FIRST Interactive Rural SupporT

[Rich Kressly]

It is with great pride that we update you on our national, and now world-wide efforts to strengthen and grow FIRST Robotics in rural and distant settings. It is difficult to believe the FIRST Interactive Rural SupporT was launched less than four months ago at http://www.cybersonics.org/cybersonics/rural/index.htm

In that short time frame much has happened. Because of the amount of requests for information we have received, we've added a "downloads" section to the site to expedite the sharing of information which will be added to in the weeks ahead. The list of teams that are providing and receiving help through the network is also growing. For a few team members of 103, FIRST Interactive Rural Support has become large enough that the initiative is the bulk of what they do for Cybersonics.

As of 12/9/02 the following teams have joined the support network and have pledged to strengthen FIRST in rural settings along with us:

Team 6: The Cog Squad, Plymouth, MN
Team 84: Wattness, Bradford County, PA
Team 134: Team Discovery's Spartechs, Pembroke, NH
Team 222: The Tigertrons, Tunkhannock, PA
Team 365: MOE, Wilmington, DE
Team 393: Full Metal Jackets, Morristown, IN
Team 433: The Firebirds, Flourtown, PA
Team 476: Adidarons, Ponco City, OK
Team 834: FRED, Center Valley, PA

There is no doubt this network has helped eachother as well as reaching out to other teams in need. We've heard some great stories from network members including the "saving" of two Oklahoma teams. Because of the growing popularity of this mentoring effort, Cybersonics Technology Team 103 now has relationships with and lends active support in many areas (including fundraising, team organization, manufacturing, and software use) to the following FIRST teams:

Team 35: Team Sigma Squared,Whitehall, MI
Team 433: The Firebirds, Flourtown, PA
Team 476: Adidarons, Ponco City, OK
Team 834: FRED, Center Valley, PA
Team 1029: Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Miami Lakes, FL
Team 1156: Pio XII High School, Novo Hamburgo, RS Brazil
Team 1191:Keystone Oaks High School, Pittsburgh, PA
Team 1202:Forest Hills High School, Sidman, PA

We at Team 103 are very excited about helping and supporting all of our old and new friends through the rural support initiative and we can't wait to meet our friends from Brazil at the J&J Mid-Atlantic Regional in April. Our team members have come to learn that lending a hand to others while taking our own organization forward are equally valuable endeavors.

To everyone who has helped in any way we say THANK YOU. Because of your generosity we are that much closer to attaining to goals set forth in the rural support mission statement.

If you know of a team who can help, who needs help, or both, send them our way. Giving back to a program we all have gained so much from is both very important and rewarding as it helps to ensure brighter futures for everyone.

http://www.cybersonics.org/cybersonics/rural/index.htm