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Ripon robotics team shares World Championship experience, community raised tens of thousands
Summary
Ripon High School robotics members and mentors described advancing to Worlds in Houston, winning judges awards and relying on broad community fundraising — multiple donors and foundations contributed five- and four-figure gifts to cover travel costs.
Members and mentors of the Ripon High School robotics team told the board they advanced from district competition to the World Championship in Houston after winning district awards and strong regional finishes.
Devin Schneider, a team mentor, told the board the team encountered international matchups in the Galileo division, including teams from Israel and Turkey, and said the students handled language and strategy challenges. "We raised all of the funds that we need," Schneider told the board, noting rapid fundraising and community support made the trip possible.
A board member reported a string of donations earmarked for the robotics team: Alliance Laundry Systems, an anonymous donor, and local businesses and foundations contributed amounts ranging from $250 to $10,000; one board member said team fundraising led by Sarah Reeder had “raised well over $30,000 in payers” and that trip costs were substantially covered.
Student team members described their roles: Rose Slattery (freshman) said she did building and coding and hopes to join drive team next year; Nathan Hanson (senior) described his role on the drive team; Gregory Zells noted he served as safety captain. Mentors praised students for taking on multiple roles and learning rapidly.
Board members and administrators thanked donors and asked staff whether leftover funds could roll into next year’s budget to support continued competition travel; staff said they would follow up to clarify fund handling and carry-over rules.
The appearance highlighted both the competitive results (district awards, state-level placement) and the community funding that enabled a small-town team to compete on the world stage.
