FTCs new season kicks off in September, but Team Duct Tape’s season seems to begin earlier each year! Team members met yesterday for the first of some Getting to Know Robot C programming meetings, to give students interested in better understanding programming some hands on opportunities.

We also got the chance to meet a potential  new team member,  who comes to us with three years of FIRST LEGO League experience. An avid photographer and swimmer, Audie took a break from robotics to pursue other interests but says she “misses the challenges of FIRST, ” and “the fun team work and seeing how our hard work and teamwork pays off.”  She’s come to the right team!  We hope she likes us and stays! (All new team members are encouraged to attend at least three meetings before committing to the team.)

Another new member this year is Johnny, Chris 3.0’s brother, who also joins with FLL experience, hailing from team Brick Buddies, award winners at the  FLL Florida State Championship last season. And we’ve got one other student applicant, as well. Here it is, mid-May, and we’ve got a full team roster already!

That’s a good thing, because our social calendar is heating up!

We’ve already helped out at the Plumb Elementary RobotFestival last week, in Clearwater, and joined in with ASME for a Port Authority Tour, which was great fun.

This Saturday, May 21, we’ll be at the Green STEM Electrathon Festival , from 9AM to 3PM.  Electrathon cars are custom built three or four wheeled electric vehicles, similar in appearance to Go-Karts, but powered by an electric motor and batteries. The goal of the race is to determine which car can travel the furthest distance in one hour’s time within the limitations of battery weight and other related factors.  Middle and High School student designed cars will race throughout the day.  TDT will be among the exhibitors at the Florida Fairgrounds event. Parking is $5 but event admission is free!   Go check it out – and stop by our booth to say high and try your hand at driving our robot!

Next Friday, May 27, we’re heading out to Orlando, to visit students in the Reach Up! afterschool program at Conway Middle School .  The program coordinator is also arranging for University of Central Florida engineering department tour for TDT students attending the outreach program.

In June, we’ll be at the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Multicultural Health and Science Festival, June 11, from 11AM to 3PM, at the University Area Community Center in Tampa.  This great event is designed to provide health and education outreach to underserved families in the Tampa area, and we’re excited about the opportunity to introduce more youth and families to FIRST robotics.  And we also hope to be able to support coolTech at MOSI again this year, too!