Why We Do Outreach
Contributor:
Jack Cao
Jack Cao
This Article presents our missions and goals of hosting outreach in the community.
FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. As stated in its name, the mission of this organization is to inspire young people's interest in STEM and prepare them for their future through various programs hosted by FIRST. Robotic competitions are not the entirety of this organization or its related programs, but rather a path or method to achieve its core values:
Following this core value, we, 12736 Electric Mayhem Green, believe that our work and contributions should extend beyond classrooms and the FTC program. To inspire more young people in STEM and engage with the community, outreach is our path and method to align with the same mission.
Our goal is, and has always been, to create more opportunities to connect with the community. Over the years, we have made many connections with other teams, including founding the FTCOA platform. We communicate with one another, sharing our expertise and exchanging suggestions—not only within our local region such as the Buffalo First Family, also with teams around the world in the FIRST Global.
Inspirations are key to fostering interest. To introduce more children to the STEM field, there is no better way than to demonstrate its applications.
Over the years, we have interacted with many schools and organizations to publicly demonstrate projects our team has accomplished, such as HOWARD, Mario Karts, Summer Camps etc. At Electric Mayhem, our work extends beyond just building robots. Our team spends hundreds of hours on outreach and hosts dozens of events each season to showcase the engaging and exciting aspects of STEM.
Beyond the STEM field, we actively participate in various charity events as well. From toy drives to assisting refugees in settling into this country, our goals extend far beyond just building robots.
Organizing an outreach requires significant effort, and all of our outreach events are planned and executed by students. Each member fulfills their responsibilities, covering every detail of the event. Through this process, we enhance our skills and develop greater independence.
We utilize outreach as an opportunity to build connections. Through scouting and promotion, we demonstrate our projects and abilities to other teams and organizations, expanding our partnerships in the process.
For more information of how do we plan an outreach, look for this article: How to Run an Event
Over the years, our team has hosted and participated in numerous community events to strengthen our partnerships with others. Within the FIRST programs, our team organizes qualifiers, build days, and kickoffs etc., providing platforms and opportunities for other teams to compete, collaborate, and exchange ideas.
Outside of the FIRST programs, we participate in conferences and competitions to develop and enhance our team members' skills. Our partnership with Buff State provides our team members with college credit as well.
For more informationk, here is a list of Our Partnerships