Fondy Heat is the local robotics team for younger students. Visit their websites HERE .

We are very active in spreading the message of the need for and excitement of robotics and engineering as a career choice for students. We do presentations for schools, youth groups, clubs and organizations and companies. Contact us if you are interested in a visit.

We are currently putting this section together. Please check back again soon.

2011 Awards:
Midwest Regional (Chicago, IL):
Competition Quaterfinalist with teams 1091 and 2358
Gracious Professionalism Award

2010 Awards:
Wisconsin Regional (Milwaukee, WI):
Competition Semifinalist with teams 537 and 93
Mentored Team 3381 – Rookie All-Star
Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional (Minneapolis, MN):
Competition Semifinalist with teams 2169 and 2989
Imagery Award
Mentored Team 3276 – Rookie Inspiration Award

2009 Awards:
Wisconsin Regional (Milwaukee, WI):
Regional Champions with teams 2039 and 1625
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Entrepreneurship Award
Mentored Team 2826 – Rookie All-Star

2008 Awards:
Wisconsin Regional (Milwaukee, WI):
Competition Quarterfinalist with teams 930 and 2545
Imagery Award
Runner-Up Safety Award (Safety FIRST)
Web Site Excellence Award
FIRST Website Excellence Award
Mentored Team 2437 – Rookie All-Star
Minnesota Regional (Minneapolis, MN):
Competition Semifinalist with teams 877 and 2220
Imagery Award
Runner-Up Safety Award

2007 Awards:
World Championship (Atlanta, GA):
Highest Seeded Rookie Award (Newton Division, 7-0 Qualifying Record, Rank 1st)
Rookie Inspiration Award
Wisconsin Regional Competion (Milwaukee, WI):
Regional Champions with teams 537 and 2169
Imagery Award
Safety Award (2nd place)
Indiana Robotics Invitational (Indianapolis, IN):
Rookie Team Award
Mentor Team – Team 93, NEW Apple Corps

Please complete the following form to become a sponsor or to request more information.

1.  Learn BUSINESS and JOB SKILLS – time management, leadership and public speaking
2. Positively impact your COMMUNITY
3. Expand science and math KNOWLEDGE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
4.  Real life ROBOTS – hands on learning
5. Mentorships with real ENGINEERS
6. Inspires TEAMWORK
7. Develops a sense of RESPONSIBILITY
8. Learn BRAINSTORMING and PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
9. Inspires students to choose MATH and SCIENCE CAREERS
10. Builds individual CHARACTER – encourages students to step out of their comfort zones
11. Builds SELF-CONFIDENCE
12. GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM is taught and modeled
13.  Be a part of something important – SET GOALS and achieve them
14. College SCHOLARSHIPS
15. Model importance of MATH, SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
16. SAFE PLACE for after-school
17. Students learn new and useful ENGINEERING and LIFE SKILLS
18. Connection with major corporations – INTERNSHIPS
19. Stimulates LOCAL BUSINESSES to support your program
20. MEET PEOPLE important in the world of FIRST
21. Have FUN
22. COMPETE in “High School sports like” regional competitions – in math, science and technology
23. Build SCHOOL SPIRIT
24. INTERACT WITH PEOPLE of all ages from K-12 students to corporate CEOs
25. Teaches INTERPERSONAL SKILLS – how to get along with others
26. BUILDS on students existing skills
27. Models ENGINEERING

Much of the information you may be looking for can be found on our FAQ page.

As one of 2,720 (2014) FRC ( First Robotics Competition teams) having 68,000 students, we participate in their competitions.

Follow this link to the Wisconsin First site for information on other state teams. Follow this link for more information on the FIRST organisation and the games.

We have students from all the Fond du Lac High schools as well as those in the surrounding area and home schooled students.

We meet in Room B104 at the Fond du Lac Moraine Park Technical College campus on East Johnson Street.

From the first Saturday in January when the game for the year is announced, we have 6 weeks to design, build, program and test a robot to play the game. Needless to say, those are a hectic 6 weeks and we meet Monday through Thursday evenings 6:30 to 9pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 3pm. Pizza lunch on Saturday is a great time to get to know others on the team.

We then enter Regional competition season and have the same meeting schedule as we prepare for them. We normally participate in 2 of those, including the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee. The other is usually in Illinois and involves overnight stays.

The competitions are Thursday through Saturday and if you want to really find out what FRC is about, attendance at one of these is the only way.  Thursday is setup and practice and Friday and Saturday are days of competition. Saturday afternoon sees the final elimination rounds. 24 teams go into these and the winning 3 go forward to the World Finals in St Louis in April.

For the remainder of the year, we are involved in recruitment of students, school demonstration visits, exhibitions of robot technology, fund raising and training.

Check out the Upcoming Events section of our HOME page and the Events this Year page. The Calendar on our site will give our currently scheduled meetings.

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 was 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 nationally known team it is today!

The torch was carried on by Mark Holschuh and his wife Pat.  Their unstinting efforts are the main reason for the growth Fondy Fire to where we are today. Over 200 students have been team members and many have gone on to further their education and careers in related fields. We have had the support of parents and others as both volunteers and mentors.

Please check out the Teams and Robots page for details of the robots and pictures from the build seasons and some of the events attended. Also visit Recognition and Awards for details of what we have in those areas.

 Sponsors have provided money, equipment, facilities and employees to act as mentors.

We do many school visits and demonstrations as part of our community outreach.