About

Competing with robots isn't the only part of being an FRC Team. We also do outreach in our area to promote the ideals, interest in and knowledge of STEM. Performing outreach is a part of the Chairman's Award, the most prestigious award given by FIRST. The Chairman's Award honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate, and best embodies FIRST's mission. It was created to keep the central focus of FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encouraging more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders. 

Diversity & Inclusion

Our team strives to be an inclusive team with a family-like environment. Our main aim for our Outreach activities is providing opportunities for underrepresented groups for futures in STEM fields. This mindset has led each and every event we've held, from Special Education focused STEM Development Courses to the gender split of our First Lego League (FLL) teams. In our team, any member who joins has their own place, tasks, and jobs, being taught from the ground up no matter what their background is in STEM. Our team also hosts team-bonding activities frequently to form even closer bonds between members, which has palpable results in our average member hours. Our team is also reflective of the diversity of our community, featuring great diversity within both gender and race. We're incredibly proud of our 35-65 gender split and our leadership being made up of 55% females.

Outreach

Our team’s focus is not limited to purely engineering; because of our Outreach programs we are leaders in providing STEM and FIRST programs within our community. While our wide-reaching outreach endeavors originally began with a simple goal, to bring STEM education to our area, we’ve already created an expansive network of STEM Development Courses, community events, and FLL teams. Moving into the future, we are planning to double the number of FLL (FIRST Lego League) teams in our school district and reach out to new areas.

Achievements

Outreach

In 2017, Team 2637 began to spread FIRST values to our immediate and surrounding community through multiple events spreading the love of STEM. After so many years of expansion, support, and engagement, we wanted to take initiative to give back and grow the STEM in our area. Listed below are some of the events that we have done over the past five years.

School

• Gold Ribbon Award: Team 2637 helped our school earn the Gold Ribbon Award for Excellence in Engineering
• Participate in school wide pep rallies every year, showing off the creativity and fun of engineering
• Participate annually in Open House, spreading the love of STEM to prospective PVPHS students and creating a sustainable influx of students for our team
• Increased the number of available STEM classes. Since the institution of our robotics team, we have gained classes like:
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science AP
  • Computer Science Principles AP
  • Digital Electronics
  • Technology Science Association
  • And more! 

Local

• Started, host, and mentored FLL teams #54040 and #30714
• We run Hour of Code programs for students in our school district
• Maintain a regular relationship benefiting our school's VEX team
• STEM Development Courses spread and actively run for every school in our district
• Participated in Go-Baby-Go and modified 4 ride-on cars for children affected by mobility impairments
• March the streets of our city each year as an entry in our city's Christmas Parade with our robot adorned with Christmas decorations

International

• STEM Development Courses in:
  • South ​Korea, reaching 30 elementary level students
  • Mexico, teaching fundamental engineering principals to 81 underprivileged students over 2 years
  • Uganda, where we sent our course lesson plans and materials free of charge, reaching 40 students.
• Aided FRC Teams 7626 and 7637 in Taiwan

Holbrook Indian School

• Actively partner with Holbrook Indian School in Arizona to reach Native American students
• Hosted STEM Development Courses since early 2022, meeting monthly to teach hands on projects with the goal of education for a future STEM career
• Started and mentor FRC Teams 30713 and 59876 ​