Congratulations to the Skunk Works Robotics Team 1983, which won the Chairman’s Award during a FIRST Robotics Competition last weekend.
The award recognizes a team that reflects sustained excellence and impact within the FIRST community, in its own community and beyond.
Here’s a video the team posted:
Here’s more info courtesy Jaqui Evans:
Skunkworks started at Raisbeck high school, and due to some administration differences, they have separated from the school. This has been a huge obstacle for both the coaches and the kids, as they have had to essentially start from scratch at the old Beverly Park Elementary school (which apparently doesn’t even have running water), and yet the kids are working tirelessly every night to not only build a competitive robot in the FIRST league, but also outreaching to the local community by building a Highline Robotic Alliance with Rainier and Highline High Schools AND reaching out to lawmakers down in Olympia to demonstrate the importance of teaching Robotics and STEM fields to our kids.
This hard work has earned Skunkworks the very notable Chairman Award.
It has been a few years since the team has won such an award.
On top of all this the Coaches and Mentors are amazing and do not get enough recognition at all they’ve done to promote STEM and Robotics in our community and the valuable skills these kids are learning from them (Engineering, Programing, Design, Electrical, Business, Community, Graciousness, and Professionalism). The split from RAHS was hard on them all, but they did not let that drag them down, they have used this opportunity to raise to new heights.
This past week they were undefeated until the finals in Idaho, where they qualified for the FIRST Worlds Championships down in Houston AND they were awarded with Industrial Design.
The Skunks are looking forward to the PNW District in Tacoma next week!