Robotics Team Encourages Kids to Dream FIRST

When Kaylee Adams took a tour of Farmington High School upon moving to town, the guidance counselor assured her she could get hooked into the robotics program.

‘Great,’ she thought, ‘I’ll be new and I’ll be a geek.’

But despite the supposed stigma, Adams, now a senior and the FHS Second Law Enforcers’ director of community outreach, is not a stereotypical geek. Instead of poring over programming or donning goggles to wrench on a motor, she’s writing presentations and press releases, approaching corporations to forge relationships and possible sponsorships and hosting fundraising events. Pretty professional stuff.

The team, 178, does have students programming the robot, connecting wiring and wrenching on the frame. The breadth of skills across the team mirrors that of a small company.

And sometimes the students are teachers, too. A huge part of the team’s activities, and what sets the Enforcers apart, is Dream FIRST, a UTC Otis Elevator-sponsored program created by the students to reach younger kids.

Students describe Dream First as a science literacy program designed to spark an interest in science, math and engineering among young children. It has made the Farmington High School students not just robot-builders, but authors, designers, advocates and instructors.

Dream FIRST began with an idea and a book, Adams said. The book, “Meet Gizmo: The Start of a Journey” was published in 2006 and centers on the adventures of Gizmo the robot and his two human friends who together pursue an understanding of science and technology. The team is working on publishing its second and third books soon.

Students bring Gizmo’s story to the many Dream FIRST demonstrations they give throughout the year – at HeadStart programs, the Children’s Museum, at competitions, the Unionville Festival and Monday night from 5 to 8 p.m. at a science fair at Lake Garda Elementary School in Burlington.

At the demonstrations, a child is welcome to drive the team’s robot, participate in science experiments and learn about simple machines. The Enforcers adapt their presentation and activities a participant’s age. Depending on the size of the event, they'll sometimes bring puzzles, Gizmo coloring pages and let the kids get robot driver's licenses. The program has reached over 4,000 children in the United States, Canada and Jordan, Adams said.

Dream FIRST has certainly gotten the team some attention and won them Engineering Inspiration Awards – for advancing the appreciation of engineering within their school and community – during several years.

But just because it gives the team a competitive edge, the Enforcers aren’t keeping the program to themselves.

“We’d like other teams to embrace Dream FIRST,” Adams said. “We’ll share it with them and if they want to do it, we’ll mentor them.”

FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is the organization that offers FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST LEGO League, Junior FIRST Lego League, and FIRST Tech Challenge competitions.

For more information visit the Second Law Enforcers’ website.