Team CAUTION Robotics

Team CAUTION 1492: Arizona’s Community Team

 

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.  The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  ~Andrew Carnegie

 

           Team CAUTION 1492 is Arizona’s only community robotics team. Because we are a community team, we are able to reach out to students who would otherwise be unable to compete in the FIRST Robotics competition. This puts Team Caution 1492 in the unique position to be able to grow Arizona’s FIRST FRC programs in ways that typical school-based teams cannot.

 

            We don’t have a school for our build workshop, so our generous sponsors at Microchip have given us a workshop in one of their own warehouses. In this way, we are able to become a part of the community. Each year before the start of the new season, Team Caution 1492 provides three workshops free of charge for rookie teams, to schools and students still not sure about starting or joining a team, or those who just want to learn about FIRST Robotics.  Over a period of three weekends, Team Caution’s mentors and returning students participate in teaching new students the important parts of a successful workshop. They demonstrate a hands-on approach to safety in using tools, brain storming, and making your imagination a reality; as well as demonstrating what FIRST stands for, what FIRST is, and what the FIRST Robotics Competitions are all about. Team Caution has aided two beginning teams through these workshops and frequent mentoring: Team 3853, Pridetronics, from Mountain Point; and Team 4018, the Knight Bots, from St. Mary’s Catholic High School. In addition to the annual workshops, Team Caution takes part in numerous community events to spread the mission of FIRST. The events include: Microchip Masters, Microchip Open House, Carl Hayden Science Fair, and Xavier’s Girls Have IT Day. The team enjoys getting young people aware and interested about the possibilities of science, mathematics, and technology as career for their futures.

 

           Team Caution also welcomes homeschoolers. This year, 2013, about half of the students who are a part of Team 1492 are “independently educated”. As a homeschooled student myself, I greatly appreciate the fact that there would be no other way for me to join a FRC team, except through Team Caution. Team Caution grows by word of mouth. I found out about Team Caution from a friend who had joined the year previously. I attended the pre-season workshops, and was immediately interested. The team already had quite a few homeschoolers, so I hoped I wasn’t going to feel out of place. I never should've even thought that. In no place have I felt more included than in Team Caution 1492. Even as a first year student, I was completely engaged in the build process. Planning the robot’s design, building it the first time, wiring the electronics, testing the pneumatics, fixing the parts that needed to be fixed, and rewiring it again—I’ve done it all through Team Caution. My whole FIRST experience was full of challenges, hands-on learning, fun memories, new friends, and most importantly, the growing understanding and appreciation of the science and technology our culture is dominated by. The season went by too fast, and I couldn’t wait until the next year. Over the off-season, however, I was able to fix household devices with the knowledge I had gained Team Caution.

 

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”  ~Maria Montessori

 

         Team Caution has been blessed by such incredible mentors.  They sacrifice countless hours after returning from their own day jobs, to work without any pay, spending their evening planning, teaching and guiding us teenagers.  Their enthusiasm and energy excites us all and motivates us to strive for our very best. One thing very unique about many of our mentors is the fact that the majority of them are the fathers of students on the team. This encourages and builds family bonds between fathers and children. Another unique set of mentors are graduated students now in college. They were previously a part of the team during high school, and unable to tear themselves away from Team Caution’s unforgettable FIRST experience.

 

"Team means: Together Everyone Achieves More!"  ~Author Unknown

 

           This saying could not be truer for Team Caution. In reality, we are one of the smallest FIRST Robotics Competition teams in Arizona, but we are able to accomplish much.  Because of the small size of our team, strong, lasting friendships are quickly formed by shared experiences and teamwork. We are a community group, so students cannot meet as a part of the usual school day schedule, but we are dedicated and work into the evenings during weekdays, as well as all day Saturdays. There is never a shortage of jobs to do, and one and all, from first years to fourth years, take equal part in the challenge. We strive to learn from our own mistakes as well as one another’s.

 

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  ~Margaret Meade

 

-Haley L. (2nd year Student)

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