We live in a society that idolizes entertainment – athletes, musicians, and actors. Yet very few of the scientific and technological advancements that have improved our standard of living have come from these endeavors. Rather, they have resulted from the hard work of scientists and engineers around the world who work to find innovative solutions to the world’s problems. As our world grows more and more complex we need more scientists and engineers to help solve the difficult challenges of tomorrow. However, not enough youth in the United States are pursuing careers in science and technology to meet future needs. FIRST Robotics and the StormBots seek to change that.
To resolve this problem, Dean Kamen, inventor and visionary, founded the organization known as FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST holds annual regional and national robot competitions for middle and high school teams. These competitions celebrate the creative and innovative use of science and technology to solve complex problems. Mentored by engineering and business professionals from the community, students learn about careers in science and technology that can be fun, exciting, and rewarding. With the introduction of FIRST Robotics students now have an opportunity to further advance their knowledge on subjects that not only interest them, but help them by developing in them the knowledge and skills much sought after industries of today and tomorrow.
Supporting the Skyview StormBots has many benefits for your company. Besides the good will in supporting youth in the local community, working with the StormBots is a great way to help young people develop interest in careers in your industry or at your company. Volunteers from your company can help mentor our team and help our students build desired industry knowledge and skills in a way that is rewarding for both the students and their mentors. Financial and/or in-kind support provides resources for our team to design and experiment as they design, build and code functional robotic systems. As a sponsor, your company name and logo will be promoted on our website, on the team apparel we wear at competitions and around town, and in our team brochure given out at the several public events we attend or host each year. And, donations are tax deductible (Tax ID 91-1866932). Please see below the more tangible benefits are offered in return for your support.
The Skyview StormBots have an annual operating budget in excess of $40,000*. Like any non-profit business, we must make sure our expenses do not exceed our income. And this requires fund raising.
Students cover more than two-thirds of the operating costs through their participation fees and student-led fundraisers. The balance must be raised through grants, business sponsorships, and donations. The team also self-funds scholarships as needed to cover some students’ fees on the principle that student participation should not be determined by financial ability. Please consider making an investment in our collective future. All donations are tax deductible (Tax ID 91-1866932).