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Ralph McKee Voc Tech High Sch
Class Information:
Room Number: 111
Students per Class: 750
Class Description:
Organization Background: We are one of the smallest high schools in New York City – competing in Robotics events. However, the seven (7) short years we have been competing, we have achieved amazing success. We have won the NYC Regional Competition two (2) years in a row, and have also taken 2nd place, two (2) years in a row at the same competition. We have in addition, placed 4th in our division in the National Championships in Houston, Texas. The year 2006 was our most successful year to day. We competed in Toronto, Canada and won FIRST’S, the most prestigious award and The Chairman’s Award. This award celebrates a team’s successful partnerships with corporate sponsors, the team’s gracious professionalism, its outreach into the school and community, its sportsmanship and all the most positive aspects of FIRST. Due to our winning the Chairman’s Award, we were invited to compete in the World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. There were over 1,400 high schools competing worldwide, and 350 of that number earned the opportunity to view for the title of World Champions. McKee High School competed and won! We were the 2006 FIRST Robotics World Champions; the only New York team to have ever won this high honor. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors whom without their financial support we would not have been able to send our team to Atlanta to compete. We have repeatedly garnered many other awards for engineering, sportsmanship, robot design, and also team spirit. In 2007, one of our faculty coordinators, Mr. Alan Troshane, won the very high honor of The Woodie Flowers Award, a prize given for “most outstanding engineer/mentor.” Themayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has also invited the team to City Hall for the second time to present awards and congratulations, and also had the opportunity to run one of our award winning robots around City Hall’s “Blue Room.” We were also invited to meet the ex-governor of New York, the Honorable George Pataki, who also ran the world champion robot around his office. Out of a total of more than 1,400 FIRST Robotic teams, the RoboWizards rank in the top five (5) percent in all of FIRST. We are considered the Robotics team with the strongest winning streak in all of New York City and New York State. MeasurableOutcomes As a result of participating in the McKee Robotics Team, 13 out of 22 of at-risk high school students will increase their overall academic performance by 15 to 25 points. As a result of participating in the McKee Robotics Team, 80% to 85% of at-risk high school students will have more consistent attendance than students who do not participate in a similar program. Descriptionof Program In order for students to apply the subjects they learn in school, they must be able to use those subjects in a way that is meaningful. By designing, building, programming and documenting robots, students use science, engineering, technology, math and writing skills on a hands on project that reinforces their learning. The project is going to expose students to the invaluable learning experience of robotics in which students are accountable to engaging in a wide range of academic critical thinking skills. The pupils will be using applications that integrate science, technology, engineering and math. Throughthe application and interweaving of these skills, the students will incorporate the principles of teamwork in order to successfully compete in FIRST competitions. Timeline Thetimelines for the off-season in fall, 2007 is every three weeks. The team will be designing and preparing the robots to go through their paces to implement reusable robotic components to increase their learning. It is a processing time as well as an opportunity to fund raise. The FIRST competition is March, 2008. The students have a six (6) week period to design, construct, program, test a mobile, autonomous robot that will be able to successfully contend against a field that represents local, city, national and eventually international competitors. FIRST is an acronym for – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting, multi-national competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life-changing career-molding experience- and a lot of fun. In 2007, the competition reached close to 1,500 teams in 37 competitions. The teams came from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Mexico, the U.K. and almost every U.S. state. The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of lots of focused brainstorming, real-world teamwork, dedicated mentoring, project timelines, and deadlines. Colleges, universities, corporations, businesses, and individuals provide scholarships to our participants. Involved engineers experience again many of the reasons they chose engineering as a profession, and the companies they work for contribute to the community while they prepare and create their future workforce. The competition shows students that the technological fields hold many opportunities and that the basic concepts of science, math, engineering, and invention are exciting and interesting. What makes FIRST Robotics so unique is that it is a sport where students play with the pros and learn fro them. The competition consists of time competitive events played by remote controlled robots. The students are given six (6) weeks to design and build such a robot. The requirements change every year, and the competition is more like a timed athletic event for the robots and they score points for completing certain physical tasks. The First Robotics activity has promoted interaction between disciplines by developing lesson plans in diverse areas that draw from the multidimensional components of the competition. The core building and construction team has served to strengthen and redefine the many outstanding vocational/technicalsubjects here at McKee, while English, Science, Math and Social Studies have noticed increases in student scores due to their participation in Robotics. What students are learning in class now has real meaning. The Robotics Competition has been used to promote writing contests, develop marketing and media campaigns, help students understand the importance of math and science in today’s world, and provide an alternative hands-on means of teaching and learning abstract concepts. In addition, there has been an increase of enthusiasm and academic performance of many students who learn best with applied methods. FIRST involvement has also helped the students with skills related to team work, problem solving, critical thinking and other important aspects for the development of our future workforce. McKee High School has now written a Robotics Curriculum for the New York State Board of Regents, which will allow all schools across the state to use robotics to update and enhance their pre-engineering courses. What social cause does this program address? The social cause that the RoboWizards promotes is that of engaging students who are of mixed learning styles and abilities and low socio-economic backgrounds to participate in a challenging engineering project. Intrinsic notation within the students is fostered in the following ways: (i) involvement in the program supports lifelong learning and career pursuits relating to robotics; (ii) inspires interest and excellence in science, technology, engineering and math in students who are academically advanced to pupils who receive instructional support and have individualized education plans; and (iii) supports the preparation for participating in robotics educational programs and competitive events. Can it be replicated? Thetarget market is all of the robotics teams, educators, team leaders and enthusiasts of robotics tournaments. In addition, the judges, and the referees at the FIRST events. Is technology a component? Yes. This particular program uses a range of technology such as the AutoCAD, CNC and detailed programming. The program uses online curriculum as well as collaboration with companies in order to do curriculum integration for the students to grasp the technical aspects. The program and how it will continue in the future The robotics program is very complex and requires problem solving that poses a variety of solutions and yields a very unique product that actively engages both the team members as well as any onlooker. The robotics team has been instrumental in enhancing the profile of the high school in the articulation process in which members of the team demonstrate the features of the robot as well as the ongoing development of a state approved curriculum. The team members travel to ten (10) intermediate schools and present past robots and indicate the decision making processes, design and construction that caused them to select the type of options the robot could do. Through dedication enthusiastic students and outreach to sponsors and returning alumni integration of technical professionals with high school students. The RoboWizards nurture a culture of inquiry, a “gracious professionalism,”and student leadership. The design and fabrication of a robot continues to engage not only the student boy but also the intensive articulation efforts to intermediate schools to attract new pupils to the program. Program Funding The funding for the team comes from two sources: • studentsfundraising activities • corporate sponsorship Listof Primary funders/grantors • NewYork Container Terminal • RichmondCounty Savings Foundation • PortAuthority of NY and NJ • Con Edison • S.I. Bank & Trust Foundation • NorthfieldSavings Bank • MSC Industrial Supply Program/Project’santicipated outcomes The program’s goals and objectives are many. 1st the program’s goal is to win the FIRST international competition 2ndenhance the student’s abilities to work as a team 3rd have students interact with professionals regarding future exploration into engineering professions 4thprovide the team with experience in decision making, strategy, design, and construction 5thgive the team experience in evaluating options and working towards a solution 6th team understands the fundamentals of good sportsmanship in a highly competitive, academically rigorous atmosphere. 7thcontinue providing opportunities for students to turnkey their knowledge and mentor younger in intermediate school about the elements of robotics tournaments Marketing,media & communications strategy For your generous support, your company’s name will appear on the team’s tee shits, and also will be displayed on this year’s current robot, and also in the 2008 FIRST Competition/Team yearbook. Also, your company’s name and logo will be linked to your company’s website on the RoboWizards’ team website (www.robowizards.com)
Position:
Robotics Team Leader
Needs:
The Robotics Team is in need of corporate sponsorship to subsidize the cost of the competition fees and travel expenses as well as materials to build the robots. Sponsorship of our Robotics Team consists of a tax deductible check made out to McKee High School Robotics. For a generous donation of $1000 or more, your company's name will appear on the team's t-shirts and will be displayed on this year's current robot, and in the 2008 FIRST Competition/Team yearbook. Your company's name and logo will be linked to your company's website on the Robo Wizards' team website. Bronze Sponsor = $1000, Silver Sponsor = $2500, Gold Sponsor = $5000, Platinum Sponsor = 5000 plus. We will, of course, be extremely grateful and thankful for any financial support you can give the team if you cannot meet the financial goals of sponsorship. We sincerely hope that with your financial support, you will join the other local and national sponsors and help the Robo Wizards continue with their award-winning ways.