Aldernating Current Applies For $15,000 in Grants

In the last month, Lead Mentor and 4-H Head Clover Alan Walker PE applied for two grants: $4100 from FIRST Washington (formerly called Washington FIRST Robotics), and $5000 from The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound.  This week Pat Cusack, Career Tech Education Director of Shelton School District, is applying for a $6000 i-Grant from the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to benefit robotics at Shelton High School.

The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound awarded Aldernating Current $5000 the last two years. Their support helped attract $10,000 from the Career Technical Education department at Shelton School District last year.  These funds were primarily used to buy robot parts and tools.

OSPI awarded Aldernating Current $5670 last year and $4900 the year before. Funds help pay the FIRST entry fee.

FIRST Washington awarded Aldernating Current $2000 last year and recruited a $500 donation from F5 Networks.

Last year Green Diamond Resource Company awarded Aldernating Current a $2000 two-year grant.

See the Sponsors webpage for more information on our wonderful sponsors. 

Shelton High Robotics Club Meets Monday & Thursday 2:30pm in Weld Shop (Building 800) Starting Sept.8th

The Robotics Club of Shelton High School will hold its initial meeting of the year on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 2:30pm in the Weld Shop in Building 800.  Returning students will show new students videos and explain what all the excitement is about.  The club has opportunities for students with skills in business marketing, photography/video, programming, design, and construction.  For fall the Robotics Club will meet Mondays and Thursdays 2:30pm-5:00pm in the Weld Shop (Building 800) at Shelton High.

CLIMBER DAY: Technology Club at Shelton High August 29

“We are a technology club” says Aldernating Current marketing mentor A.Estrada.  That phrase summed up the two robots on display and the photography and video display he created with student help.  At Climber Day, 300 sophomores arrived in the morning, picked up their class schedules, and got a tour of the high school.  The tours stopped in the Student Union Building (S.U.B.) where a dozen clubs displayed their activities.  Our two robots and media display impressed the new sophomores.  Over half of the new signups expressed an interest in “Photography and Video”.  Others showed interest in Design, Construction, Programming, and Marketing.  Thank you Jaeden for updating our Robotics Sign Up form. 

The sophomores also stopped by the mini-dome for a quick introduction to the student clubs.  Shelton High Robotics Club President Kiery spoke briefly.  “We have two competitions a year and we need people not only to build, but also for business management, design, marketing, programming, and photography and video.”

Hunter, Jaeden, and Kiery spoke to students and let visitors drive both “Gingko”, a small sideways sliding mecanum wheel wonder, and “Ironwood”, last year’s 120 lbs. competition robot.  Students designed and built these robots last year.  Coach Wright, as well as volunteers A.Estrada, A.Hospador, and A.Walker attended and supported the students.

Afterwards the club moved all the tools and robot parts from the robot cage in the auto shop to the weld shop.  Shelton High is constructing a 12' x 12' robot closest for the robotics team in the weld shop. This will be large enough for the team to set up a 10' x 10' robotics pit identical to the one the students will use at competitions.  This is the very first time the team will have a lockable area large enough for a full pit.  The advantage is that all pit crew members will already know the location of everything prior to arriving at a competition.