Where tech meets sport.
F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Team 426 took on the unknown— a team comprised of students spread across the world, Team 426 developed remote comradery before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic— just as our communities took the hardest hits.
FIRST Robotics, which stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," is a competitive robotics program that encourages young people to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields. To me, this program offered a multifaceted learning experience that taught me hand-on technical skills, teamwork, and creativity. F.I.R.S.T. encouraged my passion for STEM and instilled in me a commitment to ethical and professional conduct.
The program.
Rather than being from a single school or district, our team was comprised of students from four different schools in the Bronx, New Hampshire, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Each school individually lacked the resources and experience to run an FRC team, but as our team captain, I was able to significantly bolster the STEM programs and resources offered at each facility.
The team.
Participating in FIRST Robotics involves managing a project from start to finish, with limited resources and strict deadlines. Organizing forty students across different continents from the season’s inception to completion, including scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation, became second nature.
We were tasked with formulating a strategic plan, conducting brainstorming sessions to conceptualize robot components, and subsequently executing the design of the robot. Our progress was meticulously documented through photo and video documentation, and these updates were effectively disseminated across various online channels and social media platforms to maintain a connected team.
Our collaborative efforts transcended geographical boundaries. For instance, a component designed in New Hampshire seamlessly underwent 3D printing in Vietnam. Moreover, students in Vietnam diligently crafted code that was instrumental in controlling our robots deployed in the Bronx. This distribution of resources underscored our ability to leverage the unique strengths and expertise of each group of students and mentors, ultimately allowing us to achieve objectives that would have been unattainable through individual efforts alone.
The intricate challenges presented by FIRST Robotics necessitated the cultivation of advanced problem-solving abilities. Confronting unanticipated technical issues during both practice sessions and competition markedly improved my adaptability and resourcefulness.
The wealth of experience gleaned from my involvement in FIRST Robotics has reaffirmed my career ambitions in experience design. It has fueled my desire to pursue a career that involves innovative design solutions, and I am dedicated to furthering my skills and knowledge in this area.
