About Team #675, Technology High School, and F.I.R.S.T.

Technology High School, located on the campus of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California, is a small school that specializes in engineering, sciences, and mathematics. Technology High School is a public high school that attracts students from Sonoma and Marin counties. With a capacity of 240 students in 9th through 12th grades, the curriculum is designed to be project-based, as well as cross-curricular; which fosters teamwork, requires creation of products, and makes a connection between school, work, and the real world. In April of 2009, Technology High School received California™s Distinguished School Award for the second time in four years; and in the same year, was named by the US News and World Report as "One of the Best High Schools in America"ť.

Tech High is recognized for its F.I.R.S.T.® Robotics Team #675. The F.I.R.S.T.® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Program is a character-building, career-inspiring, exciting, and fun experience. Working together as a team with mentors, students gain practical knowledge in writing and implementing a business plan, manufacturing, programming, digital media, fundraising, web design, public speaking and many other life skills as they compete with over 40,000 other high school students at 45 regional events worldwide.

This year is Tech High Robotics™ twelfth season in the F.I.R.S.T.® program. The process of building and competing with a robot is the mechanism that inspires the students to push themselves beyond expectations. Going above and beyond the standard is our standard is F.I.R.S.T.®™s slogan. Team #675 strives to go above and beyond in every aspect of team, school, and local communities.

Each season, F.I.R.S.T.® provides all competing teams with a specific challenge built into a game. Every team will design, fabricate, and program a robot to perform the tasks for that year’s challenge, executed within the specification that F.I.R.S.T.® sets forth. Teams have only a six week “build season” to complete and ship a fully functional robot to a regional competition.

In order to accomplish this task, as well as meet their financial needs, the team operates like a startup company. A coherent business plan guides multiple divisions to assure success. Divisions comprise both students and mentors with the divisions being: Manufacturing, Programming, CAD, Safety, and Public Relations.

As a public school, we are bound by state laws and district policies with regards to fundraising. Tech High Robotics and the Robotics Advisory Board, with the approval and support of Principal Bruce Mims, are in the midst of forming a Tech High Boosters group with 501c3 status.

In November of 2009, President Obama announced a new nationwide effort, “Education to Innovate”, to move America™s students to the top in science and math achievement over the next decade. The initiative will be supported by leading companies, universities, and organizations that will sponsor innovative programs that help scientists, engineers, and teachers to inspire young people to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Included in this program, is Time Warner Cable™s Connect a Million Minds”. In partnership with F.I.R.S.T.® Robotics and the Coalition for Science After School, Connect a Million Mindsť is a campaign to connect over one million students in highly-engaging after-school STEM activities.

Mentioning F.I.R.S.T.® Robotics numerous times in his speech, President Obama said, The key to meeting these challenges... To improving our health and well-being, to harnessing clean energy, to protecting our security, and succeeding in the global economy... Will be reaffirming and strengthening America™s role as the world™s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation. And that leadership tomorrow, depends on how we educate our students today, especially in those fields that hold the promise of producing future innovations and innovators. And that™s why education in math and science is so important.

At Technology High School, we feel we are fortunate to have our own F.I.R.S.T.® Robotics Team. The President’s campaign includes not only the efforts of the Federal Government, but a “call to action” from leading companies, foundations, nonprofits, and science and engineering societies to work with young people to excel in science and math. Tech High Robotics Team #675 is prepared to answer this call.

In addition to participating in the national F.I.R.S.T.® Robotics Competition, some of Team #675 goals are community outreach, demonstrating, and supporting other schools to foster discovery of the wonders of science and technology through F.I.R.S.T.® dubbed the “varsity sport for the mind”. We would like to encourage every school in the North Bay to begin a team:

Feel free to look around the website, and contact us if you have any questions or comments.