Robot Kits & Game Field Teams Accomplishments

Rocky Mtn and Front Range BEST Hub volunteers have accomplished what felt like an impossible task. 

• Finishing touches on up to 25 Consumable and Returnable Robot Kits for this year's schools, 6 Game Field quadrants - 4 for Front Range BEST PLUS the 2 quadrants for September 14 Kickoff. The final 2 quadrants to be completed by 26 October Practice Day
• Challenges were many: our growing school participation; reusing returned consumable items including many hundreds of washers, nuts and screws; pursuing opportunities to reduce our kit and game field costs; late, changing drawings; complex field build; and a bulky build requiring creative storage solutions.
• The Kit Team started in January with weekly preparation sessions, and then went above and beyond helping Field team to complete many of the smaller and slightly less complex builds, and the game field scoring components needed for both hub's seasons.
• Kit Expenditure saving achieved: Our 2024 Consumable Kit Budget was over $4400. We saved almost $800 with the help of Mike Pollmiller at Superior Metal and received a generous $400 donation by The Foresters thanks to a request by Cathy Auman.
• Awesome Dedication by our Volunteers: Shannon Ragland, John Pituch, Phil Hardy, Andrew Hardy, Dave Porter, Lois Walton, John Walton, Lori Lazuk, Patty Gaspar, Judith Schlesinger, Carl Gaspar, JoAnne Fry, Mike King, and Carolyn Bauer. 

FUNDRAISING

It takes a lot of funds to cover our costs to have a free competition at both the local level and the Regional Championship level. Here are MORE ways you can help from home.

• GRANTS: Know a company or foundation that might want to hear about how they can help provide our inspiring STEM program free to schools?  Enjoy writing or have experience writing proposals or grant requests? Please contact Carolyn.Bauer@bestinc.org to learn more.

The Colorado Science Conference for Professional Development is a one-day conference that provides professional development regarding science content, education strategy, and research.

• RM BEST will attend the Conference on Friday, October 25 at the CSU-Spur center near National Western in Denver.
• The theme for the event is “Advancing Inquiry.”
• We hope to see old friends and make new friends with the teachers from around the state.
• At the booth, we will recruit new teachers by sharing teacher guidelines, BEST information, and drive the Outreach robot through the venue!
• If you know any science teachers, have them stop by the RM BEST booth!