From Small Victories to World Stage: Riverdale Robotics Rams Take Flight!
Robotic Rams after winning the 2024 FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois Inspire Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Port Byron, IL (April 9, 2024): FIRST Tech Challenge Team 6596, the Robotic Rams from Riverdale High School, are soaring high after a remarkable season. Their dedication to learning and teamwork has propelled them to the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship – a first for any Riverdale team!
A Season of Unexpected Triumphs:
The Rams focused on growth this year, prioritizing learning experiences over wins and losses. However, their commitment paid off in unexpected ways. They secured a series of prestigious awards at their League Championship, including the 1st Place Winning Alliance Captain and the 1st Place Design Award. This stellar performance earned them a top spot at the Illinois State Championship.
At the State competition, the Rams continued their winning streak, gaining the prestigious 1st Place Inspire Award. This honor, recognizing excellence in all judging areas of FIRST (connection, motivation, design, innovation, and ingenuity), propelled them to the ultimate challenge: the World Championship!
Beyond the Robot: Building a STEM Powerhouse:
FIRST Tech Challenge is more than just building robots. It's about fostering future engineers, cultivating teamwork and communication skills, and encouraging creative problem-solving. The Robotic Rams embody this spirit, actively promoting Gracious Professionalism within their team and making it loud in their community.
Giving Back and Inspiring the Next Generation:
The Robotic Rams' dedication extends beyond the competition field. Their annual Lego Drive brings joy to patients at the Iowa Children's Hospital. Partnering with their National Honors Society, they recently hosted a collaborative STEM Night, igniting a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the next generation. Their mentorship extends further by having helped to establish and guide three FIRST Lego League teams at the River Valley District Library. The Rams embody a spirit of collaboration, always willing to share their knowledge and lend a helping hand to other teams, both locally and globally.
Sponsorship: A Team Effort Leads to Success:
Robotic Rams 2024 Centerstage Robot, Bumblebee
The Robotic Rams' success is fueled not just by their technical skills, but also by their dedication to securing resources. Team members and their teacher worked together to find sponsorships and grants. The students' passion for robotics clearly inspired their teacher, who translated that enthusiasm into winning grant proposals. This combined effort has equipped the Robotic Rams with the resources they need to compete at the highest level.
The World Awaits:
The wait is over! The Robotic Rams are primed to compete at the prestigious 2024 FIRST World Championship in Houston, Texas (April 17th-20th). This international robotics extravaganza brings together over 50,000 attendees from across the globe, including 224 FIRST Tech Challenge teams like theirs, alongside hundreds of FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and FIRST Lego League teams (FLL).
This is the Rams' chance to showcase their skills and dedication on a world stage. Their journey to this point exemplifies the power of focused learning, teamwork, and a shared vision of building a brighter STEM future. Get ready to cheer them on as they compete against the best young minds in the world!
About FIRST Tech Challenge:
FIRST Tech Challenge is a worldwide program for students in grades 6-12 that combines science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) principles with problem-solving, teamwork, and communication. Learn more at https://www.firstinspires.org/.
About FIRST Championship:
FIRST Championship is a culminating, international event for their youth robotics competition season and an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for their community as they prepare young people for the future.
https://www.firstchampionship.org/
