Umatilla High School’s varsity robotics team, Confidential FRC Team 4125, reached another milestone in their competition season on March 11th . At the FIRST robotics competition in Wilsonville, the team was awarded the Impact Award (formerly Chairman’s Award), the most prestigious award at FIRST. The award honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST. According to the FIRST robotics website, the Impact Award “was created to keep the central focus of FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encouraging more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders.”
This is not the first time a team from UHS has earned this award – in fact, they have earned it every year since 2013. Kyle Sipe, UHS Robotics Teacher, said, “Our team was again honored to receive this award, which shows the continued hard work of our students and also shows that students new to the robotics team understand our strong traditions.”
UHS Senior Kaidan serves as the Senior Project Manager of Confidential 4125 and said that of the 28 teams at the competition last weekend, 14 of them were in the running for the Impact Award. The criteria include a speech and multiple essays by three team members about the entire robotics program at Umatilla School District and its contribution to STEAM education. The Impact Award automatically qualifies Confidential 4125 for the District Championships in early April at Eastern Washington University. Kaidan said he is happy about this since this is his senior year and he can compete with the team for several more weeks.
The team will compete in Yakima this weekend.
