Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Thank you for your interest in the Chinook High School Robotics Team! We
appreciate the time you have taken to learn more about our program.
The Chinook High School Robotics Team exists to encourage the development of
students’ interests in the areas of math and science. By doing so, the program
prepares young minds to work and thrive in our increasingly technological world and
global economy. The team participates in a competition held by FIRST (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology), a program developed in 1989 in order to
inspire more interest in the fields of science and technology. In this competition, our
team designs, programs, and builds a robot that preforms an annually assigned task –
all in the span of six weeks. This year, our team, number 5725, competed in the
Western Canadian Regionals in April against 33 teams. We were honored to be
awarded the 2015 Rookie All Star Award, which qualifies us for the 2015 FRC World
Championship in St. Louis, Missouri.
The process of building and designing the robot is not an easy one. It has its expenses
and must be completed within six weeks, which flies by unbelievably fast with so many
things to get done. The journey from the first kit of parts and the first blank sheet on the
drawing board to the completed robot participating in the competition is long and
stressful, yet its value and benefits reach so far beyond robotics and competing.
Through the program, students gain a priceless opportunity to experiment and explore
their technological capabilities and gain exposure to several aspects of technology,
including technical design, computer programming, and even business management.
However, in order to make this journey successful, the team needs support from the
community. One of the most effective ways to support the Chinook High School
Robotics Team is to sponsor us financially. By contributing monetary support, the
team will be able to purchase necessary materials and tools, as well as travel to St.
Louis to compete in the World Championships. Teams that get to go to St. Louis as
Rookie All-Stars aren’t expected to come home with a trophy. Instead, they get to see
what the world-class teams do, how they run their operation, how they enhance their
community. By supporting this trip, you’re not only supporting those students going, but
also countless others who will be positively influenced by an excellent robotics
program. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these students, and the impacts on
the future of this program are boundless. In return for your support, we offer several
benefits, including advertising space on the robot itself (see attached for more details).
Please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your time and interest in Chinook
High School Robotics. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Eva LeBlanc
Chinook High School
[email protected]
(403) 320-7565
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Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Who are we?
FIRST Team 5725 was founded in September 2014 at Chinook High School, in Lethbridge,
Alberta through the collaboration of Darrell Laidlaw at Chinook, and Olivier Lefebrve, the
general manager of Pratt & Whitney Canada, Plant 32. Team Yotebot is affectionately
named after the school mascot, the Chinook Coyote.
Team Organization:
• 20 students
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8 mentors
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5 teachers
Through the program, students are able to:
• Apply engineering principles to the design, build, and operation of robots
• Learn and use CAD and other engineering software
• Hands-on experience with multi-disciplinary collaborative problem solving
• Program robots for both autonomous and human operated modes
• Travel to competitions
• Volunteer in their community
• Network with industry and engineering firms and companies
What’s next?
In their Rookie year, Team Yotebot was award the 2015 Western Canada Rookie All-Star
award, which celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort,
as well as implementing the mission of FIRST to inspire students to learn more about
science and technology.
As a result of this award, Team Yotebot has qualified for the FIRST World Championships
taking place in St. Louis, Missouri, April 22-25, 2015. The team is looking forward to
attending, not necessarily to bring home a trophy, but to bring home many lessons learned
from the top FIRST teams around the world, along with an excitement and passion to grow
the robotics program at Chinook High School.
In years to come, Team Yotebot ambitions to developing the Lethbridge robotics community
by mentoring students in elementary and middle schools through other FIRST programs
(FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge). Team members are looking forward to
inspiring young students and fostering their passion for robotics.
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Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Mentor Experience:
“Growing up, my goals and dreams were shaped by my role models. As a child, your role
models are your parents, and as you grow into a young adult, they soon become your
teachers. I was fortunate enough to have excellent role models throughout my schooling
career. It was because of my role models that I found my passion for designing, building
and creating. It was because of them that I pursued a career in engineering and design. If it
weren’t for the influence my role models have had on me, I wouldn’t be writing to you today.
I was introduced to the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) in the fall of this year. I was
settling in to my internship with Pratt and Whitney Canada when our plant committed to
sponsoring the first FRC team in the city, Team 5725, Team Yotebot. I’ve always been
interested in technology, and the opportunity to share that interest with young adults in a
structured setting was too much to pass up; I eagerly volunteered to help mentor the team.
FIRST likes to brand itself as the ‘Hardest Fun You’ll Ever Have’, I knew designing and
building a robot wasn’t going to be easy, but I never imagined it would be as difficult as it
turned out to be. Nevertheless, working out a design, solving engineering problems and
getting to see the kids compete in Calgary was an intensely rewarding experience. Our
team went from a loose group of people semi-interested in building a robot to an organized
group of friends and colleagues working together towards the same goal. I got to be a part
of a very dedicated group of students, teachers and technical mentors who grew together
through both struggles and success. I got to see kids who may have been previously shy,
open up and shine in so many ways, those who knew something taught the others, and
everyone worked together on all parts of the build. The fun might have been hard, but the
rewards were more than worth it.
The real goal of FRC is not to build a robot and win a championship. The real goal is to
inspire young adults. Most of that inspiration is done through a strong emphasis on Science,
Trades/ Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), the kids who participate in FIRST gain
valuable experience in real world applications. FIRST is building and nurturing the technical
leaders of tomorrow, the engineers, machinists and designers.
I’m proud to say I was a part of that initiative, and I got to see firsthand just how great this
program is for the students involved. With your help we can build an even stronger program
and reach out to even more young people in the community. Teams that get to go to St.
Louis as a rookie all-star aren’t expected to come home with a trophy. Instead, they get to
see what the world-class teams do, how they run their operation, how they enhance their
community. By supporting this trip, you’re not only supporting those students going, but also
countless others who will be positively influenced by an excellent robotics program.
FIRST is about creating a community of professional, competent young adults. In a day and
age where school-shops are disappearing and more and more students graduate with less
and less real world skills, FIRST is a beacon of hope for the youth of today, offering them an
environment to learn, experiment, and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.”
Dawson Clark
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Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Student Experience:
“I’m able to learn all of the different parts of robots and how they function. It’s something
not everyone has the opportunity to learn. I’m increasing my knowledge every day. I think I
might start making robots in my spare time and start using robotics applications within my
life.”
Oliver Campbell, Drive Team
“The FIRST Robotics Competition really is ‘The Hardest Fun You’ll Ever Have’. I’ve learned
that, through hard work with and among your peers, you really can accomplish a difficult
task that is placed in front of you. Through great mentorship and support from our
community, we have come together to grow an incredible program that will continue to
promote STEM (Science, Technology/Trades, Engineering, Mathematics) throughout
Lethbridge and the surrounding area.”
Brandon Norris, Alliance Captain
“With the right amount of hard work and determination, we have unlimited potential. This
program has taught me collaboration and leadership skills that I will continue to carry with
me, especially as I pursue my ambitions to become an engineer.”
Matthew Drenth, Mechanical Captain
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Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Sponsorship Opportunities
Platinum Sponsor - $2000 +
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Robot: Large logo of business
Banner: Large logo (displayed at events and tournaments)
Recognition banner at Chinook High School
Team Shirts: Large logo on back of shirts (worn at events and tournaments)
Website: Logo and link on sponsorship page; “shout-out” on team Twitter
Thank you plaque, Chinook Robotics Team shirt, sponsor appreciation event,
Yotebot demonstration at your business
Gold Sponsor - $1000 - $1999
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Robot: Medium logo of business
Banner: Medium logo (displayed at events and tournaments)
Team Shirts: Medium logo on back of shirts (worn at events and tournaments)
Website: Logo and link on sponsorship page; “shout-out” on team Twitter
Thank you letter, Chinook Robotics Team shirt, sponsor appreciation event
Silver Sponsor - $100 - $999
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Robot: Small logo of business
Banner: Small logo (displayed at events and tournaments)
Team Shirts: Small logo on back of shirts (worn at events and tournaments)
Website: Logo and link on sponsorship page; “shout-out” on team Twitter
Thank you letter, Chinook Robotics Team shirt
Bronze Sponsor - $25-$99
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Robot: Line of text with business name on robot
Website: Name mentioned on sponsorship page; “shout-out” on team Twitter
Thank you letter
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Chinook High School Robotics
FRC 5725 – Team Yotebot
Sponsorship Information
(Please print or type so we can accurately include your information)
Business Name: ________________________________________________________
Contact Person: _________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________
City:___________________________ Province: ______Postal Code: ______________
Phone: (_____) ______________Email: _____________________________________
Business Website:_______________________________________________________
Please make cheques payable to: Chinook High School (in memo write Robotics)
Cheques can be given to student contacts, or mailed to:
Chinook High School
Attn: Eva LeBlanc
259 Britannia Blvd West
Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4A3
Student Contact: ________________________________________________________
Amount Donated: $__________________ Cheque # (if applicable) ________________
Material Donation (& approx. value): _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your support!
Your generosity is truly appreciated and will be put to great use!
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