Promoting FIRST

Our team works to promote FIRST in our community by attending various local events such as the annual Norwegian Syttende Mai Parade. In the 2011 parade our Logomotion robot won the award for best motorized entry.

Additionally, we have displayed our robot at the Greenwood Elementary science fair. Not only does this spread knowledge of FIRST in our community, it also encourages elementary-age students to pursue interests in science and engineering.

Other FRC Teams

One of the central ideas of FIRST is that experienced teams should help rookie teams. Viking Robotics fully embraces this ideal and we have helped several local rookie teams, most recently from Nathan Hale High School and Ingraham High School. We invite rookie teams to attend one of our meetings where we show them our robots and introduce them to the various aspects of FIRST. If you are a member of a rookie team in the Seattle area and would like us to assist you, you can contact our team coach at cdnielsen@seattleschools.org.

Mentoring FLL Teams

Viking Robotics is involved with several local First Lego League teams. First Lego League, or FLL, is the FIRST competition for ages 9-14 and involves completing a set of challenges using Lego robotics kits. Recently, we have worked with FLL teams from Salmon Bay School, St. Alphonsus Parish School, and John Hay Elementary. Typically we send 1-3 student mentors to these schools twice a week for 3-hour sessions. Our mentors teach them the basics of programming and how to function as a design team. Ultimately, it is an exchange of learning and our mentors benefit from it as well.

Hosting an FLL Regional

On Saturday December 3rd we hosted an FLL regional at Ballard High School. Our entire team worked from 7AM to 5PM setting up, selling concessions, assisting the judges, resetting the playing fields, and cleaning up. Not only did we run the FLL competition but we also gave the younger kids a chance to drive our robot and encouraged them to stay involved in FIRST programs after they move on from elementary and middle school. The event was a huge success and a great experience for all the FLL teams involved.

Media Appearances

• My Ballard article on our upcoming Seattle regional.
• My Northwest article on a radio interview with our team about women in STEM.
• Seattle Times photos of the FLL regional we hosted at BHS.
• King 5 report on the FLL scrimmage at Coe Elementary.
• Q13 Fox segment featuring our team.
• Ballard News Tribune Article on our 2011 robot.
• My Ballard article on the 2011 competition.
• Ballard News Tribune article on the 2010 competition.
• KIRO Radio report on Viking Robotics (2010).
• My Ballard article on Viking Robotics (2009).
• King 5 Report on FIRST Robotics.
• Ballard News Tribune article on Viking Robotics (2009).