I can still recall my excitement and delight as a 7-year-old when I first saw an EV3 robot at a birthday party; I was captivated, and my parents succumbed to my childish demands of getting a toy. From then to now, almost 9 years, I haven’t looked back. At 9, I was officially a FIRST padawan. While on the surface, robotics sounds purely technical /engineering, FIRST is more than robots. It is innovation, problem-solving, leadership, advocacy, outreach, connect, enablement of others, and more. FIRST has taught me how to compete hard yet be considerate and cooperative. Lead to mentor, give back, and serve the community.
It was through FIRST that I was exposed to the realities of the world, and the opportunity to develop advanced STEM skills was limited to a few selected groups. Opportunity disparities are glaring. It is the harsh truth – parents’ education level, economic condition, geographic location, child’s family status, lack of access to expertise in suburban or rural areas, gender biases, or simply awareness. And the disparity is HUGE!
While I am very proud of the professional-level problem-solving, innovation, technical, leadership, management, and communication skills I have developed due to the FIRST programs, I am most proud of my Outreach and Advocacy efforts with the hopeful thought that I can make a difference in someone else's skill level or enrich the way one starts thinking or simply by inspiring them to STEM skills/STEM Careers. And I hope to retain this skill for a lifetime. Thanks to the FIRST program that helped develop this in me. I learned what I learned because I believe in FIRST values and take up leadership roles in my team and the community, serving as Captain-Project Manager, Programming Lead, and Outreach-Connect Lead for seven years of FIRST.
My Technical Skills development through FIRST
To list a few of my technical skills, I can claim as one of the best FTC programmer in the world with expertise in all areas in programming in the 5 years of FTC. I can wake up in sleep and can point finger at the exact issue, may it be Custom Tensor Flow Object model creation and detection using Machine Learning Tool or April Tag detection and location based navigation using Java/Android Studio or being an ardent proponent of reusable programs and methods or using sensor, encoder and exception management programs to achieve precision and accuracy. And using GitHub for version management. I am confident the level of skills I have acquired through the FIRST program is career ready. As I started FTC, I started building drive trains and putting together the robot while programming so I am an expert in drivetrains, electronics as the control/driver hubs software, version upgrades. I even designed and built innovative intakes this (23-24) and last season (22-23). This learning is only possible being passionately engaged in the FIRST Tech Challenge program for five years and due to my mentors, who are STEM industry professionals and volunteer their precious time with us to enrich us not just with technical skills but also professional skills as engineering design process, presentation, schedule and time management and more.
My transition to being an official FIRST Youth Mentor
Through my FIRST journey I reached out to several industry mentors and each one had to contribute a piece of what I learned through the journey. I am a product of all my coaches guidance and mentoring through the FIRST program. I was one of the lucky ones to have access to able mentors and coaches. I wanted to pay forward, contribute in any way I can, so I an now an official FIRST Youth Mentor for my team Steel Synergy and FTC teams Ursa Majors, Ursa Minors and Hornet Squad. Even before I was an official mentor I mentored over four FTC teams and half a dozen FLL teams. I am hopeful that I am as valuable to FTC teams and FLL teams I either mentored or mentor as my mentors were to me. I have had the privilege of connection with mentors or industry professional from Broadcom, Skyworks, Salesforce, Oracle, Silicon Labs, Honeywell, Freescale, Intel, ARM. Meta, Journeyman Constructions, Austin Water Authority, Charles Schwab, and many more.
FIRST’s value of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition has ingrained the idea in me while you compete you still can cooperate. so now, while I am vested in my team wins I am also vested in enabling other youth like me as they get started.
FIRST Advocacy
As a member of Student Association for STEM Advocacy, I had the opportunity to learn about advocacy and advocated at the US Capitol, Washington DC for Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title IV-A and CHIPS Act at the offices of Senators Ted Cruz, and Congressmen Llyod Dogette and Michael McCaul. As one of the key presenters , my pitch very specifically included the underserved population who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. I was able to share my experiences of how I was able to raise a small amount to help a elementary school, O’Shea’ Keller Elementary, in El Paso TX to be able to participate in FLL competition.
Official FIRST Youth Mentor to other FTC teams
The more joy I experienced in helping and enabling teams, I chose to and initiated lead and executed several outreaches and have reached and inspired over 5000 youth to FIRST (robotics) in-person, onboarded over 7 rookie mentors to FTC and programming, helped start an all girls FTC team that has now grown to two teams and about twenty four members at an all all girls school in Austin TX, I am an official FIRST Youth Mentor four FTC teams currently the Ursa Majors, Ursa Minors, Hornet Squad and Steel Synergy and mentored four additional teams in the past Short Circuits, PhiRho Maniacs, Philobots and Dream Machines. I have personally mentored over 34 FTC rookies to be strong contributing members of a team. I will continue mentoring more and more teams. I was one of firsts in the world to sign up to pilot the FIRST Machine Learning (ML) Tool and I love it. So I created a short, crisp video lesson that posted on YouTube Video that has reached over 10,000 people globally.
April 2021-Current- Upon research when I learned that a leading all-girls STEM school in Austin could have a robotics team, I reached out to STEM teachers at Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Austin ISD and persuaded to start an all-girls High School Robotics FTC team. The school hired a robotics teacher, who is kind and upon request gladly offered me to support her in getting an all-girls robotics team Ursa Majors started and mentor them since. This year the number of girls enrolled in the program increased exponentially from about 11 to 24 and two teams Ursa Majors and Ursa Minors. And I continue to mentor them.
Working with the Ann Richards FTC Team Ursa Majors
STEM Girl Day 2023 at UT Austin: Initiated, planned and executed demo and hands-on drive activity to inspire over 2000 girls/youth to FIRST/robotics on Feb 1st 2023. This generated a lot of interest and certainly added to rookie teams to the FLL program.
FIRST and Beyond
FIRST has enriched my skills, exposed me to the understanding of professionalism and opened my eyes to the disparities in the society. The joy I get out to success for others is inexplicable and I plan to continue in the path of enabling and enriching those who need the most. Hence I founded STEM Stride, a registered 501c3 nonprofit STEM Stride to enable more low-income youth to Robotics and STEM.
I persuaded a few industry professionals and with their support I started STEM Stride (https://stemstride.org/) so together we can have a greater impact and help balance some of the disparities. In the four months of its operation, I have been able to plan over four activities to reach and youth to FIRST/STEM including STEM Girl Day 2024 at UT Austin where over 11,000 youth will flow in from across TX, the STEAM Day at Cedar Creek Elementary with over 200 fifth graders, Spring Break 2024 FLL Camp at the Wille Mae Kirk Library in Austin to teach FLL Programming skills in the economically disadvantaged community and those that lack access to STEM enrichment program as FLL. I plan to start three FLL teams after the Spring Break Camp. And a Robots and More Outreach at Willie Mae. And proud to say we are partners with these organizations. I raised fund to close some of the funds challenges these organizations have by funding an EV3 Prime robot and parts for teams.
How FIRST influenced my college major choice
Since young I have aspired to be a neuro surgeon for which I assumed I will be majoring in Biology to get to medical school. After being in FIRST and the exciting world of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, I now aspire to be an innovative neuro surgeon that will find newer and better ways to solve neurological problems by innovating newer surgical instruments that would use robotics/ML and AI. So now my undergrad major will be Biomedical Engineering, and then Med School.
My Portfolio of FIRST Outreach since I was 9.
In addition here are some key outreaches that engaged youth in the community, educators, and industry professionals
Highlights of the outreaches Initiated, planned and executed during my time in the FIRST program.
Westlake Wonderfest organized by the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Dec 2022 to host a booth with over 2000+ flow to inspire young lids, youth and adults to FIRST. My interactions with young kids and their curiosity, desire to drive the bot and the excitement on their faces was heart-warming to watch.
Served as a Panelist on the Greater Austin STEM Network Forum on Dec 8th 2022 to share my experiences with FIRST and perspectives on engaging youth to STEM with STEM educators and Industry Professionals. Pre event I event hosted a demo and drive outreach for the participants that had a lot of questions.
2022-2023 Served as referee for robot game and judged robot and project presentations at FLL Scrimmage hosted at Trinity Episcopal School, Austin TX for 4 FLL teams with over 36 students.
2022-2023 – Executed All- Girls outreach at Westlake Robotics twice with over 80+ girls engaging them in hands-on activities and robotics.
2022-23 – Assisted the organizer, coach Strubhar at the FIRST Lego League (FLL) Qualifier at Ann Richards where 28 FLL teams and over 160 youth participated in competitions.
2022-current – Initiated communication with founder and leadership of Fundibots, Uganda and continue to work with them to enable economically disadvantaged and underserved youth to STEM. This year I raised and donated $1000 to support their cause and mentor youth from underserved communities and persuading to start an FTC team. I will be excited the day they start their first FIRST team. While $1000 can help them start an FLL team.
Fundraising for others to participate or start FIRST teams
Fundibots
2021-2022 – Raised funds for Shea O’ Keller Elementary from El Paso TX to be able to participate in robotics competition. While what I raised selling concessions was low there was generous donor who took all the details and their need to $700+ was covered. I am thankful for their kindness and glad we, my team and I were able to pitch on Shea O’ Keller Elementary’s behalf.
Austin Public Library – Wille Mae Kirk – Spike Prime Kit for Spring Break camp.
2021-2022 – Mentored FTC team Short Circuits 21432.
2022-2023 – Mentoring FTC team Hornets Squad 24021 and onboarding rookie mentors to FTC
2022-2023 – Westkale Robotics – Open house and tryouts
2020-2021: Presented at the Austin AI & Robotics STEM professionals meet up group.
Throughout my seven years in the FIRST program connected with over 70 STEM professionals from companies such as Broadcom, NXP, Apple, Silicon Labs, Oracle, Arm, Skyworks, nCorium, Salesforce, Adobe, Honeywell, Home Depot, UT Professors, Entrepreneurs etc.
Held several outreaches – Laura Bush Library, Westbank Library, Shiksha
2021- Current: Cedar Creek Elementary: Initiated and executed outreach at annual STEAM Day inspiring elementary students to FIRST/Robotics and STEM for the last two years. Planned and scheduled one in Mar 2024
I have conducted several FLL Connect Outreach as young as 9 year old.
As a 7th grader in FTC team Dream Machines mentoring an all girls FLL team
Conducting 4 hours hands-on programming workshop for 4 FLL teams as a 7th grader
Meeting with STEM professionals at Laura Bush Library
Awards
As the captain led my teams to win the INSPIRE Award 3rd, CONNECT Award and 4th Alliance Captain to qualify directly to Regionals Centerstage regionals and (2023-2024)
Top 20 in the world at the Global Innovation Award (2020-2021).
THINK 2 and Design Award (Qualifiers and Semi Qualifiers) and 4th Alliance Captain with mostly rookie teams.(2022-2023)
Honored and delighted to meet with FIRST founder, engineer and inventor Mr. Dean Kamen as Dean’s List Finalist 2022-2023 event, Houston.
