[Jay H 237]

When I graduated high school in 1995 I still kept in touch with one of the tech ed teachers there. In the early summer of 1998 (June?) he mentioned he was going to start a team at the school to compete in the 1999 season and if I had any interest in helping the team and get it off the ground. Hence I became one of Team 237's original founding members. 237's first meeting was in Sept 1998 shortly after the school year started, I think something like 30 students turned up and a dozen parents along with others like me who had some type of specialty background to help the team and mentor. I think the new team met once a week until build started, we did lose a few people but still had 22 students or so once build was underway. Little did we know what we were getting into designing a robot to pick up floppies and tow the puck around.

I am one of the few that have been with 237 since the beginning. there were 2 years my involvement was very limited due to work and other outside commitments but have always been part of the team and even made a few meetings during those years. In late 1999 I got a job at a robotics company (injection molding) due to being involved with FIRST. I am still there today.

Jason Hartmann,

Team 237, Sie-H2O-Bots (Black Magic 1999, Sun Seekers 2000, Tribe 2001-2011, and back to Black Magic again, 2012)