Chairman's Award ­ Team 3211 Print Close 2016 ­ Team 3211

Team Number 3211 Team Name, Corporate/University Sponsors NRCN / Perrigo / The Yeruham Miami partnership / The Jewish federations of north america / Rashi foundation / Ministry of science / Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee / Automation Yeruham / OPC / Perion / Cimatron / Gazit­Globe / Brand industries / The Yeruham Municipality / Matnas Yeruham / Rotem Industries Ltd. / Ben Gurion University department of mechanical engineering / The Jusidman Center for Science Oriented Youth in Ben­ Gurion University & The Yeurham science center & Ort Sapir Yeruham & Belevav Shalem & Kama & IAF Technological College, Be'er Sheva Briefly describe the impact of the FIRST program on team participants with special emphasis on the 2015/2016 year and the preceding two to five years The team changes the lives of team members, it improves their leadership skills, and self­confidence. Team members become proud of their place: from being the "poor Yeruham kids" from the middle of nowhere ­ to being proud Yeruham ambassadors ­ loving the town and taking responsibilities over their community. Team members graduate from the team with a feeling of capability, knowing they can achieve any goal they wish.

Describe the impact of the FIRST program on your community with special emphasis on the 2015/2016 year and the preceding two to five years Yeruham, a low socioeconomic peripheral town was known to be a in the middle of the no­where in desert ­this started to change with the opening of The Y Team. 6 years later, Yeruham is known all over Israel as a Robotics Empire. The team made Yeruham famous with its worldwide achievements in science and technology. Changing the reputation of Yeruham to an education beacon in STEM. Furthermore, the team is now working with the Bedouin Arab tribe near Yeruham and bringing the robotic word to them. Team's innovative or creative method to spread the FIRST message

The Y team is a beacon for visits in Yeruham, with over 300 a year, most of whom are parliament members and ministers, 2 presidents, CEO's, mayors and groups with interest in STEM who come to learn about the team. During the last 5 years the estimation is over 30K visitors. The team gave a talk at TEDx, sharing their magic recipe for robotics education. The team has wide coverage in the Israeli media and worldwide ­ with original mediums such as at the International Bible contest on national TV.

Describe examples of how your team members act as role models and inspire other FIRST team members to emulate

After seeing FTC at the world championship, the team wanted to import it to Israel, realizing it can help struggling communities join the thrill of STEM. The team piloted the 1st Israeli FTC team winning a district event in Illinois, proving FTC can work in Israel leading to opening 16 teams this year! The team's BIMBA, a unique vehicle for disabled kids started in 2013.Today,over 78 units are spread in Israel, inspiring numerous teams to start technological innovative projects for the community

Describe the team's initiatives to help start or form other FRC teams

Many underprivileged populations such as girls and Arabs miss the opportunity to join the STEM world.We are here to provide them just that.The team,against all paradigms has founded2all girls teams:Ladies FIRST#4319and Athena#5747,mentoring them and making sure they have a positive experience. The team is also the managing coordinator for all 11Negev region FRCteams of them 8rookie teams,each team has a Y member assigned as their official contact for everything they need­visiting them every week

Describe the team's initiatives to help start or form other FIRST teams (including Jr.FLL, FLL, & FTC) The team founded the "16YEARS ROBOTICS PROGRAM" of Yeruham,and now40%of Yeruham kids experience and learn robotics starting at the age of 4and up to20in over 79 teams.In 2013,the program was adopted to be the leading educational program for robotic studies by the Israeli parliament and now runs in dozens of municipalities across the country. One example is the Arava region:an isolated region in Israeli desert where the team founded and mentored a robotics program, with over 12teams and growing. Describe the team's initiatives on assisting other FIRST teams (including Jr.FLL, FLL, FTC, & FRC) with progressing through the FIRST program The team is known throughout Israel for assisting anyone in need.The team has been running the quick­build at the kickoff for 4 years, helping rookies get a smooth start. Locally, the team founded and mentors all 79 robotics teams. The team runs annual FLL,Jr.FLL and ROBOSTAR competitions for the last 5 years. The team also runs the annual "OPEN ROBOTICS ACADEMY" at BGU, teaching over 100 FLL & Jr.FLL mentors, and gives FRC lectures, aimed at providing the best tools to run successful teams. Describe how your team works with other FIRST teams to serve as mentors to younger or less experienced FIRST teams (includes Jr.FLL, FLL, FTC, & FRC teams) The team's mentoring method works in a youth movement form,encouraging MENTORISEM©in all teams.Students from the FRC mentor FTC teams who mentor FLL teams who mentor Jr.FLL teams.This comes to a whole self­ mentoring system of all79robotics teams.The team not only mentors the technical aspect,but encourages the young teams to be involved in the community and to shape it as much as it has influenced them.A key to a good team is a good mentor,and there is no better mentor than an experienced one Describe your Corporate/University Sponsors Technical sponsors include the NNRC's engineers who volunteer in the team year round, Yeruham Automation who provide fabrication and design tips when needed and CIMATRON who provide CAD software. Financial sponsors include the Rashi Found., Government ministries, the Miami Found, OPC and more Team suppliers include Brand industries and Truper. The BGU Mechanical Engineering Faculty works with the team and helps to arrange and run seminars the team wishes to provide for the FIRST community. Describe the strength of your partnership with your sponsors with special emphasis on the 2015/2016 year and the preceding two to five years

Sponsorship is a relationship, they help the team and the team assists them. NRCN volunteers won the "volunteer of the year" award for their work with the team, and the Y mentors lectured at their annual awards ceremony. Seeing the team's use of Yeruham Automation donated parts made other FRC teams purchase numerous items from them, increasing revenue. Sponsors attend multiple team events during the year where they witness how their involvement is helping team members.

Describe how your team would explain what FIRST is to someone who has never heard of it

First is a groundbreaking program that promotes the innovative idea of combining technology, sports and tons of fun. It's FIRST that makes intelligent and complex robots look like child's play. It's FIRST that pushes students to new limits, working and learning day and night. It's First to achieve the one vision every teacher dreams of: students learning STEM with fire in the eyes. Briefly describe other matters of interest to the FIRST judges, if any

The Y team alone can't change the world, in fact no one can, but the team will try to change one person's life at a time. We feel that to make the team's work revolutionary it needs the kind of exposure that comes with international recognition and helps reaching other teams. We take role models from certain teams, and aspire to be a role model ourselves. Winning the Chairman's Award will help the team promote its values, but have no doubt­we will never stop working for the values we believe in

Team Captain/Student Representative that has double­checked this submission. Nir Hemo

Essay

We are The Y Team#3211 from Yeruham,Israel.Our goal is to prove that everyone who wants,can join the STEM world. The team is built from all high schools in Yeruham,religious and secular.Yeruham is ranked 4out of10,at the bottom of the socioeconomic ranking in Israel,with over30%of families treated by welfare and an unemployment rate of14%. The team consists of 25team members,and is accepting anyone who wishes to join it.This unique approach helps the team recruit students who would otherwise never take part in STEM.

Expanding STEM­ED in Yeruham&Israel:"THE16YEARS ROBOTICS PROGRAM" The team founded the 16YEARS ROBOTICS PROGRAM,in which kids start learning robotics at the age of 4:studying,building and competing in robotics competitions all the way up to high school.Yeruham has 79robotics teams in this program,who compete in Jr.FLL,ROBOSTAR,FLL,FTC and FRC.The program works as a youth movement; older teams mentor younger teams.An enormous total of42%of the kids in Yeruham are members of a team,which is over40%the Israeli average!At 2015,"robotics" afterschool activities had a higher registration rate than soccer and theater groups combined! In 2013 the team presented the program to the Israeli parliament,where former minister of science,Mr.Peri said "Our plan is to take the successful Yeruham model and copy it to other locations".Since then dozens of municipalities visited the team and learned how to start the program,and it was successfully implanted in over 15 of them. The biggest struggle of STEM Education in Israel is the lack of experienced mentors. That is why the team founded the "Robotics Open Academy".The team cooperates with BGU,teaching hundreds of robotics mentors in a 3 day course.The key to a good team is a good mentor,and there is no better mentor than a professional and enthusiastic one.The seminar is now an annual event,and provides courses for FRC, FLL,Jr.FLL and ROBOSTAR team leaders and mentors.During the last 2 years,over 200 people became successful mentors thanks to that event. Innovative ways of improving quality of life: The BIMBA project started in 2012,with a goal to help kids with motoric and vision disabilities to gain space orientation skills.After modifying a toy car and donating it to a kindergarten in Beersheba, the team expanded the project moderately,growing to 14 cars made during 2013/14. At 2015 the team drastically widened the project and contacted a new branch of "Go Baby Go" in Israel.The team guided the physiotherapist of the NPO and passed on the knowledge required to create a modified BIMBA,while cooperating in transforming 78BIMBA's in one year! From making one BIMBA at a time,the production transformed into BIMBA­Marathons;producing 10 cars at a time,all custom fit for each child.The team recently started cooperating with team #3316 in the BIMBA Project,involving them in the marathons.The joyful look on the kids and their parent's faces when they first use a BIMBA is worth all the effort the team puts into this wonderful project.

Another community whose life improved using STEM is our neighbor tribe of RACHME,from the Bedouin Arab diaspora surrounding Yeruham.In 2015 the team contacted the tribe's leaders and showed them the value of STEM and robotics as a tool to promote them,offering to hold an activity for the younger kids.Since then team members come every Friday to teach the kids robotics:building and programming Lego models. At the end of the school year the team ran a big robotics festival for RACHME kids and parents,showing what the kids have been learning and how they joined the STEM world. The language gap and cultural differences are not easy but the team managed to overcome them and as of today the RACHME program is a huge success­running strong for the second year,with more excited kids every week.

Empowering the FIRST community: The team realized that FTC can be a great solution for schools in Israel who cannot afford to participate in FRC,and decided to do all it can to bring the program to Israel. The best way to do that was starting a new FTC team in Israel that would compete in official events,and demonstrate the Israeli FIRST community how awesome FTC is. After watching the 2014­15 FTC kickoff with Highland Park teams,the team started working on the robot with their help as a mature FTC powerhouse.3 months later,a group of team members flew to Illinois to compete at a district event ­ where they remarkably won the event against all odds,recieving 2 more awards. Following the team's successful pilot,FIRST Israel decided to bring FTC to Israel,and now the program is running with 16 teams in Israel and a championship event! The Y Team mentors the new FTC team in the town­"TwisT" #6,an all­girl team. But not only good robots came from this cooperation­Yeruham and Highland Park became Sister Cities thanks to this robotics connection,and are now cooperating in education,arts and more. As of 2015 the Y team founded 2 all girl FRC teams and mentors 4 different FRC teams.The team focuses on opening teams from communities which aren't usually exposed to the wonders of STEM.In 2012 the team founded team #4319 Ladies FIRST,and mentored them for 3 years,until they became self­reliant.Following that,the team founded another girl­only team,Athena #5747.

Essay ­ page 2 The team currently mentors FRC teams #5273,#6049,#6104 and #6149.Each team is assigned with a team member,who visits them weekly­keeping track of their work during the season and providing them with any help they need. The team knows how hard being a rookie is,and has a way of making their season easier.The team invites rookie teams to participate as it simulates a build season in a few hours using one of the past FRC games,providing teams a brief experience of the troubles of a build season.For the last 4 years, all 8 new teams in the region passed that simulation. The team founded the Negev Coalition of FRC,and led the region to an astounding 11 teams this year,opposed to only 3 teams 5 years ago,all working in a graciously professional manner,enriching each other for the common benefit of the entire region.

Increasing STEM awareness: Trying to spread FIRST's message the team has attempted many original ways.One example is the fact the team holds over 300 visits a year ­ over 30,000 people each year,of whom some are very special VIPs,such as former president Shimon Peres and current president Rubi Rivlin,parliament members and ministers,CEOs and mayors:all interested in the combination of STEM and robotics in Yeruham:the opportunity to change lives using robotics. The team has also given a TED talk,explaining the success of robotics and STEM teaching,inspiring people to be involved. The team runs science festivals in Yeruham,BGU,SCE College and more,with thousands of participants. But the direct contact is not enough.The team appeared dozens of times on national and international TV,Radio talk shows and newspaper articles,and was even chosen to ask a question on the International Bible Contest.

Empowering team members&Yeruham: In the team's effort of joining the STEM world,they developed a unique start­up:a fully autonomous agricultural robot for commercial use in greenhouses.The team received an exciting financial opportunity to develop the product for the Sdot Negev R&D center,who contacted the team thanks to past achievements in the field of robotics. The robot is using a "personal" approach,where each plant is analyzed using image recognition,allowing it to water and fertilize each plant individually in order to yield high quality and amounts of crops.The project was fully managed and developed by team members,giving them a true experience of the engineering world."If you asked me 5years ago what will I be when I grow up"shared team captain Avihu"I'd say a football player.But after4years in the team and this start­up that I took part of­I dream of becoming an engineer" The robot had to be built in industrial quality,be demonstrated in front of a board and eventually was authorized for further development after a series of successful trials.This experience gave team members a profound look at what being an engineer is about:finding exciting solutions to real world problems. The team is blessed with 6volunteering engineers from the NRCN,who come to the workshop to share their experience,educating the new generation of Y Team members on their path to adulthood.The team couldn't be more grateful for their hard work and dedication. Since the day of its inception,the team has considered improving the town's reputation as one of its main goals.For the average Israeli,Yeruham is immediately associated with images of desert,periphery and unemployment.In recent years,Yeruham is growing into a beacon of innovation and success in technological development and education.Team members feel proud to be Yeruham residents and receive positive feedback everywhere they go. A major role in that effort is improving Yeruham's education from within,mostly with the "16YEARS ROBOTICS PROGRAM".The team also helped starting a new Makers Lab in Yeruham,assisting with curriculums,equipment and educational materials,exposing brand new communities to the wonders of STEM. After being raised in a STEM greenhouse,the amount of alumni pursuing STEM is out of the books.75%of team alumni end up mentoring a robotics team,demonstrating the team's vision of being a role model.80%of the team's alumni are involved in STEM,11times more than their fellow classmates.

Colin Powell once said "There are no secrets to success.It is the result of preparation,hard work,and learning from failure"and The Y Team is an example of that.Learning from the failures of its first season­ranking second to last as a rookie and growing to the anchor it is today,with many awards on national and international levels,while mentoring dozens of robotics teams.The Y Team keeps going forward­improving every year and helping the FIRST community in Israel to reach the sky.

2016 ­ Team 3211

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