The core values of C.O.R.E. are the foundation for this team. Without these ten values, this team would cease to exist.

Community

C.O.R.E. is built around the foundation of community. We are, at our core, a community. We come together in order to make our robot as good as can be. We combine three high schools, two academies, and even include a few people who are homeschooled. We also give back to the community as a whole, through holding food drives, helping at the Christmas Clearing Council, and raising money for the Salvation Army by ringing bells. In order to give back to the FIRST organization, we have hosted an FLL tournament and have helped with concessions for another tournament.

Organization

Without organization, there would be no team. Our team is student-run, but mentor-educated. The students are the builders, designers and coders. The students make decisions with mentor input. We are organized in many ways. One of these ways is the CAD library which holds all of the CAD and 3DS MAX  files for the team. We can also use our Google Group to send emails out to all who subscribe to it.

Respect

Respect is a large aspect of C.O.R.E. We pride ourselves on being a paragon of FIRST’s concept of Gracious Professionalism. Our students respect our mentors and mentors respect students. If this was not in place, C.O.R.E. would not be nearly as productive of a community. Respect is key in C.O.R.E., as it keeps each mentor and student in balance.

Everyone Matters

In C.O.R.E., everyone matters. All subteams are treated equally, and everyone will find something to do. Everyone who wants to be in C.O.R.E., can be, and we have welcomed many different people.

VEX

Since 2008, we have held a VEX Robotics League. The league is open to elementary school students, middle school students, and ninth graders. VEX is a way for students to learn Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and apply them to building miniature robots. Older student members of C.O.R.E. help mentor the younger students.

Active

C.O.R.E. is very active in promoting FIRST and STEM in the community. We have displayed our robot to elementary school students at a local elementary school’s Math Night for the past two years, and we are looking forward to it being an annual event. Through our team’s success, we have inspired the School District of Waukesha to create a K-8 STEM charter school to help prepare students for programs like robotics or the Engineering Academy and the technology of the future. C.O.R.E. is not just a team that meets during the build and competition seasons. We meet up during the off season and continue to grow together, through volunteering opportunities and get-togethers like picnics and the occasional Ultimate Frisbee game.

Learn

When we work on the robot, we use the principles we learn in school. C.O.R.E. and the Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy are very closely linked. Many students in the academy are in C.O.R.E. and are drawn in by their love of engineering. You learn a lot while working on the robot. Many people join a subteam that they don’t know much about, but learn through the veteran student members and mentors. The learning continues when graduated alumni come back to become mentors.

Unity

C.O.R.E. unites the five Waukesha high schools. Normally fierce rivals, Waukesha students are brought together to help each other build a robot. The partnership doesn’t end after build season, however. It is not uncommon for our team to get together to play Ultimate Frisbee, or go to a laser tag arena. This summer, we had our fourth annual team picnic. During downtime in our competitions, we will usually go sightseeing in the city we are in.

Entrepreneurship

C.O.R.E.’s sustainability is very important for our future. We ensure our continuation through support from our sponsors, fundraising, and grants. We fundraise through selling first aid kits, raffle tickets, and concessions. In addition to that, we assist in setup and teardown at FLL tournaments and receive a donation for our efforts. But the majority of our income comes from our sponsors such as Verizon, Rockwell Automation, and GE Volunteers. We provide all of our sponsors with updates so that they know what is going on. C.O.R.E. has managed to stay fiscally strong during these economically difficult times because of the careful planning of our team.

Safety

Safety is very important to the team. Before build season, mentors give safety demonstrations to the entire team. Every member must pass a safety exam with a perfect score. Everyone knows the location and how to use the fire extinguisher, the battery skill kit, the first aid kit, and the eye wash station. During competitions, we hand out pamphlets to other teams and even hang posters advertising safety in our pit. We introduce students to industrial practices such as the 5 S’s principles, Material Safety Data Sheets, Lock Out Tag Out, and risk mitigation in preparation for jobs in engineering. We have received numerous awards for safety including the 2008 Championship Safety Award and six regional Underwriters Laboratory Industrial Safety Awards.