Welcome to the 2017 February
Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter  
You may click any of these links to jump to a specific section. 
How to help inspire youth for a lifetime with BEST Robotics in 2017!
Exciting Denver Regional Championship news in our 8th Year of Hosting a Free Colorado Robotics Competition
FUN ways to help raise funds to  bring BEST robotics at no cost to schools
Schools
2017 BEST Robotics Game - Crossfire
Save the dates for our Fall Events
       

2017 EVENT
Date and Location
Teacher / Mentor Institutetwo-day teacher/ mentor training provided jointly with Front Range BEST and Pikes Peak BEST Hubs.        
Thursday - Friday 20-21 July

Metro State University of Denver

Kickoff - Start of Competition: Game revealed + student, teacher, and mentor training + protobot demo.
Saturday
9 September

Location to be announced

Practice Day - End of Week 5: Time for student teams to practice with their robot on 4 quadrant game field.
Saturday 
14 October

Location to be announced
Game Day - End of Week 6: Student teams compete for awards on 4 quadrant game field.
Saturday 
21 October
Auraria Event Center

We'd love to have you volunteer at our fall events. Please add these dates to your calendar and we'll be sending you more information in future emails.

2017 SCHOOLS 
We are again raising funds for 28 Schools to be able to participate in 2017

We are thrilled to be able to again host schools from the Denver metro area and around Colorado. We are now signing up teachers and mentors and have room for 13 more schools. Please ask any interested schools to contact Jose Lopez at  [email protected]  

Rocky Mtn BEST Signed Up School
School District
Abraham Lincoln High School Denver
Aurora Frontier P-8 Aurora
Aurora Quest Aurora
Columbine Middle School Montrose
DSST Byers Denver
Gateway High School Aurora
Innovation Center of the St. Vrain Valley Schools St. Vrain Valley
Mrachek MS Aurora
New Vista High School Boulder Valley
North Middle School Aurora
Ralston Valley High School Jeffco
Skyline High School St. Vrain Valley
Thomas Jefferson High School Denver
West Middle School Cherry Creek
Wheat Ridge High School Jeffco

2017 CROSSFIRE Game Hints

 The full details of the 2017 CROSSFIRE game will be revealed to student teams at our September Kickoff. Until then, hints are available to 2017 students. First, a 68 second Game Teaser Video is available by clicking the box below.
2017 BEST CROSSFIRE GAME VIDEO TEASER

Weekly bESTology web postings are now available. bESTology is the study of Engineering, Science and Technology.  Students are encouraged to become
bESTologists!  

Weekly activities developed by Friends of BEST in Alabama are unveiled each Sunday at 5 PM MT. Each post 
contains HINTS for the CROSSFIRE game. In addition, bESTology teaches the science, engineering and technology that will enhance the learning experience for the 2017 BEST game. 
Regional
Denver BEST Regional Championship Awarded

BEST Championship
Hurrah!  In 2017, qualifying Colorado school teams from the 5 Colorado BEST Hubs will no longer have to travel out-of-state to compete in a BEST Regional Championship.

We will be working closely with our Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) partner to hold the inaugural Denver BEST Regional Championship in 2017 and look forward to getting you involved.

Stay tuned for more information about the 2017 Denver BEST Regional Championship to be held at the MSU Denver at the Auraria Event Center.  


Outreach
"DREAM BIG Eads" STEM Outreach Event Coming... 

"Dream Big Eads" is coming to Eads High School on Thursday, April 27.  Eads is 115 miles east of Pueblo. Organizers are expecting approximately 250 students (grades 7 - 12) from Eads and surrounding areas to participate.

Aerospace will be a significant focus of this STEM Outreach Event, but it will also include cyber and robotic activities. RM BEST plans to participate, look for more information in our March newsletter! 

Fundraiser  
MAKE A DIFFERENCE and INSPIRE A YOUTH 
SUNDAY 9 April FUNDRAISER - BOOSTING BEST

Join in the FUN at BOOSTING BEST - SUNDAY 9 APRIL

Click Here to Register Now to join us in giving our Rocky Mountain BEST Hub and the Front Range BEST Hub a financial BOOST to provide a FREE robotics competition to local schools in 2017! It will be a fun evening with delicious hors d'oeuvres, an extensive silent auction with many  bargains, a wine tasting, and a cooking demonstration with tasting  by Chef Greg Boynton.
2016 Boosting Students

We are planning to have DSST Byers and   STEM Academy students demonstrating their team robots!

Bring your friends and family to let them get a taste of BEST - the fun, the food AND the savings! 

Event is at BAC Appliance Center from 5:30-8:30 PM Sunday 9 April. Casual Attire.
BAC Logo Event Fee: $35 ($15 Tax Deductible) in advance or at the door. Included in the fee is a $5 coupon to apply to a silent auction purchase.

Your participation at this fundraiser is critical to help us provide to the student teams their robotics electronics and parts, awards, student lunches, and all the activities to host our 2017 competition.
How to Help Make BOOSTING BEST  Successful

Donations:   If you have items you'd like to donate for auction or know of a business that might be willing to underwrite or contribute, please contact Lois Walton at  [email protected] . Also contact Lois if you know of a company we can recognize for  underwriting our fundraising event for $500. 


Volunteers: We need set-up helpers between 3 and 5:30 PM, registration helpers between 5 and 6 PM, and check out helpers for an hour or two between 7 and 9 PM on Sunday, 9 April at BAC Appliance Center. Click here to VOLUNTEER  Contact Linda King at [email protected] for more information about Boosting BEST volunteering.
At Boosting BEST, you may also purchase a $10 King Soopers gift card for $10 and continue to add money to your gift card before you use it to buy groceries or gas. King Soopers will donate 5% of EVERY gift card purchase -- including refills -- to Rocky Mountain BEST... all at no cost to you -- FOREVER! Everyone needs groceries and gas. Why not let 5% of the money you are already spending benefit Rocky Mountain BEST? It's really easy.

Discount
Have Fun at Elitch Gardens AND Support Rocky Mountain BEST
Tell your friends!  Spread the word!!  Help us obtain a donation to support our efforts to bring a robotics competition that is FREE to schools AND enjoy Elitch Gardens at a great discount!!
 
Discounts for Rocky Mountain BEST
One Day Admission only $25.99 in May, September, & October
One Day Admission only $29.99 in June, July, & August
(Regular main gate price is $49.99)
Season Passes only $69.99 through June 11th
 
You make your plans, click on the link below to get your ticket(s), and we have a win-win for you and Rocky Mountain BEST. 
 
Purchase, Print, and Play:
Thanks
NY Deli News Thanks to Constant Contact and New York Deli News !
Constant Contact® through their Cares4Kids™ program is helping us save hundreds of dollars in 2017. This program assists community-based non-profit organizations that help children build the fundamental skills they need to succeed in their communities and in life. Cares4Kids™ is Constant Contact's charitable program that helps customers "give back" to their local communities. Through Cares4Kids, Constant Contact customers can share the success they've found using Constant Contact's email marketing and online survey product with their favorite children's charities-in the form of a free account! New York Deli News as a Constant Contact customer nominated Rocky Mountain BEST for a free account. 
We are very grateful for their support.
 
More
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
Benevity -
 If your company has gift matching through Benevity, Rocky Mountain BEST is one of the eligible non-profit organizations. Please check with your company about gift matching!

Kroger Gift Card - If you have a Rocky Mountain BEST King Soopers Gift Card, Kroger donates 5% of EVERY gift card purchase -- including card refills -- to Rocky Mountain BEST... all at no cost to you -- FOREVER!   Contact Lois Walton at  [email protected]   to make arrangements to purchase a card or come to Boosting BEST to pick one up. 
Amazon Smile -
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Rocky Mountain BEST whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
 

Donations - You can also 
donate ANYTIME

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