Our Community

Tulip Planting

One thing that we do for the community every year is help with planting tulip bulbs in the fall for Tulip Time that comes around every May. The mentors, parents, and students go downtown to help plant the bulbs. Everyone has a lot of fun and we are proud to be able to help our community. When we go back to the tulip beds during the festival and see the beautiful flowers blooming, everyone is filled with pride. For a couple years, we've had our FTC students join us and were glad to have them join us this year again.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20150223/NEWS/150229568

Two Students Planting Alex and Ronan Planting Tulip Bulbs Layout Planting Group Bulbs

Tulip Time's Big Parade

For many years we have had a float in the Holland, Michigan Tulip Time Big Band Parade. With the float, we are able to spread the word of FIRST to hundreds of television viewers and thousands of local visitors. For several years, we have involved all of our students from all four groups of FIRST; FLL Jr. , FLL, FTC, and FRC. Over the years we have been able to meet several different politicians and share FIRST with them.

Sutdents Riding Float Youngster on Float Parade Crew

Wings of Mercy

We volunteer to work at a wonderful event called Wings of Mercy. All of the profits made go to fund flights for patients who need to be transfered to medical centers that are a great distance away. The students served food from the pancake breakfast fund raiser and cleaned up afterwards. The students were also able to talk with members of the organization and take rides in the aircraft. We also show our robot at this event. We look forward to helping out every year.

http://www.wingsofmercy.org/

Students Serving at Mercy Pilots Dining Tables

BPW Recycle Day

For several years we have teamed up with the Holland Board of Public Works to help with their Recycle Day events. The community is available to come to deposit their old and broken electronics to be recycled appropriately instead of ending up in the landfill. The team helps unload cars and sort the items into the appropriate containers. We also have our robots set up to bring info about FIRST to people who may not know about it.

Student at Recycle Day Unloading Busy Alex

Stuff The Bus

We help every year with an event called "Stuff the Bus". Students go to a Spartan market and stand outside and collect canned goods, essentials, and sometimes cash donations. As the donations are collected, we put the products onto a school bus. At the end of the event, the bus takes the products to the Community Action House, where we help to off-load.

Stuff for the Bus Loading the Bus Bus

North Holland Carnival Night

The team volunteered SW Carnival Night. Students ran all of the games and displayed the drone. We had the robot set up in the hall and turned it in to a game, having the kids roll a ball to the bot and catch the ball once it was launched.

Nate with Kids Pat with Kids Putting it in the Can

Guest Speaker Covered Bridge Reconstruction

In November 2018, we had a guest speaker, a restoration engineer, who talked with us about a project she is working on. A couple years ago someone set fire to a historic covered bridge in Belding, Mi. She explained to us how she took the measurements from the past bridge to figure out the new measurements. They used Legos to build a model and were trying find the best source of material to use to rebuild for strength and cost. She will let us know in the future about how things progress. This guest speaker's visit helped open the idea to our students that there are different types of jobs that involve engineering than your typical jobs.

County Engineer Bridge Drawing Putting it in the Can

Bus Road-E-O

Our team was invited to join our school's transportation department end of the year festivities, Bus Rodeo. The students were able to share with our current bus drivers what FIRST is and their personal experiences. The experience was a positive one, full of fun, and respect to our department staff.

Road-e-o Pics Road-E-O Pics 2

BPW Tours

Our team went to the new BPW Power Plant in Holland Michigan and were given a tour. Mr. Koster showed us all of the different stations of operation. Not only does the plant support the community with energy but it also operates the unique system that heats the sidewalks of downtown Holland. It keeps the snow melted and sidewalks and streets clear of ice all winter long. After the tour, the group was able to go to the education center and interact with displays that educate further in energy use. The tour has given our students a better understanding and the time helped us bond with our sponsor.

Students on Tour Seth at Display Cooling Tower Boiler Plant

Stryker Tour

A summer project for our team was taking a tour of Stryker in Kalamazoo, Mi. It was a great way to see how new technology techniques are being combined with existing medical devices. It was a great experience for our students and helped to expand their knowledge base in engineering.

Tour Video

Request Foods Picnic

Our team volunteered to work at a local food company's company picnic here in Holland, Mi. The team worked in the parking lot and kept the trash cleared. We also had an area where the team had the robot set up and could share FIRST with the employees.

Pat Talking Directing the Parking Picnic Crew

Space Museum

Last year in Alabama, we were lucky enough to tour the Space Museum. It was a great experience for the whole team.

Saturn Rocket Student at Display Student at ISS Students at Display Lunar Lander

Shop N Dine

In December 2018 we held our second vendor/craft show which had many different aspects to it. We had many vendors come and set up their booths for customers to enjoy while wandering around. We also had dinner, silent auction, raffles, and a gift wrapping station which was all WOBOT student/mentor run. We also had a robot hall which featured every legacy robot over the past 15 years. Each robot had a music stand with the years scrapbook next to it which would let viewers know what the game was and what the team did during that year. The students ran a couple of the most current robots and let children interact with the robots. Everyone had a great time and we are greatful for everyone who came.

Serving Playing ball with the Bot Bot in the Hall Bot to Bot Lunar Lander

FIRST CREE Lightbulbs

The team participated in distributing FIRST LED light bulbs to people in the community who have Holland BPW as their energy supplier. As well as distributing we took the opportunity to set up a booth at many of our events which had examples of three types of light bulbs in identical lamps. The lamps had energy monitors attached to show the visitors how much energy they can save by changing to a more energy efficient light bulb. The students where fascinated by the information and were enthusiastic to share this with people.

Unloading the Truck Bulb Display Picnic Crew

Purple Power

Purple Power is a funding program through Van Andel, providing support for finding the cure to a range of cancers. With Purple Power, some members from the team go to the basketball game (which is the biggest event for Purple Power), and shoot WOBOT t-shirts from our team's t-shirt cannon.

Unloading the Truck