Hello everyone, and welcome back! It has been a very long time since we have posted any updates, and we apologize for that. Our team has been making great strides this season working with the few veterans we have, Helping our many Rookies find a happy home within the team, and also doing lots of Shoveling! Since our last update, we have had a total of 4 additional Snow Days, and an additional late start. This has been the most snow Anyone on the team has ever witnessed in a year!
As for our team and the robot, we are looking awesome! Our seniors have been working hard on the weekends making sure our robot is up to the challenge, and after Week 0 event in Bemidji, some major face lifting has occurred. Our younger crew members have been a great support coming up with some graphics, buttons, handouts, new designs and logos, plus the collaboration of our Impact Video! Hunter and Brayden are really pumped to present our Impact Award to the judges next week, as they want to share all of the wonderful things our students here at Upsala have been working and and doing the last 4 years!
Our Impact Award theme this year is “I to We in 2023”. For some of our Diehard fans out there, you have recognized our button since 2016 has been the “I Play with Robots” buttons. Annually we change up the graphic just a little bit each time (Ideally a robot to fit the competition). But this year, our team coming back from the Minnesota School Board Association’s Conference, had a great indepth discussion about changing the idea of “I Play with Robots”, to emphasize and encompass the greater idea of “We Play with Robots”. With FIRST, it is all about more than robots yes, and the idea of “I” made it very singular, or “just me”. It is fun and quirky and gives a great smile when you walk around with it. However, to encompass how much our team has been doing, how we’ve been supportive of other teams, communities, and events in our state and region… it is time to change we feel. And that change is from “I to We”. As FIRST is all about WE. How can WE achieve, how can WE overcome, how can WE do this, how can WE support one another, how can WE help, etc. it gives a greater sense of belonging, and overall, fits the idea of FIRST so much better.
Now that we are one week away from competition, UC-Botics is traveling to Sedalia, Missouri this year for the Central Missouri Regional event. This will be our first large travel experience with the robot and team, and along the way we will be partnering and ride sharing with Alexandria team 3313- Mechatronics. It’s going to be a great adventure, the team is super excited for the experience, and let’s hope we make a great showing!
So in light of it all, and the great things we’ve been able to achieve this year and earlier – UC-Botics would also like to thank all of the sponsors, and donors in kind for their experience and support provided to our team! Thank you to the following so far this year: NASA, Medtronic, Gene Haas Foundation, 3M, Blattner Energy, Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association, Columbia Gear Corporation, Two Rivers Enterprise, Schultz Auctioneers, Minnesota Power Foundation, Stearns Electric Foundation, Walmart Sauk Centre and Little Falls, the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference, the Minnesota State High School League, Upsala Area Schools, and the entire Upsala Community.
Thank you for your support in making FIRST a great experience for our students and our community!
Team 4480 UC-Botics 