SPREADING THE CULTURE – Outreach! We are changing society's definition of fun for every age group in our community.
Our team encourages all levels of FIRST® throughout our community. This year we continued a program that we launched last year: LET GO YOUR LEGO®s. For this program, we handed out over 500 fliers within our school and community, advertising that we were collecting LEGO® and DUPLO® bricks in 6 donation boxes located around our school and local community. We collected over 100 pounds of LEGO® and DUPLO® bricks! We donated 50 pounds of LEGO® bricks (worth over $1000) to preschoolers at Coal Pit Learning Center. We also helped start three Jr.FLL® teams at Patrick Henry Charter School by donating another 50 pounds of LEGO® bricks and giving a presentation about simple machines. Over the past three years we have mentored 6 Jr.FLL teams.
Over 1/3 of our Cheeseheads are former FLL® participants.
Over the past three years, we have mentored 31 FLL teams; four of which went on to states this year! We host a forum at our local library for FLL teams to share their research projects with the public and receive valuable feedback before competition. We hold informational sessions at our local library to organize and start new teams. We also support new local coaches by holding training sessions. Our team annually hosts the FLL state-wide tournament directors meeting. This year we were thrilled to plan, coordinate, and host our second annual FLL Tournament at DRHS. We had 24 FLL teams attend, the largest in our area! 1086 members and parents volunteered in every capacity including: Registrars, Judges, Queuers, Concessions, Timers, etc. We had rave reviews! This year we created a powerpoint, EZ Cheese FLL Tournament in a Can, instructing FRC® teams on how to host their own FLL Tournament!
FTC®: Over the past three years, we mentored FTC Team 3599 Three Dudes with an Attitude and also funded/mentored FTC Team 4105 Teal Tornadoes. We presented workshop sessions to state-wide FTC teams.
FRC®: Over the last three years, 1086 mentored 16 FRC teams & presented state-wide FRC workshops which included Samantha Workshop, It’s Not Just About the Robot, Pneumatics, Autodesk Inventor & Business/Marketing. 1086 has maintained a strong partnership with a struggling FRC team, Team 2402 James Monroe Robotics by giving them materials, making parts and mentoring their students.
Cheese Samplers: In Partnership with local PTAs we are active in 5 elementary schools and 3 middle schools, demoing our robots and encouraging new FIRST team formation. In the past three years we have held 32 robotics demonstrations including: Short Pump Elementary School’s Fall Festival, Colonial Trail’s Mathematics & Technology Showcase where we also demonstrated 3-D printing, Twin Hickory Elementary School’s Fall Festival, Pocahontas Middle School’s Curriculum Night, Girl Scouts, Boys Scouts, & River’s Edge Elementary Rally at the River exposing over 1000 people to FIRST. As any good CHEESE SPREAD, we share our knowledge.
Teaching New Cheese: Team members taught robotics at the Math & Science Innovation Center program. New this year, we started the Nerd Curd program to ensure the sustainability of our team. In this program, veteran team members were partnered with rookie Cheeseheads to pass on their skills. Our team includes two middle school apprentices in order to give them a taste of our cheese. We always exhibit Gracious Professionalism by helping other teams during build season & tournaments.
Sharing our WHEY of life: As part of the Dean’s Homework to get fans in the stands, we passed out coupons to elementary students that they can redeem for K’NEX building toys at the VA Regional. Every year we write to our local politicians and dignitaries to promote FIRST and invite them to the VA Regional. We attended Legislative Action Day and annually correspond with Senator Eric Cantor, Governor Bob McDonnell, and our VA legislators to keep FIRST a legislative priority. We always use FIRST> to identify our team and we also nominate our Juniors for Dean’s List.
LEGO® is a registered trademark of the LEGO Group. FLL® and Jr.FLL® are jointly held trademarks of FIRST® and The LEGO Group. FIRST, FRC®, FTC®, CoopertitionTM, Gracious ProfessionalismTM, REBOUND RUMBLETM, LOGOMOTIONTM, BREAKAWAY®, LUNACY®, OVERDRIVE®, RACK N ROLL®, AIM HIGH®, TRIPLE PLAY®, RAISING THE BAR®, and STACK ATTACK® are trademarks of FIRST(www.usfirst.org). FIRST trademarks and logos used with permission as a FIRST team.
Over the past three years, we have mentored 31 FLL teams; four of which went on to states this year! We host a forum at our local library for FLL teams to share their research projects with the public and receive valuable feedback before competition. We hold informational sessions at our local library to organize and start new teams. We also support new local coaches by holding training sessions. Our team annually hosts the FLL state-wide tournament directors meeting. This year we were thrilled to plan, coordinate, and host our second annual FLL Tournament at DRHS. We had 24 FLL teams attend, the largest in our area! 1086 members and parents volunteered in every capacity including: Registrars, Judges, Queuers, Concessions, Timers, etc. We had rave reviews! This year we created a powerpoint, EZ Cheese FLL Tournament in a Can, instructing FRC® teams on how to host their own FLL Tournament!
