As the new school year begins, Robotics can already feel the absence of last year's seniors deep in its bones. The new undergraduate freshmen are currently embarking on an exciting, life-changing period in their lives: college. However, far from forgetting their roots, BHHS Robotics alumni all over the United States are flourishing at their respective colleges and universities; although they miss their "FIRST" home at BHHS, many are giving back to their local robotics communities. Angel Say, former co-president of MorTorq and current student at Columbia University, plans to major in mechanical engineering. In a salute to his past, he is mentoring a FIRST team on the east coast. Nearby, Bentley Shuster, former head photographer and current student at Boston University, is involved with the BU Rocket Engineering Club and is also preparing for a photojournalism class. She sends her best to the team.
Wiithout a doubt, MorTorq has positively affected the college experience of our alumni. Adam Phillips, a previous business captain, attributes his time management, business, and networking skills to his experience with MorTorq. Phillips, attending the University of Southern California, keeps himself busy with a variety of extracurricular activities, including the production of two TV shows on Trojan Vision, USC's equivalent to KBEV. William Zhang, attending Yale University, describes MorTorq as a "phenomenal experience" that provides endless opportunities for its members; for example, Zhang credits BHHS Robotics with the publication of his first article in a public newspaper.
With an invaluable, irreplaceable Robotics experience backing them up and with the MorTorq entire family cheering them on, our graduated seniors are at last taking their first steps into a new world. We wish them the best of luck!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
New Year, New Team!
The 2009-2010 school year is looking up for MorTorq, our robotics team! Although we will miss our seniors, who have gone off to college, we have acquired a multitude of promising new members eager to make a difference in the team.
Jason Kahn, Shoshana Young and Nicole Weinstein were in charge of promoting our club at Freshmen Orientation. Their presentation was a success, and they were able to stimulate over fifty freshmen's interest in Robotics. The popularity of the program is soaring with all opened spots filled even before Club Week sign-ups. Interestingly enough, many of these new recruits are girls, nearly balancing the gender make-up of MorTorq to about a fifty-fifty boy to girl ratio.
In addition to the expansion of the team, MorTorq accepted a generous donation from the Regional Occupational Program to finance the program. Our team is also looking for new sponsors and new means of fundraising.
Facilities are also expanding with the Woodshop now available as a new workspace for the building team. Mentors like Mike Gordon and Roy McKee have returned to assist us in training workshops.
The team is also taking a new direction with its charity program. This year, we are building a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Organization, a program that provides charity housing for families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer or other serious illnesses and who do not live within the proximity of a children's hospital. Our job is to collect the pop-tops of soda cans for recycling, cash them in, and give all the profits to the organization. "We are very excited about this program," said Nicole Weinstein, our co-President, and "we are hoping to make this [the program] school- wide and perhaps even district-wide."
This is a new year and a new team and MorTorq is on its way to another successful year. Countdown to L.A. Regionals Competition on March 25th, 2010: 181 days.
Jason Kahn, Shoshana Young and Nicole Weinstein were in charge of promoting our club at Freshmen Orientation. Their presentation was a success, and they were able to stimulate over fifty freshmen's interest in Robotics. The popularity of the program is soaring with all opened spots filled even before Club Week sign-ups. Interestingly enough, many of these new recruits are girls, nearly balancing the gender make-up of MorTorq to about a fifty-fifty boy to girl ratio.
In addition to the expansion of the team, MorTorq accepted a generous donation from the Regional Occupational Program to finance the program. Our team is also looking for new sponsors and new means of fundraising.
Facilities are also expanding with the Woodshop now available as a new workspace for the building team. Mentors like Mike Gordon and Roy McKee have returned to assist us in training workshops.
The team is also taking a new direction with its charity program. This year, we are building a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Organization, a program that provides charity housing for families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer or other serious illnesses and who do not live within the proximity of a children's hospital. Our job is to collect the pop-tops of soda cans for recycling, cash them in, and give all the profits to the organization. "We are very excited about this program," said Nicole Weinstein, our co-President, and "we are hoping to make this [the program] school- wide and perhaps even district-wide."
This is a new year and a new team and MorTorq is on its way to another successful year. Countdown to L.A. Regionals Competition on March 25th, 2010: 181 days.
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