[Bruce Newendorp]

Congratulations to Mr. Kenton Swartley, founder and leader of FIRST team 525. Kenton is the physics teacher at Cedar Falls High School. He heard about FRC in 1999 and showed his students a videotape about it. Kenton challenged the students to raise the entry fee. They succeeded and team 332 was formed. They competed in Orlando that year. In 2000, the team did not find enough donations to continue and therefore did not compete. In 2001, the team found enough funding to continue and was given a new number - 525. Kenton has been outstanding in encouraging students to participate and lead the team throughout the year from summer outreach, fall meetings and build season to the regional and championship events. The students always wanted to name the team after him and he resisted. He told them if there was an appropriate acronym, he would agree. Immediately one of the students came up with Students Working Around Robotics Technology and the team officially became the Swartdogs.
Unfortunately Kenton injured his back less than a week before the Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional and was forced to miss what would have been his 20th FRC event in 12 years. I suspect the pain of missing the event was nearly as much as the pain in his back.
I was honored to be able to accept the award for him at the 10,000 Lakes Regional. The students are anxious to celebrate and present the award to him this week.