Mission, Texas- The “Mighty Robo-Rangers” FRC Team 5960 has received notices that they have received two grants to help the robotics team members as they enter their rookie season of competitions in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC). The Mighty Robo-Rangers consist of students from Alton Memorial Jr. High School competing at a high school level, and students from Mission High School.
The Mighty Robo-Rangers have had success in competing at the annual HESTEC Robotics Day Competition at the UTRGV, and also the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) state robotics championships. The AMJH Robo-Rangers are also two-time regional Science Bowl champions and have qualified for the national competition the last two years.
This will mark the first time Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District) has a team competing in the (FRC) FIRST Robotics Competition. The regional qualifier will be the Alamo Regional in San Antonio, Texas in early March, 2016, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The Mighty Robo-Rangers will be competing against 65 other teams from throughout the United States and several other countries.
The Mighty Robo-Rangers (FRC Team 5960) have been selected by the Argosy Foundation as recipients of the 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition Rookie Team Grant. The award provides financial assistance for the 2016 rookie season and for the 2017 season. The grant provides $4,000 for the team’s initial regional event registration fees, and $2,000 for the 2017 season.
The Argosy Foundation is a private, family foundation, founded in 1997 by the Abele Family. It is currently based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was established with a $9 million endowment from John Abele.
The Mighty Robo-Rangers are also recipients of the FIRST in Texas Foundation-Dell Grant. The Dell Grant Award is for the amount of $3,000 for the 2016 FRC season. The selection was based on the team’s display of dedication to the commitment of the core values of FIRST: teamwork, cooperation, and community engagement. The project manager pointed out that part of the reason that the team received the grant was because it had middle school students on the team competing in a high school robotics varsity competition. One of the main purposes of the Dell grant is to help teams flourish during the transition into the FIRST competitions.
The FIRST program is designed to be more than just robotics. FIRST participation has encouraged students to pursue education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)-related fields, inspired them to become leaders and innovators, and enhanced their 21st century work-life skills. FIRST has four levels of programs that begin with a junior league up to the “varsity” FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) that is primarily for grades 9-12.
Coaches and mentors for the Mighty Robo-Rangers are: Sammy Rivera, Robert Granados, Noe Pena, Samantha Granados, David Bridgewater, and Damaris Rivera.
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