Who is team ####?

[NOV8R]

The members of FIRST Robotics Team 1583 are different than members of other teams. Coming from all over the state of Colorado, they made poor choices, engaged in delinquent behavior, broke the law and were arrested. Seeing the potential in these youth to change their behavior, the courts in Colorado committed these youth to Ridge View Academy. A Colorado Department of Youth Corrections program operated by Rite of Passage, Ridge View Academy is a highly structured and closely supervised residency program located in Watkins, Colorado.

When these young men became students at Ridge View they were challenged to do many things they would have not thought possible before. One of these things is FIRST robotics.

Ridge View began its association with FIRST robotics in 2004 when Roger Allott, a prosecutor who believed in justice and helping troubled youth, saw in FIRST a program that could help his cause. He saw that FIRST programs build not only science and technology skills and interest but also foster well rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership.

Since its rookie year in 2005, members of team 1583 have lived up to Roger’s expectations and then some. Engineering mentor Chuck Brant won the regional Woodie Flowers award in 2006. The team was a member of the Colorado regional winning alliance in 2007. In 2010 the team won the regional Chairman’s award and the Judges award at the FIRST Championship in Atlanta.