Last weekend, our FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) Team 341, Miss Daisy, won Finalist at this year’s very first competition, Hatboro-Horsham District event. We ranked 3rd in the qualification round and became the Captain of Alliance 2. Our Team 341 also won the Excellence in Engineering Award. At the event, I was interviewed by FRC Mid-Atlantic District judges for the FIRST® Dean’s List Award and I’m happy to report that I advanced to District Championship Semi-Finalist!
Inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen is one of the founders of the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC). The FIRST® Dean’s List (FDL) Award recognizes “the leadership and dedication of the most outstanding” high school students in FRC. I’m grateful for my team’s nomination and loud cheering! The next step for me and for my beloved Team 341 is to go to FIRST® Mid-Atlantic District Championship in April, where Miss Daisy will compete for a chance to go to the FIRST® World Championship in Houston and I’ll compete alongside 15 peers for one of four FDL award finalist spots.
This recognition is not just a personal achievement but a celebration of friendship and comradeship of my teammates. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my coaches at Team 341 for their unwavering support and mentorship. When I proposed a new CAD training program last summer, they not only embraced the idea but also guided me throughout the course development. In the fall when I led this program of nine, 3-hour CAD sessions full of hands-on experiences and opportunities, the coaches also provided timely feedback so that I could adjust the highly interactive course. Their constructive suggestions, also those from my teammates, had ensured that our team gained maximum benefit from the program. In the FDL Award nomination, the team recognized the effectiveness of this application-based CAD training program, which embodied the core values of “Discovery” and “Inclusion” that define FIRST®. Looking back, I know, deep in my heart, that working with my coaches and my teammates has been critical for this success.
Beyond our team activities, my passion for STEM education has led me to establish initiatives like Youth 3D, where I’ve conducted over 10 workshops aimed at making 3D printing and robotics accessible to all ages. My coaches have recognized and supported these endeavors. In the nomination essay, my team highlighted my contributions to both our team and the broader STEM community. From integrating FRC match data into my data science projects then presenting at the Joint Statistics Meetings to creating data science lesson modules from FRC data with the SCORE network, I’m so glad that my “learning by doing” philosophy was well received by my teammates, my coaches and the FDL award judges.
As I look to the future, I’m committed to advancing STEM education and fostering inclusive communities both within and beyond the robotics field. The FDL award serves as both recognition of past achievements and inspiration for the journey ahead. With the continued support of my coaches, teammates, and mentors, I am eager to embrace the opportunities.