THE PROPOSAL PACKET FIRST FRC TEAM 5950 THE TROJANS 100 Trojan Circle Dry Fork, VA 24549
TUNSTALL HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM 5950 THE TROJANS FIRST FRC Team 5950 The Trojans is from Tunstall High School. Now in our third season, we have had tremendous success as part of the international organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). We have had very competitive robots each year and qualified for the District Championship in 2017. We work hard yearround to learn and practice a full range of skills. We also work to instruct and inspire younger students to study and enjoy STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. We love to share our enthusiasm for robotics with everyone, including you. We hope you can assist us in continuing to pursue our goals through financial sponsorship, in-kind donations, and/or volunteer mentorship. We invite you to learn more about us and our activities. Here is just a sampling of what we experience during the year which we see as four distinct seasons. This list is by no means exhaustive and most of our activities take place after school, during the evening, or on the weekend. Build Season (January February really, just 6-½ weeks!) Attend the virtual international kick-off where FIRST reveals the new robot challenge. Carefully read the game rules/robot requirements and begin designing almost immediately. Fabricate the parts we can in-house and buy or commission the rest to our specifications. Write computer code to control the robot autonomously and manually. Build the prototype and competition robots and then begin testing. Draft, produce and practice our Chairman s presentation. Competition Season (March April) Competitions take us out of school, so time management skills are key. The robot goes into the playing field where it competes with and against other robots. Parts break and fall off, so we must react on the fly and under pressure. New and smaller teams sometimes need help. We scout around the pits and help where we can. Summer Season (May August) Attend the National Advocacy Conference in Washington D.C. to advocate for STEM funding. Start fundraising, develop new fundraisers and marketing materials, and write grants. Compete in off-season competitions to network with other teams. Conduct demonstrations and host robot camps to promote STEM and FIRST. Recruiting Season (September December) Support FTC team at Tunstall Middle School. Train new team members to prepare for the build and competition seasons. Continue fundraising, marketing, and grant writing. 1
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FIRST TEAM 5950 - THE TROJANS 2017-2018 SPONSORSHIP LEVELS Bronze Level ($250 - $499) We graciously accept all donations, but have created rewards at certain levels. Team button Silver Level ($500 - $999) Business name or logo or team t-shirts* Team button Gold Level ($1000 - $2499) Business name on display in competition pits Large business name or logo or team t-shirts* Team button & t-shirt Platinum Level ($2500 +) Business name or logo on robot Custom robot demo in the local area at a venue of your choice Large business name on display in competition pits Large business name or logo or team t-shirts* Team button & t-shirt The Tunstall Robotics Boosters always look for ways to support the businesses that support us. Let us know if you have a Facebook, Twitter or other social media account we can use to thank you. The Trojans are sponsored by Tunstall High School and Pittsylvania County Public Schools. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Tunstall Robotics Boosters are a non-profit organization EIN 81-2833589. *We reserve the flexibility to choose which, based on the team s t-shirt design. 3
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What Does My Donation Buy? Our budget varies from year to year, largely based on which regional competitions we attend and whether we qualify to attend the World Championships in Detroit, Michigan. Like most organizations, we cut our programs when our funding falls short. We rely on corporate sponsorships, grants, fundraisers and private donations to fund as much of the expenses as possible. Team members parents pay the balance and additional costs. Below is the tentative budget for the 2017-2018 year: Regular Season Registrations Costs 2 District & 2 Champs $14,000 Robot Material Costs $5,000 Off-season Competition Registration (RITR) 1 or 2 Events $500 Competition Transportation Includes bus to Detroit, MI and other competitions $10,000 Competition Hotel In-season 2 @ $1,500 $3,000 Host Off-season Event at Tunstall High School $8,000 National Advocacy Conference Registration Fees 5 @ $250 $1,250 Outreach and Educational Materials for Elementary and Middle School Students $500 Team Spirit (e.g. Banners, uniforms, t-shirts, buttons, posters, etc.) $1,000 Business Expenses (e.g. Printing, postage, insurance, bank fees, etc.) $500 Safety Materials $300 End of Year Banquet $150 Projected Total Budget $44,200 If you or your company prefers to specifically include or exclude certain kinds of expenses in your donation, just let us know. Our sponsors are always welcome to visit us in person to see what we do and how we do it. We always say, You won t get it til you see it. Come watch us in action at our build site or one of our competitions. In 2018, we will attend competitions in Richmond, Virginia and Blacksburg, Virginia. We are happy to provide you with a personalized guided tour. 5
THE BIG ASK We would like to tell people that robotics is the only high school team where every player can turn pro. The skills and learning that go on in robotics extend well beyond the STEM disciplines into nearly every area of academic endeavor. Our students have had a 100% graduation rate, a 100% college acceptance rate, and our students regularly earn significant college scholarships. They are gracious professionals who work well under pressure, have team and leadership skills, and are well-spoken advocates for their own education and for STEM. Many of them return to the team after graduation 50% of our mentors last season were graduates or parents of graduates. While competing in FIRST is an honor and life changing experience, we receive no funding from the Pittsylvania County Public Schools. By committing to our team, you can: Support STEM learning and educational excellence year-round in our community; Associate your brand with a winning team of top-notch student leaders; See your company s name on promotional items at FIRST robotics competitions; Connect with great intern prospects and the next generation of high-value employees; Participate in significant, engaging volunteer and mentoring opportunities; and Encourage student civic engagement in volunteer and outreach activities that extend worldwide. Please contact us to ask any questions, schedule a tour or discuss in-kind donation opportunities. Additional team information is also available on our website (www.team5950.org) and major social media outlets. CHECKS CAN BE MAILED TO: Tunstall Robotics Booster Club 248 Haymes Road Axton, VA 24054 (276) 403-6068 president.trbc@gmail.com Please include: Company name, company contact, company contact email address, and phone number. FIRST FRC Team 5950 100 Trojan Circle Dry Fork, VA 24549 president.trbc@gmail.com www.team5950.org Facebook.com/team5950 6