Thomson Robotics Team continues quest for competition success, calls for donations

Your Thomson’s Robotics Team is entering its third year! Since the team’s inception in 2015, the team has contributed to the growth and interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) and robotics to students within and outside the Thomson/Bendale community:

– Annual STEM/Robotics outreach at 3 secondary schools and 6 local elementary schools
– Hosted Inaugural Toronto District School Bots Symposium – supported 12 rookie robotics teams across Toronto
– Student volunteers at “Fall Fiesta”, a FIRST Robotics Competition Off-Season Tournament
– Participation in VEX Robotics Competition in Scarborough and St. Catharines
– Participation in FIRST Robotics Competition in Oshawa and Waterloo: Recipient of awards – Rookie Inspiration x2, Highest Rookie Seed; Winner of prestigious Waterloo Regional, advancing to FIRST World Championship in St. Louis, MO

Plans for 2016-17 include the following:

– Girls’ Robotics and Electronics Club: Collaboration with Lassonde School of Engineering (York University), girls’ outreach at local elementary schools
– Participation in VEX Robotics Competition in Scarborough
– Participation in FIRST Robotics Competition
– Host of Fall Practice Tournament for FIRST Lego League teams from local elementary schools
– Continued STEM outreach at secondary schools and local elementary schools

In a relatively short time, parents and teachers have witnessed the impact of Thomson’s hard-working students on the personal growth and excitement of children for STEM and robotics.

VEX is the world’s fastest-growing robotics education program – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AntqBAgiwjU). FIRST is the world’s largest robotics education program – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcS7M4sY0fQ).

To participate in the VEX and FIRST Robotics Competitions, the Robotics Team is seeking assistance from the Thomson community in the forms of mentorship, sponsorship, and in-kind donations.
– Mentorship: Expertise in engineering, computer programming, computer-aided design (CAD), machinist, technician, mechanic, welding, carpentry, marketing, fund-raising, project management
– Sponsorship and in-kind donations: Funds are utilized to pay for tournament fees, robot-building parts (metals, electronics) and transportation.

Payment for registration in the FIRST Robotics Competition is due at the end of November 2016. In FIRST, all robotics teams have only six weeks (from early January to mid-end of February, 2017) to design, program, and build their 120-pound robot to play the 2017 game. Thus, sponsorship can also be gladly arranged in early 2017 in time for the build season.

All information about the team is available at Titans5719.com. Information about the FIRST Robotics Competition is available at www.FIRSTRoboticsCanada.org.

I am happy to answer any questions! Please feel free to contact me at Edmund.Kim@tdsb.on.ca.

The students are amazing! We are very proud of them. The students are hoping to be worthy of your consideration!

Thank you,

Edmund Kim
Curriculum Leader of Science
Lead Mentor of Thomson Robotics Teams