Community Involvement // International Outreach
Miss Daisy Visits the UK
In an effort to bring the FIRST experience to students around the world Team 341 has developed partnerships with schools in Singapore, UK, South Africa, Denmark, and Canada.
In July of 2008, Team 341 joined other FIRST teams and sponsors to bring FIRST to a global audience at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire, UK. Sponsored by BAE Systems, FIRST UK, and Exscitec, the purpose of this three-day demonstration was to spark interest in FIRST among UK students, schools, and companies. The event attracted large crowds, including hundreds of children who had an opportunity to drive Miss Daisy's 2006 machine and view matches from the 2008 competition, FIRST Overdrive. In addition to many local families, there were representatives from industry, education, and the government. Our team was even visited by British Minister of Parliament Phil Willis, chairman of the Select Committee on Science and Technology.
We were invited by BAE Systems to help organize and attend the show because we are widely known for mentoring other FIRST teams and producing large-scale robot demonstrations. Pennsylvania State Representative Kate Harper, who continuously encourages the endeavors of FIRST, congratulated the team for their efforts in the UK. She has posted photographs from the airshow on her official website.
High School Robotics Team Travels to Singapore
In a warehouse, just 80 miles north of the equator and exactly halfway around the world, a wooden crate sat waiting for the arrival of its owners. In August 2006, a group of students from a robotics team in Montgomery County would travel to the City-State of Singapore to claim this freight.
Inside the crate was a student-built, 130-pound robot affectionately nicknamed Miss Daisy. This machine was the product of a partnership between Wissahickon High School and the North Montco Technical Career Center. Not only was this machine built for entry into the FIRST Robotics competition (http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/), but it was also designed as a tool for inspiring others to pursue careers in the technological fields. The machine had already proven itself on the field of play by winning at several regional competitions, and was preparing to embark on its first international journey of inspiration.