FIRST Outreach
How the Apes of Wrath have impacted the community.
Volunteering with FLL Robotics
Apes of Wrath members are very active members of the FIRST community. Each year, team members go to local schools and organizations to help with the FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams. We contribute both time and funding to the teams to ensure that they receive a great experience from the FIRST robotics organization. This ensures the continuation of the program by getting younger students involved in the fun and exciting nature of FIRST Robotics.
What We Do
Two days a week we send at least 5 team members to local elementary schools to help the instruction of their robotics programs. The FLL team members have the opportunity to learn the design and build process by physically using LEGO Robotics pieces to create a robot that solves the challenges that the game provides. They then can learn the process of using logic to determine the movement of the LEGO robot by programming hands-on and by implementing the code they write into the robot.
Through this process, the elementary schoolers learn teamwork and are exposed to science and technology at an early age while members of Team 668 learn that through community service and mentorship, we can have a direct impact on their community and make a difference in the academic careers of young children that will impact the rest of their lives.
Our Teams
We fund and mentor four separate teams from Los Alamitos Elementary school, all comprised of 5-7 kids and 2-3 mentors. These teams are free to join and have no requirements, we communicate the engineering and programming process to the children in an engaging way.
Helping Our Local Community
On top of mentoring FLL Teams and setting up Outreach Demos, we also participate in community service such as tree planting, park clean ups, garden maintenance and everything environmental related to give back to the community.
Helping The Local Teams
As well as volunteering for the nearby FLL teams, we also often help out FRC teams around us. If a local team doesn't have the same access to machining tools as we do, we invite them to use ours. We also work to supply other teams with our spare parts, as well as storing materials for other teams that do not have space. We work as an intermediary, allowing local and international teams to have easy access to materials. In addition to making our robot, we make a mock field where us and other teams can practice on for competitions. As shown in the photo, we host events like kickoff, where we also do kit distribution.
