Fondy Fire FRC Team 2194

About Fondy Fire Robotics

Like many other FIRST robotics teams, Fondy Fire does not represent a single school. We are a group of people, a true team, hailing from three counties in southeast Wisconsin. Student team members currently attend Lomira High School, St. Mary's Springs Academy, Fond du Lac High School, Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Oakfield High School and Mayville High School. Several home school students are on the team as well. Some students travel a significant distance to demonstrate their commitment to science and technology. We unite for the same cause: a love of innovation, technology, and science.

"The Fondy Fire Robotic Team's vision is to promote science and technology to high school students and to our community. Through the use of side-by-side learning from mentors from the community, students are introduced to the world of science and technology. Our team participates in FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) events. In addition to promoting Innovation and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, FIRST also promotes its trademark ethos of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition. Fondy Fire emphasizes these values to its team members and to our community."

Mission

The Fondy Fire Robotics Team was established for the following purposes:

To change the culture of our community so that science and technology is celebrated, and that young people are inspired to pursue careers in science and technology
To inspire students to explore, experience and appreciate technology, math, science and engineering through hands-on participation in team activities
To prepare students for leadership roles through shared decision making within our team
To promote the ideals of FIRST in all that we do
To increase community and state awareness of engineering education opportunities
To promote teamwork and communication skills
To introduce students to positive role models and inspire them to become positive role models themselves

Our team quickly realized how important it is to get younger students interested in STEM education, and started the Fondy Heat Junior Robotics Program to give elementary and middle school students the opportunity to learn about robotics. Fondy Fire has purchased several Vex Robotics kits and distributed them to local schools. In January 2011, Fondy Heat hosted their first official Vex Robotics tournament for middle school students.

Fondy Fire is also proud to be assisting in the start up a new FIRST Lego League team in Fond du Lac, as well as a new FIRST FTC team, the RoboHackerz, Team 4605.

In order to encourage further involvement in science and technology, along with Fondy Heat, we continue to provide hands-on workshops and demonstrations to organizations such as scout packs, local service clubs such as Rotary Club, school events and the Fond du Lac Children's Museum. If you or your organization is interested in a science-related hands-on activity please contact us! We love to promote the vision that FIRST embraces!

Our robotics team, along with all of the Fondy Heat Junior Robotics teams, enjoy demonstrating our robots at events throughout Fond du Lac County as well as the greater Wisconsin region. We have participated in events throughout Wisconsin as well as in Illinois including Walleye Weekend in Fond du Lac, Oktoberfest in Appleton, Summerfest in Milwaukee, the Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-In in Oshkosh, and On The Waterfront in Rockford. We hope our demonstrations and presentations will encourage young people to become interested in science and engineering, as well as to encourage new members to join us or simply act on their interests.

Our History

Fondy Fire Robotics Team 2194 was the brainchild of the McEathron family. Looking to promote the interest that her children had in science and technology-related topic, Lori McEathron attended the 2006 FIRST Midwest Regional and were immediately caught up in the excitement that is embedded in these events. Their son Carter was soon actively engaged in all that is FIRST! After much exploration the McEathron family was able to secure both a home for this up-and-coming team at Moraine Park Technical College in the Integrated Manufacturing Center (IMC) as well as funding through NASA. But the story isn't over, for a team also needs members! Advertisements were placed in local newspapers and school districts were contacted. Science teachers within local schools were asked to promote this unique team adventure within their classes, and mentors were secured from a variety of neighborhood businesses and industries. When students and mentors were asked to meet the day of the 2007 kick-off event, no one expected that this fledgling team would so quickly win over the hearts of many in the greater Fond du Lac area. These students soon presented a strong positive presence to younger students within schools, and mentors could not contain their excitement! For the first build season for this young team had started! Little did these students and mentors know at that time that Fondy Fire would grow to be the team it is today! Moraine Park Technical College continues to provide much needed resources for this unique team, and students from all school districts are welcomed into this group of future leaders.

Fondy Fire takes pride in mentoring rookie FRC teams each year. We continue to rely on N.E.W. Apple Corps Robotics located in Appleton, Wisconsin for their exceptional guidance and advice. We consider the team members from Team 93, N.E.W. Apple Corps Robotics our friends and we look forward to spending time with them at competitions.