“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”

– Cesar Chavez

International

India Robot Class

Our first outreach event of the 2022-2023 season took place in Hyderabad, India. Because the kids had limited access to technology, one of our Scorpio team members taught them about robotic concepts, demoed the robot, and explained all the robot parts. 

Our journey to India was filled with challenges and learning opportunities that were needed to overcome. Our first problem was transporting the robot on the plane. However, after much back and forth with TSA, we were able to transport our robot successfully on the plane. Once we landed, we realized another major problem: most of the schools in India were closed due to summer vacation. Nonetheless, we found a school that was teaching when we were there. When we arrived at the school, however, we encountered our biggest problem: the kids could not understand English. This was solved by our teammate Navan speaking in the native language of Telugu to communicate with the kids effectively.

Despite all setbacks, we were able to make a lasting impact on kids in India by introducing young minds to robotics they have never seen before. After we left, the principal asked the students what they wanted to be when they grew up and many of the kids replied they wanted to pursue a career in STEM but to specifically work in robotics.

India Book Grant

We were able to donate a total of 320 books to a deserving group of students. Going back to India to donate books to these children was truly a heartwarming experience. It was a reminder of the power of education and the importance of giving back to those in need. This group of students really stole our hearts with their bright eyes and eagerness to learn, and it was an honor to be able to provide them with the resources they needed to further their education. Ever since our visit back in the summer of 2022, they have been on our minds ever since. It was also a humbling experience, as it made us realize the privilege we have in having access to education and the resources we need to succeed. Overall, it was a powerful and meaningful experience, and we are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these children.

Mexico Robotics Workshop

We, the FTC Scorpio robotics team, recently had the opportunity to travel to Tijuana, Mexico, to host a robotics workshop for children from elementary to high school. It was an exciting opportunity for us to share our knowledge and passion for robotics with young minds eager to learn. During the workshop, we taught the children about CAD, robotics, coding, and building. We were impressed by how quickly the children picked up these concepts and applied them to the hands-on activities we provided.

Moreover, we also had the opportunity to learn from the children during the workshop. Their enthusiasm and creativity were truly inspiring, and it reminded us of the importance of fostering a love of learning and exploration in young minds. We were grateful to have had the chance to interact with a diverse group of students and learn more about their experiences and perspectives.

It was fulfilling to see the kids engaged and excited to create their own robots. We hope our workshop has inspired these children to pursue their interests in robotics and technology, and we look forward to the possibility of hosting more workshops like this in the future. Overall, the trip was a valuable and enriching experience for all of us, and we are grateful to have been a part of it. We hope that our efforts have left a positive impact on the children we met, and we look forward to seeing what they will create in the future.

Grace ALL STAR ACADEMY Summer Program

Elementary & Middle School Visits

Design39Campus

AWANA is a worldwide nonprofit organization focused on providing Bible-based evangelism and discipleship for ages 2-18. The staff is made up of adults and high schoolers who volunteer to teach and take care of a group of kids every Sunday from 4-7:30. On May 22, 2022, in Maranatha Chapel, AWANA hosted a carnival for the kids to have fun and freely visit each booth. Our team took this opportunity to take our 2021-2022 season robot to the carnival and let the kids connect with a real-life robot. We taped a maze on the ground for the kids to navigate the robot through and taught them simple buttons to use the controller. 

“I find the robot very cool. I find it interesting how you can use a controller to make the robot move like Bluetooth, without a wire.” – Isabelle, Age 12

Willow Grove Elementary

Team Scorpio 15171 visited Willow Grove Elementary School to demonstrate their robot to a class of 2nd graders. Our members gave the students a brief introduction to FTC and let them try using the robot to put the yellow block into the apparatus. We gave the kids a chance to learn STEM concepts with hands-on learning. We taught the students about FIRST and encouraged them to join FLL if they are interested in robotics.

“I thought it would be hard to drive, but it was actually very easy!” – Alex, Age 7

Turtleback Elementary

On December 7th, we visited Turtleback elementary school and presented our robot and mission to the entire 5th grade class. We talked about FIRST, and how 5th graders are able to start with FLL Junior leagues and even join FTC in a few years. A lot of the kids participated by driving the robot and our goal of motivating all of the youth at Turtleback elementary to pursue their imagination and embark their STEM journey. We also talked about Women in STEM to inspire young girls for STEM.

“I had a fun time learning about your robot. Thank you for sharing your time with us. I have an idea for the name of the robot. Bob The Bot. I hope you like it.” – Kately, Age 10

Non-Profits

AWANA

AWANA is a worldwide nonprofit organization focused on providing Bible-based evangelism and discipleship for ages 2-18. The staff is made up of adults and high schoolers who volunteer to teach and take care of a group of kids every Sunday from 4-7:30.

The Boy Scouts of America

FTC Team Scorpio 15171 had a meeting with a couple of scouts from Boy Scout Troop 685. We had two-and-a-half hour-long sessions teaching the scouts about the robotics merit badge. During this meeting, we taught the students about FLL, FTC, and FRC as well as many different components of a robot.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

In collaboration with Ronald McDonald House Charities FTC Team Scorpio, 15171 was able to organize engaging STEM activities as well as a robot demonstration for the families, in hopes of making taking their minds off of any troubles and have some fun with their families.

Father Joe’s Kitchen

Our members went to Father Joe’s Kitchen and made tons of food for the homeless in downtown San Diego. A lot of food was made and donated to the homeless, serving at least 200-300 people. Team Scorpio not only does outreach linked with robotics but also loves involving itself in charity events all over San Diego! 

Del Norte Beach Cleanup with Eco Club

We collaborated with Del Norte Eco Club to clean up our beaches and prevent any harm that may affect the environment

Demonstrations and Webinars

4s Ranch

FTC Team Scorpio hosted a local event at the 4s Ranch library to demonstrate our 2020-2021 competition robot! Our members gave a presentation on the FIRST program and explained the basic mechanics of building the robot. The kids were able to test-drive our robot and learn about robotics! Throughout our one-hour presentation, we were able to reach about 40 kids and their parents. 

Aerospace Webinar

Team Scorpio 15171 hosted a webinar to inspire young brains to pursue the field of aerospace engineering. We invited aerospace engineer, Anne Le, to walk us through her day-to-day tasks, her work with Space Force development, and advice on how youth can get involved in this field with clubs and activities.
 
 

4s Ranch with FRC Optix 3749

Collaborated with FRC Team Optix and presented to several interested kids about robotics. We also hosted activities after the presentation!
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