Imagine, if you will, a 13 year old girl’s dream to design and build a robot that could compete on a world class level. It was this dream that drove the creation of the FIRST Tech Challenge Team 3477, Geeks in Just Their Underpants. After a serendipitous visit to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Championship, our team captain, Hampton Zobrist, returned home to Lewisburg, WV determined to one day compete at this event.
Upon returning home, a number of local youth were recruited and our FIRST Robotics team was launched. The last three competition seasons have been full of learning experiences and a growth in the team’s appreciation of and dedication to pursuing careers in the engineering field. This year, our team goal was achieved as we were one of three teams, out of 70 Virginia teams, to earn a coveted spot at the 2012 FIRST World Championship.
We need your help! While competing at this level is an honor, it isn’t cheap. We are a community team and we have to raise every dollar we spend. In order for our team to be able to attend the World Championship, we need to raise $6,500. This money will cover our entry fee, lodging, food and transportation. If we are unable to raise the money by April 15, we won’t be able to compete.