TechTigers In the Community
FLL New Haven Elm City Robo Fest: Nov. 11, 2017- TechTigers members volunteered at a FIRST Lego League event by scorekeeping and timekeeping as well as helping to support the game field.
UTC Family Day: Nov. 11, 2017- The TechTigers demonstrated last years robot to UTC staff members and their families. Members informed interested parents and visitors about FIRST as a program and the TechTigers as a robotics team.
Mercy High School's Open House: Nov. 5, 2017- The TechTigers demonstrated all aspects of the team to girls looking into going to Mercy. The team's robot was showcased and demonstrated in the gym, and the business and programming subgroups were showcased in both conference rooms. The business team set up the pit, awards, outreach, and artwork. The programming and technical subgroups set up a workshop tour.
Making a Gift Card Tree for Mercy's Yellow Rose Auction: October 21, 2017- TechTigers business members made a gift card tree to be auctioned off for Mercy's Yellow Rose Auction.
Electric Car Show: Sept. 16, 2017- The TechTigers set up a booth and demonstrated the robot at an electric car show at Harbor Park in Middletown. Visitors came by to engage with the robot and the deputy mayor visited us and we talked about our team and FIRST.
Main Street Stroll: Sept. 9, 2017- The TechTigers helped to run stations of activities for children and families at a public park in Middletown. At the same time, members demonstrated the robot to those passing by and allowed children to engage with the robot.
4-H Fair: Aug. 5, 2017- TechTigers members demonstrated the robot to visitors and families, and let children try out the robot themselves.
Higher Achievement Program at Mercy High School: July 14, 2017- TechTigers members demonstrated the robot and showcased aspects of the team to girls attending Mercy's Higher Achievement Program. Girls engaged with the robot and learned how the team makes buttons.
Films on Foss: June 24, 2017- The TechTigers demonstrated and engaged children and families with the robot during a movie night on Foss Hill in Middletown. Members also talked to parents, engaged with children, and handed out brochures and buttons to visitors.
Coast Guard: June 2017- TechTigers demonstrated the team robot and talked to young children about STEM along with teams 558 and 4557.
Brush Bots: The TechTigers made Brushbots with Children and demonstrated the robot. Children also engaged with the robot.
Henkel: TechTigers members helped fix appliances and repainted a house that belonged to an older woman who needed help.
Sound Tigers: On November 24, 2013 members of the TechTigers robotics team attended the Sound Tigers vs. St. John’s Ice Caps hockey game. The girls were given the opportunity to sell tickets for a reduce price for a few weeks before the game to raise money for TechTigers. While at the game, the girls sold chuck-a-pucks, with proceeds going to FRC teams attending the event. The girls also were given the opportunity to keep friendly relations with other First Robotics teams at the event, while promoting TechTigers and the TechTiger message.
Women of Innovation: On March 1, 2012 members of the TechTigers attended the Women of Innovation Award Ceremony presented by the Connecticut Technology Council at The Aqua Turf Club. The team was invited to attend because we are one of two all-female student teams in Connecticut and were able to demonstrate our efforts in robotics. The girls on the team were able to meet women who are making a difference in Connecticut.
Middnight on Main: For the last two years members of the TechTigers have spent their New Year’s Eve volunteering in Matt’s Lab at Middletown’s Middnight on Main. The girls had a great time showing kids different cool things about physics and helping them to participate in several different experiments. Children of all ages wandered through the lab watching a demonstration of our robot and learning about conservation of energy, friction, pulleys, levers, and other simple machines used in everyday life.
4-H Fair: Saturday August 4, 2012 the TechTigers attended the 4-H Fair held at the Durham Fairgrounds. Tíogar, along with two fellow robots, provided demonstrations of Rebound Rumblesm. It was fun to network and visit with friends from these two teams. We worked together to set up the playing field of a basketball hoop and ramp. All three teams were judged as one entry and the 4-H Judge awarded first place blue ribbons and colorful participant ribbons for our efforts and to display in our workshops.
Family Science Day: The Mercy TechTigers conducted an all-day demonstration of Tíogar, for the benefit of those attending the Family Science Day at the SmartLiving Center in Orange on Saturday, October 20. Families strolled through the exhibits and watched the TechTigers and the Enforcers FRC 178 from Farmington, put their robots through their paces. TechTigers engaged children and their parents in discussions about FIRST and the importance of roles for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Several mothers reported that they were engineers themselves and excited to see young women from Mercy representing what women can accomplish. In addition to the robot, TechTigers and Enforcers worked cooperatively to staff other interactive science demonstrations in the SmartLiving Center designed for children and their families to learn about “green” science and caring for the environment, as well as informational tables for CT FIRST and The Enforcers’ Dream First outreach program.
Mercy Open House: Prospective students and their parents visited the MTT Workshop on Sunday, 04 Nov 2012, as part of the Mercy High School Open House. Both robots were demonstrated for students and their parents and we look forward to welcoming interested incoming freshwomen as members on our team next year.
Women in Science and Technology: On the morning of November 2nd, the TechTigers made the four-hour bus trip to the FIRST Women in Science and Technology (WIST) Forum at FIRST Place and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Manchester, NH. We listened to the morning keynote speaker, Helen Greiner, CEO of CyPhyWorks and co-founder of iRobot, talk about her career working with robotic devices ranging from vacuum cleaners to bomb detectors. We then split up to attend sessons on engineering, biology, computer science, humanitarian engineering, environmental science and a college student panel, mathematics, planning for college, high tech, and polar science and engineering. Mrs. Betty Shanahan, Executive Director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, gave the afternoon keynote speech describing her career and the importance of having passion for what you do and the ability to achieve a work-life balance. The Afternoon Breakout Sessions focused on Engineering, Science Fiction Writing, Psychology, Biochemistry and Earth Science and concluded the forum.
Henkel – WPN and SWE Meeting: The TechTigers attended the Henkel Women’s Professional Network (WPN)-Society of Women Engineers (SWE) event on Wednesday evening. They listened to an introduction to Henkel by Mary DiLeo and the presentation by guest speaker, Audrey Brady, Director of Assembly & Flight Operations at Sikorsky Aircraft. Ms. Brady stressed the importance of finding a career that you will enjoy, finding the positive opportunities in a changing environment, learning to laugh at yourself and keeping a work-life balance. The evening ended with a tour of the adhesive labs.
Hobson & Motzer Tour: A few of the TechTigers members had the opportunity to attend a tour of Hobson & Motzer Incorporated on Thursday, June 28, 2012. Hobson & Motzer Incorporated is a precision metal stamping company located in Durham, CT, which designs and builds quality-critical tooling for medical, automotive, consumer, industrial electronics and aerospace applications. They have been in operation since 1912 and have engineered processes and designed tooling to produce high quality precision metal stampings for companies worldwide (http://www.hobsonmotzer.com). TechTigers were introduced to the company’s history and product line by team member Melanie Dworak’s grandfather, Mr. Frank Dworak. The girls then got a tour of the engineering department, production area, and quality labs. It was a great opportunity to see various stages of a product from design to final production.
CT FIRST University: Saturday, September 14th, TechTigers students and mentors participated in CT FIRST University held at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). This all-day event provided a myriad of seminars to address the needs of the various FIRST Teams. There were workshops that dealt with all aspects of a FIRST team and the TechTigers managed to attend all offerings, soaking up a wealth of information to bring back and share with our team. This experience was well attended by CT FIRST robotics teams, providing an opportunity for networking, staying in touch with old friends, and making new ones. It was a wonderful day as evidenced by the smiling faces of everyone in attendance. We would like to thank Sue Glasspiegel, Regional Director, CT FIRST, for organizing the event, CCSU’s gracious hospitality, and all the presenters who gave selflessly of their time.