Safety Audit at MetalTek 8.18.2011
One of the ways we are constantly improving our safety program is to visit local companies who have an interest in safety. By presenting our safety program and asking safety professionals for suggestions, we are able to implement current industrial standards and practices. MetalTek listened to our presentation and gave us new ideas to add to our program. Following their advice, we have now adopted the following ideas:
- The Mind’s Eye Principle: beginning a task by thinking through the procedure, tools, work environment and PPE needed.
- Machine inspection: to keep machines running efficiently, safely and reliably, we have implemented inspections of machines on a monthly basis.
- Fire extinguishers inpection: they will now be checked regularly so that they are not unusable or expired when needed.
- The MSDS book will be standardized in order to keep it current and valid.
Girl Scout Workshop 4.29.2011
On Saturday, April 29th, four of us C.O.R.E members traveled to Girl Scout Camp Alice Chester to teach girls how to build and program FLL robots. We started out by introducing the work of FIRST and the different Leagues for children. Mrs. Krauska talked about our team and how there’s a place for everyone on it!
While watching the FRC Internationals matches on a large screen, the girls split up into groups of about 3 or 4 and we mentored the groups in building the FLL robots. The task was to build a robot that could move and sense a line using a light sensor. The young Scouts had a fun time exploring all the different pieces and parts they could use and discovering the creativity that comes with such a task!
After we finished building our robots, it was time to program them. Mrs. Copeland did a quick presentation on the basics of programming and the simple concept was grasped easily by the girls. Soon their robots were rolling and spinning around the room! Due to a shortage of time, we couldn’t program the light sensors, but the scouts still enjoyed watching their robots move around. At the end, we took a picture with all of the girls, thanked the leaders for letting us come in, packed up and began the trip back home.
All in all, it was a memorable experience for both the Girl Scouts and C.O.R.E. After all, our team is all about building new relationships and helping others!
G.E. Take Your Child to Work Day 4.28.2011
Since our team is sponsored by GE, we presented at the GE Take Your Child to Work Day. We started off by giving a 5 minute presentation that gave an overview of our team and FIRST. Then, we let them out and split the kids up into groups. There were three stations they visited. The FLL table where they learned about FLL and ran a mission, the VEX station, where they drove the robots around and played the Round Up VEX game, and the FRC station where we let them drive our robot and pick up tubes. There were three groups of about 20 kids that we went through. Afterwards, we were treated to a lunch.
Rockwell Spaghetti Dinner 4.9.2011
Kick-off Safety Workshop 1.8.11
The excitement inside every team member, even the Rookies, was insurmountable! Everyone was anticipating the reveal of this year’s competition, and the Rookies were filled with enthusiasm not knowing what was to come. After learning the competition rules, ideas started flying through everybody’s brain on how to win Logomotion. Once the Kick-off presentation was over, we returned to our school to start brainstorming. The brainstorming process took the entire Saturday, the following Tuesday and Thursday as well. We finally reached consensus.
C.O.R.E. Holiday Party 12.22.10
On the 22nd of December, our team gathered for a night of fun and friends. We spent the night playing games, eating great food and talking about the robotics season to come. The holiday party was a pleasant way for everyone on the team to get acquainted with one another. All of the new members that joined at the start of the school year were able to make new friends at this gathering.
FIRST LEGO League Championship 12.4-12.5.10
The FIRST LEGO League competition was held at Oak Creek High School. Our team helped with concessions, lined up teams to compete and escorted them to the tournament areas. This was a great day of volunteer work.
FIRST LEGO League at Marquette High School 11.21.10
At the FIRST LEGO League event at Marquette High School, our team helped staff the cafeteria for lunch. The selling of concessions helped us raise funds. It was a lot of work, but every contribution to the team added up.
FIRST LEGO League at Thomas More High School 11.13.10
Our team provided valuable volunteers for the FLL Tournament on November 13th. Students helped by queueing, which meant they had to retrieve the awaiting teams for the future matches. Our team also had to reset the tables before the next teams could compete. In addition, we helped with serving concessions.
VEX Tournament at Thomas More High School 11.5-11.7.10
Starting on the 5th of November, our team assisted Thomas More Robotics in the set up of their VEX tournament at Thomas More High School. Over the following two days, our team assisted the judges, helped with the teams and helped make the tournament run smoothly for everyone. At the competition, we learned exactly how a VEX tournament is run so that in the years to come, we will be able to run our own tournament.
Parent Teacher Conferences 10.6 & 10.14.10
During both nights of Parent Teacher Conferences at Waukesha South and West high schools, our team sold first aid kits to parents and teachers to fundraise for our team. We set up a table and advertised our product and practiced our entrepreneurial skills.
VEX League Nights 9.27-10.25.10
VEX League Nights are nights in which we open up Waukesha South High School’s cafeteria to elementary and middle school students to build their VEX Robots. Our team members assist the students and help them with their robots so they can compete in the local VEX Competition. At the VEX Nights, we sell snacks for fundraising and build field models for competition practice.
Rookie Night 9.14.10
Rookies came from all six Waukesha high schools: West, North, South, eAchieve Academy, Health Academy and the Engineering Academy. The new students were invited to learn about C.O.R.E. Some of the new students were excited, some outgoing and all of them pretty fun. We have a couple firecrackers on the C.O.R.E. team, and they did a wonderful job of making things exciting.
Southfest 8.26.10
Southfest provided parents and students with a great opportunity to learn about what Waukesha South High School has to offer. Student organizations, such as our team, were given the chance to show what their team is about. This year, in addition to teaching people about our team and FIRST, we sold first aid kits as a fundraiser. The reason behind selling first aid kits, besides fundraising, was to spread the word that our team is about safety. We love promoting the safety of others.
