Senator's Robotics' Team

[Redhead Jokes]

2002 Senator Bowen was so impressed by a press release regarding our team, her office called to ask if she could visit. Her visit brought a lot of attention to our team. We used the team picture with the senator in our fundraising packets.

Our school's awesome ROTC puts on a huge event every year, hosted by Raytheon, who gives the ROTC team $25,000 towards the event. (Raytheon sponsors our robotics team).

Fifty high schools send 1200 cadets from their best JROTC drill and color guard teams to compete for the prestigious title of West Coast National Champion. "Tent City" set up by the military to house 500 out-of-town cadets. In addition to the drill competition, attractions include the USCG Presidential Honor Guard, a parachute dive by the Navy Leap Frogs, an Anti-Terrorism Team rappelling demonstration and nine of our nation's finest military helicopters in action.

Our school ROTC has won so much they graciously don't compete, only put on the event.

The Colonel makes room for our robotics team to exhibit. This year they gave us a plum area - a corner by the entrance, 2 tables, tv/vcr to have a tape running about FIRST, and asked we drive the robot all over inside the big exhibition tent, and outside the exhibition tent (wish we could, robot wasn't working - looking forward to next year when we'll have 2 working robots).

Senator Bowen showed up, "I didn't know you guys would be here!" Then she told other people, "This is my robotics' team!" creating more interest in our team (we'd already passed out 200 invitations to the public to attend LA Regional). Our female TIG welder asked the senator, "Are you coming to the LA Regional?" She said she's going to try. (Her office has called me 2xs to get specifics so I suspect she'll be there). Marygrace asked the senator, "You going to root for us?" Senator said Hell Yeh!