiles were everywhere. Toddlers had robot costumes, and children of all ages launched marshmallows at a tiger mascot using team-constructed catapults. Children also made buildings with toothpicks and marshmallows as well as LEGOS and DUPLOS. After the fair, we felt like we inspired a prosperous future, or at least, an interest in robotics.
Robot Rumble – Off season FRC scrimmage – October 2011
In addition to participating in the offseason scrimmage, Sparky helped man the VirginiaFIRST traveling road show booth. Children and adults of all ages were able to drive small robots and even earn a robot driver's license and an "I love robots" sticker.
Innsbrook 5k - September 2011
This fall, we got Sparky up and running — literally! The Innsbrook 5k was a HUGE success, both for the robotics team and the Ronald McDonald House. We created a blue and orange tree and hung tags on the limbs with wish list items for the Richmond Ronald McDonald House. Many people stopped by the tree to pick up tags and help our cause. Also, team members volunteered to be timers for the children's race. As for the robotics part of the event, we set up a hands-on engineering booth with LEGOS, DUPLOS, straws, and paper clips. The children had a blast constructing, and we could see an interest for robotics grow as their buildings did!
Boy Scout Troop 720 - Robotics Merit Badge – May 2011
Sparky helped Boy Scout Troop 720 with the Boy Scout Robotics Merit Badge. We first visited the Troop to engage them in FIRST robotics, demonstrate a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robot and talk about the FTC and FRC programs. The following week the Boy Scouts came to Tucker and participated in hands-on activities which involved the design process, building and programming!
Home School Curriculum Fair – May 2011
In a combined outreach event with our FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team, the Teal Tornados, Sparky attended a homeschool curriculum fair and demonstrated a FTC robot. We engaged parents about how FTC and FIRST LEGO League (FLL) could enrich their children's science, technology and math curriculum. They loved the idea of having a FLL team and started a new homeschool community team of their own!
Junior FIRST LEGO League Expo (Jr.FLL) & FIRST Program Showcase – April 2011
Sparky hosted a Jr.FLL Expo for 14 Jr.FLL teams from across Virginia and Maryland. The teams gathered at the Science Museum of Virginia to share their LEGO models, Show-Me Posters and to explain what they learned about Biomedical Engineering. Teams came to celebrate their accomplishments, and the excitement the young students had applying science and technology to a real world challenge was contagious! In addition to the Expo, we demonstrated our robot in the Science Museum's rotunda and talked with families about FIRST and the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) program. We engaged the public in the robotics experience and helped spark an interest in Science and Technology among students of all ages!
