growingSTEMS

FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization committed to changing our culture to further the recognition of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in popular culture. The FIRST website for all its associated programs can be found at www.firstinspires.org.

One of the major programs in FIRST is the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Combining the excitement of sports with the rigors of science and technology, we call FRC the ultimate sport for the mind. High-school students call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” Under strict rules, limited time, and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-sized robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. The RoboBees are growingSTEMS’ well-known and successful FRC Team in the Chesapeake District area, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia, and DC.

Every year, our mentors donate an estimated 18,000 hours to the students of our organization. Our objective is to inspire our community to celebrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics by teaching skills related to STEM careers in a fun environment and providing an opportunity to apply this knowledge.

Treated as a varsity level team in the growingSTEMS portfolio of programs, FRC Team 836: The RoboBees is made up of approximately 30 students. Admission to the team is prioritized to returning students in good standing with the team, followed by returning VEX IQ team students moving up in age group, and finally, new students who apply during the open enrollment meeting. Students joining this team will be asked to focus on technical areas (i.e. Mechanical, Media, and Command & Control) by joining a subteam. Each subteam has a limited number of students that it can support. Students wishing to join a subteam will be given the same priority as listed above with the exception that students returning to that sub-team have the highest priority.

FIRST® Team 836, The RoboBees was founded in October of 2001 with 11 eager students and one dedicated mentor. Since then, our team has more than doubled in size. We strive to give every student a hands-on experience to learn engineering and life skills while enjoying the best FIRST® experience possible. We are based out of the Hive, a growingSTEMS center, located in Hollywood, Maryland. Our mentors are primarily engineers, scientists, and business professionals based out of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, a major engineering naval base located at the southern end of St. Mary’s County. Our county is a diverse community composed of a mixture of military, contractors, and farmers.

As our community looks to increase its involvement in technological development, The RoboBees play a vital role in providing the next generation of STEM innovators and leaders by fostering excitement in students for STEM. At the Tech Expo in 2015, hosted by the Patuxent Partnership and Naval Air Warcraft Center - Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), the Commander of NAWCAD, Rear Admiral G. Dean Peters said that STEM organizations, such as The RoboBees, were essential to the future mission of the Navy in general, and NAWCAD in particular. His words reinforce our belief that our mission and vision is so important.

The RoboBees are a preeminent team in the Chesapeake District. We serve as an example of a team that others aspire to be. Over the past 25 years, the team has won nearly 70 awards for team and robot performance. A listing of our awards can be found below.