Community Events
Our school-hosted events inspire future generations and showcase the exciting world of STEM to hundreds of students and families in our community.
Technology and Coding Night
Our Flagship Event
During our annual district Technology and Coding Night, we showcase our robot to over 300 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Students in our community get to experience driving the robot firsthand, sparking their initial interest in STEM and robotics.
Technology and Coding Night is one of many annual events that we utilize to attract future members. The interactive nature of the event allows young students to see technology in action and imagine themselves as future engineers and programmers.
Over the past three years, these experiences have garnered interest in STEM among young students, increasing membership on our FRC, FTC, and FLL teams.
STEAM Fair
Our participation in the school's STEAM fair provides another opportunity for us to showcase robotics and engineering to younger students. We set up interactive demonstrations where attendees can learn about robot mechanisms, programming concepts, and engineering design.
The fair format allows us to engage with students who might not otherwise be exposed to robotics, expanding our reach beyond just technology-focused events.
Cross-Curricular Impact
The STEAM fair demonstrates how Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics work together in real-world applications like robotics.
Inspiring Innovation
Students see how creative problem-solving and technical skills combine to build functional robots that compete at regional and national levels.
Interactive Learning
Hands-on demonstrations allow students to experience STEM concepts firsthand, making abstract engineering principles tangible and exciting.
Safe Halloween
Our participation in Safe Halloween events brings robotics to families in a fun, accessible environment where children can interact with our robot while enjoying a safe community celebration.
Family Engagement
Reaching families with young children who might not otherwise encounter robotics programs
Community Integration
Becoming part of beloved community traditions while showcasing STEM education
Early Inspiration
Planting seeds of interest in STEM among very young children through fun interactions
Innovation in Event Design
Interactive Experiences
We've provided interactive STEM activities during our school's annual events, such as allowing guests to drive our robot. This hands-on approach transforms passive observation into active engagement, creating memorable experiences that inspire future participation.
Our approach goes beyond simple demonstrations - we create opportunities for attendees to become temporary team members, experiencing the thrill of controlling a competition robot firsthand.
Community Partnership Model
By integrating charitable giving into our events (like Toys for Tots collections), we demonstrate how STEM teams can be forces for good in their communities. This model shows that technical excellence and social responsibility go hand in hand.
Our events serve as a blueprint for other teams looking to increase their community impact while growing their programs.
Building Community Through Events
Team Dinners & Presentations
On our Saturday meetings, we host a group lunch where a parent volunteers to bring in food for our team. This not only allows us to take a break from all the hard work we have been doing during the build season but it also gives us the opportunity to spend time together as a team.
Through this, we have formed closer bonds with one another and our mentors. We have created long lasting friendships with each other. We are not just a team, we are a family.
Educational Field Trips
We regularly visit other schools and host field trips where younger students can interact with our robots and learn about STEM. These visits help us extend our reach beyond our own school district and inspire students who might not otherwise have exposure to robotics.
The interactive nature of these visits allows students to see robotics up close and ask questions directly to our team members, creating personal connections that often lead to sustained interest in STEM fields.
We participate in Long Island robotics meetups, building connections with other teams and sharing knowledge across the robotics community.
Expanding Our Reach
As we continue to grow our event programming, we remain committed to making STEM education accessible and exciting for students of all ages. Our events serve as entry points into the world of robotics and engineering, showing young people that they too can be innovators and problem-solvers.
The effect of these initiatives has been evident through the increased interest in technology and attendance throughout the season that we have observed. Each event plants seeds that grow into the next generation of team members and STEM leaders.