Stop by tomorrow and see FIRST Washington teams and GeekWire at United Way’s 2022 Community BBQ! There will be music, activities for kids, delicious BBQ and more! Who knows… you just might meet Doug Baldwin!
FIRST Washington was delighted to present an exclusive event celebrating the end of the 2021-2022 season, generously hosted by Fresh Consulting in Bellevue. 60 guests gathered to here remarks from FLL, FTC and FRC team members and learn about how they persevered this season.
We also had the pleasure of hearing from FIRST Washington Alum Paige Carter. A graduate from Stealth Robotics (Cedarcrest High School, Duvall), Paige shared how being a part of her robotics team prepared her for the workplace and taught her the importance of teamwork and communication.
“A lot of the skills that you learn apply directly, and it’s not just mechanical. It’s also business. You’re able to understand how a team is supposed to work, and how your interactions with each other can evolve a project.”
The panel presentation featured Kara Sprague from F5, John Cook from GeekWire and Mitch Tolson from Ally Robotics. These experienced industry leaders shared their valuable insight regarding the importance of fostering STEM skills and the variety of ways students can use their FIRST Washington experience as they enter the workforce. Thank you all for serving as glowing examples of the type of leaders students can grow up to be!
And lastly, many thanks to FIRST Washington Board Member Jaime Garza for opening Fresh Consulting as host!
Senior Spotlight
Meet two of our founding members of the Student DEI Advisory Committee! Thank you Kiri and Julie for your commitment to making FIRST Washington a more welcoming and inclusive community for all! Congratulations on graduating, we know you will both go on to do big things!
Senior Spotlight: Kiri
What are your post-high school plans?
Studying Applied Mathematics at the University of Washington. Don’t worry, you’ll still see me volunteering at competitions ;D
What is your favorite FIRST Washington memory?
Going around the pits with RT the Bordie and collecting various items/pins from each team at the PNW Champs this year.
What do you hope to see the DEI Committee accomplish in the coming years?
I’d love to see more students from all across Washington State be involved with the DEI committee, especially from Eastern Washington. I would also like to see the committee speak with state government officials about FIRST and the work we’re doing. They should also try work with other DEI based student run organizations to help engage the community beyond just FIRSTWA. I’m excited to see where this committee goes and I’m so lucky to have been involved and worked with all you amazing people.
Senior Spotlight: Julie
What are your post-high school plans?
I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Oregon this fall in hopes of becoming a licensed architect!
What is your favorite FIRST Washington memory?
The second time 4131 won Chairman’s had to be my favorite memory. We earned it in 2020 and I remember how tearful and excited the upperclassmen were, and it was in 2022 that I realized why. I was hugging my brother, hugging the other seniors, and looking upon the freshmen that are gonna continue making memories just like this. It was proof that we were able to rebuild our family.
What do you hope to see the DEI Committee accomplish in the coming years?
I hope that the DEI committee is able to grow in its visibility and is able to tackle more complex areas of FIRST. I hope that more voices that fully encompass the diversity of FIRST WA can help highlight inequities that we have yet to address, and I hope that the growth mindset that we’ve championed remains with the committee. I see so many victories, both big and little, in the DEI committee’s future, and I hope that students can continue to celebrate that fact.
Join the FIRST Washington Board of Directors!
The FIRST Washington Board of Directors is looking for new members. The Board is a diverse community of professionals who work with the staff to set the strategic direction of FIRST in Washington.
Our vision is to empower more young people from diverse backgrounds to become leaders and innovators in STEM.
We would love to speak with you in detail about how we actively work to achieve this vision. We are in need of strong candidates with Legal, Finance and Education leadership experience throughout Washington. Please reach out to Patrick Jenny (pdjenny@gmail.com), Chair of our Governance Committee to start this conversation. Referrals are also appreciated.
Kennewick FTC Kickoff!
FTC teams in south central Washington will be holding an FTC kickoff at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick on September 10th. Join us to watch the official season kickoff, eat snacks, play games, and more! Stay tuned for further details.
If your team wants to participate, please contact Adrianna Miller at adriannam@firstwa.org.
