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Penfield's Rolling Thunder robotics team highlights championships, sustainability award and district outreach
Summary
FIRST Team 1511 Rolling Thunder reported top regional finishes, an Impact Award, World Championship participation and a team sustainability award; students asked the district to consult on a planned STEM center and highlighted extensive outreach and advocacy work.
Members of Penfield High School's FIRST robotics team 1511, Rolling Thunder, presented accomplishments and a short demonstration at the June 9 board meeting.
Student speakers described a successful season: fourth overall at the Finger Lakes Regional (captain of the fourth alliance), an Impact Award (their 13th regional impact award), a strong finish at the Greater Pittsburgh Regional, and qualification for the FIRST World Championship in Houston. At the World Championship the team ranked 26th in the Archimedes division and won the team sustainability award for the first time since 2009.
The roster now includes 38 students and 32 mentors; students described a broad program of community outreach (103 events this year), fundraising strategies and service projects (distribution of socks through a Bomba Socks partnership and a Mega Drive charity event). A student described building a mobility aid for a rescued puppy through design and 3D printing work.
Rolling Thunder also described advocacy efforts to secure state support for robotics programs (they referenced S379 and said Assembly member Jen Lunsford spoke at a related advocacy event). Students asked to work with the district on design input for a planned STEM center and to continue seeking funding sources for team sustainability.
Board members praised the students' leadership and mentoring of younger students and thanked mentors and parents for support. The team concluded with a brief live demo of mechanisms and answers to board questions about student schedules and logistics; the board allowed them to leave early so they could study for exams.
Students who spoke included two seniors and other student leaders; the transcript records their names and leadership roles.
The presentation emphasized student skill development in wiring, CAD, 3D printing, outreach, and environmental sub-team projects focused on reducing waste during build season and an "Ecobotics" environmental engineering program.
