robofest
Team 1701 has been honored to have the oppurtunity to serve inner-city Detroit through Lawrence Technlogical University's Robofest program.
"Robofest is a festival of competitions and events with autonomous robots that encourages student to have fun while learning principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Computer Science. Students design, construct, and program the robots. Any robotics kits are allowed in the construction of robots."
Every school week for the last five years, the Robotics seniors teach, mentor, and coach 17 Lego Robotics teams consisting of approximately 80 students at four inner-city Detroit Middle Schools. Taking place in some of the poorest areas of Detroit, this program has introduced these students to a world of technology and a love of STEM. The Robocubs provide all funding for this program including laptops, programming software, robot kits, competition entry fees, t-shirts, and miscellaneous costs. Throughout their season, students build exhibition prototype robots with practical applications. This service and recruiting initiative culminates in a Robofest competition hosted by the Robocubs at U of D Jesuit High School. At the competition, underclassmen serve as everything from registration guides to judges, while the seniors coach their respective teams. All registration fees and robot parts are also paid for by Team 1701.
The winning teams at this event move onto the state competition at Lawrence Technological University. Our primary objective is to instill middle school students with the values of innovation, ambition, and gracious professionalism while inspiring a passion for STEM, especially robotics. Many of the students continue into FIRST robotics at their respective high schools.
PLEDGE DETROIT
Each year. U of D Jesuit students collect money for student activities and go out on a weekday for service. On this day of service, students are bussed out to numerous Detroit locations and help in their beatification and maintenance. Such locations include iconic Detroit landmarks like Belle Isle, Chandler Park, Palmer Park, and Historic Fort Wayne. The Pledge Detroit Campaign is a continual reaffirmation of our school and team commitment to Detroit. In 2019, we re-introduced the walk-a-thon where we walked from our school (8400 S Cambridge Ave) to Southfield Road and back. The total walk was ten miles.
Focus: Hope
One Saturday a month, U of D Jesuit students partner with Academy of the Sacred Heart to volunteer at the Focus: HOPE food bank. There, they package boxes of donated food for needy families living in an inner-city apartment building. Following the packing, students deliver the boxes. During freshman and junior years, each Robocub must participate in at least one of these events.Families who are eligible for the Focus: HOPE food program also qualify for the Focus: HOPE holiday initiative. In 2018, U of D Jesuit adopted 43 families by providing them with food and Christmas Gifts. Team 1701 adopted one of these families as well. Additionally, our school partnered with the Detroit Pistons and Andre Drummond, who donated Honey Baked Hams to each of our families. This project emphasizes our belief that everyone regardless of race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status deserves the same opportunities, especially the opportunity to feel the joy and warmth of the holiday season.
Guys Giving Back
