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Each year, students from Forest Hills Public Schools gather together and compete in the world's only varsity sport for the mind - the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Students are presented with the challenge of building a 100+ lb. robot in only six weeks. Besides having to meet rigid design requirements and specifications, the robot must also be able to effectively compete in a game against other robots.
Thankfully throughout the process, students are guided by mentors (the team's coaches) who are professionals in industry. The team's mentors have backgrounds in project management, computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and brand management. They ensure a safe and professional working environment while passing down their knowledge to the next generation of problem solvers.
Most importantly, these mentors ensure that robotics doesn't just become like other sports where only one person comes out a winner. The FRC is different. Just showing up for competition makes you a winner, because it means that you were able to work with a group of complete strangers for six weeks and walk away with something remarkable - a robot! The skills required to do that are important, not just the ability to put numbers on a scoreboard.
