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Page 1: Contents...Contents Executive Summary ..... 1 1 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan Executive Summary Since its inception five years ago in 2008 as FTC 3717, King’s CyberKnights
Page 2: Contents...Contents Executive Summary ..... 1 1 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan Executive Summary Since its inception five years ago in 2008 as FTC 3717, King’s CyberKnights

Contents

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1

Team Organization.......................................................................................................................... 3

Sponsor Information ....................................................................................................................... 9

Team Outreach/Impact.................................................................................................................. 14

Team Growth Summary ................................................................................................................ 17

Future Plans Summary .................................................................................................................. 21

SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 29

What Makes 4911 Unique ............................................................................................................ 30

Team Contact Information ............................................................................................................ 31

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1 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Executive Summary

Since its inception five years ago in 2008 as FTC 3717, King’s CyberKnights now move forward as

FRC 4911, continuing to prosper through creative applications of science, technology, engineering, and

math. FIRST Robotics provides the platform for the CyberKnights to integrate problem solving skills

and innovative solutions in its young members and surrounding community. The CyberKnights serve

as the founding member of King’s Robotics Program, a group of FRC, FTC, FLL, and Jr. FLL teams

operating within King’s Schools, K-12, in Seattle, Washington.

Mission Statement “Tomorrow’s Engineers today.” The CyberKnights seek to inspire an interest and passion for science

and technology while preparing students to become the technology leaders in tomorrow’s

competitive global market place.

Sustainability In its endeavor to successfully embody FIRST values and goals, the CyberKnights seek to create a

team culture that sustains our community for years to come. From team recruitment to developing

student leaders, serving as FIRST ambassadors in outreach, collaborating with our mentors, and asking

corporate sponsors to support us as the next generation of leaders, the CyberKnights’ strive to be an

organization of people impacting the world for FIRST.

Growth & Impact Since its beginning, the CyberKnights’ experienced tremendous growth, impact, and success. Starting

four years ago in FTC with eight students, the CyberKnights this year have inspired over 100 students

at King’s Schools to participate in FIRST. Over 10% of the K-12 students are involved in FIRST with

24 in Jr. FLL, 30 in FLL, 13 in FTC, and 40 in FRC. Past members have gone on to pursue fields in

engineering and technology, and return to invest back into the program through mentoring our team

members. The team continues to develop its current members in leadership, collaboration, and

communication skills.

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Team Strategy & Development Model

The CyberKnights seek to extend the STEM classroom by proving a hands-on, challenging

problem based learning environment allowing students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the

classroom. As such, the team seeks to be as student led as possible. Mentors serve not only as role

models but as question asking teachers. Mentors have veto authority only in the case of safety issues or

if the decision has a high probability of causing project or schedule failure. Student leaders who have

training and experience also serve as role models and teachers for their peers. Strong emphasis is placed

on students learning and practicing problem solving skills, engineering and project management

process, and rapid prototyping development.

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3 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Team Organization

Students involved in the CyberKnights represent a diverse group of ages, genders, skills, and

interests at King’s High School. By coming together in a single FRC Robotics team, members expand

their intellectual knowledge as well as learn the merits of hard work and working as a cohesive team.

King’s Robotics requires its members, inside and outside the classroom, to daily demonstrate respect

for teachers, administrators, and to adhere school guidelines.

Team Structure

CyberKnights #4911

Coach

Mentors

Team Captain Team Captain

Engineering Non-Engineering

Sub-Team

Sub-Team

Build

Safety

Business

Scouting

Leaders

Leaders

Software Electrical Media Awards

Field

Manufacturing

Pneumatics

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Requirements – Team Captains/Sub-Team Leaders Requirements

• Intensely focused and always on task

• Superior collaboration skills and positive can-do attitude

• Demonstrated design, build, and coding skills

• Excellent teacher recommendations

• Deeply involved with problem solving

• Deep sense of ownership and pride in product and team

• Knows, or is learning CAD

• Willing to guide and mentor other team members

General Team Requirements

• Excellent work ethic

• Focused on team collaboration, therefore highly positive and flexible

• Willing to suspend own ideas to hear the thoughts of others

• Does not use sarcasm or put downs to control or influence

• Keen interest in engineering and robotics

• Teachable attitude and keen desire to learn/grow

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Engineering Team

Build Sub-team Manufacturing Sub-team

Danny Helms 12 Danny Helms 12 Daniel Wang 9 Max Kang 11

Noah Hoppis 10 Josh Lee 11

Sarah Rudberg 11 Steven Lee 12

Max Kang 11 Sarah Rudberg 11

Jackson Whipple 11 Daniel Wang 9

Josh Lee 11 6

Alex Kim 11

Steven Lee 12

9

Software Sub-team Pneumatics Sub-team

Payton Ratzliff 11 Jon Fuller 12

Aaron Bae 11 Noah Hoppis 10

Elijah Elliott 12 Tyler Snow 12

Jack Holt 10 Jonathan Sprague 12

Jae Jung 11 David Winningham 11

Tommy Lee 10 5

6

Electrical Sub-team Safety

Josh Lee 11 Sarah Rudberg 11

Tony Li 11 Belita Ho 11

Liberty Lomonaco 10 2

Jon Rasmussen 12

4

Note: sub-team leads are in bold text

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Non-Engineering Team

Business Sub-team Media Sub-team (Web, Photo, Video)

Annie Long 12 Luke Caughell 10

Aaron Bae 11 Pauliana Dang 12

Sarah Bretz 12 Anna Fitch 12

Ariel Clark 12 Delaney Foster 10

Valentina Peng 10 Annie Long 12

Jack Ramirez 11 Benjy Taflin 10

Caleb Judd 12 Grace Snitselaar 11

Delaney Foster 10

8 7

Awards Sub-team Scouting Sub-team

Jennifer Taflin 12 Jennifer Taflin 12

Sarah Bolton 11 Sarah Bolton 11

Belita Ho 11 Belita Ho 11

Jack Ramirez 11 Caleb Judd 12

Gabriella Yu 10 Jae Jung 11

Pauliana Dang 12 Jack Ramirez 11

6 Anna Fitch 12 Delaney Foster 10

Pauliana Dang 12

Benjy Taflin 10

Gianna Geiger 10

11

Note: sub-team leads are in bold text

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Team Demographics

Number of Students on Team 40

Number of Females on Team 17

Number of Males on Team 23

Percent of Students of Color on Team 41%

Percent of Caucasian Students on Team 59%

Number of High School Freshmen on 1

Team

Number of High School Sophomores on 8

Team

Number of High School Juniors on 16

Team

Number of High School Seniors on 15

Team

Team Sustainability

Future CyberKnights begin in kindergarten, and our team members become role models by training

and encouraging these young students in elementary and middle school through JrFLL, FLL, and FTC

until they join our high school FRC team. The CyberKnights continually reach out to the student body

of King’s High School to maintain a steady inflow of new FRC team members, some of whom are new

to the program and others who have been involved for years. Our FRC team seeks to develop student

leaders by providing many opportunities for individual team members to step up and take on

responsibilities with team members doing the work and adult mentors supervising and teaching. We are

now starting to see CyberKnights alumni returning to mentor the current team with the skills they have

learned in college and the workforce.

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Team Mentors • Thomas Anderson - Software/Programming Lead Mentor (Fluke)

• Philip Bjorge - Software/Programming Mentor (Microsoft) – King’s alumni

• Kayla King - Marketing Mentor (Rochester Institute of Technology) – FRC Team 151 Alumni

• James Donnelly - Engineering Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Emmett Lam - Software/Programming Mentor (Student, UW) – CyberKnights alumni

• Ryan LeCompte - Engineering Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Dan Matteson - Engineering Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Marian Morris - DECA Advisor (King's Schools)

• Bobby Neckorcuk - Engineering Mentor (Microsoft)

• Justin Nielson - CAD Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Nathan Olds - Electrical Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Andrew Olmstead - Engineering Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Lars Osborne - Engineering Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Mike Pringle - Electrical Lead Mentor (Boeing)

• Bob Richardson - Engineering Mentor (Romac)

• Todd Rudberg - Engineering Lead Mentor (Electroimpact)

• Juanita Thompson - Non-engineering Mentor (King's Schools)

• Mike Thompson - Program Director (King's Schools)

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Sponsor Information

Financial Sustainability

The CyberKnights team is reliant on corporate sponsorships and personal donations to fuel operations.

King’s Schools provides approximately 36% of the team’s annual $45,000 budget with the remainder

coming from corporate sponsorship (32%) and private donations (32%) The team annually reaches out

to local businesses and large neighboring corporations who are willing to encourage and support

students as a priceless investment in their future. Sponsors provide not only financially, but also

provide equipment and supplies, and allow their employers to serve as valued mentors who build

positive professional relationships with our team.

Sponsors

Aldercrest Auto Rebuild provides painting and decaling services for the team. We look cool because

of these guys!

Aldercrest Auto Rebuild specializes in complete collision repair. They are the first autobody shop in

Snohomish County to qualify as meeting hazardous waste and air quality standards set by the

EnviroStars Program and Puget Sound Clear Air Agency.

Boeing supports us by providing a $6,000 FIRST@Boeing Grant paying for our FRC registration

fees. Boeing is the world's leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial

jetliners and military aircraft combined.

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The Center supports our teams financially.

The Center has been providing comprehensive, professional excellence in treatment and whole-person

care for addictions, depression, trauma and other life challenges since 1984. Their vision is to be “A

Place of Hope,” accomplished through their mission of providing individuals with whole-person care

– “inspired healthcare” for restoring balance to the body, mind and spirit.

The Christine Allen Family

The Christine Allen Family generously supports our teams financially.

Electroimpact has been a significant financial supporter and has provided the team use of

corporate milling and fabricating equipment. Our 2011 and 2012 robots that competed at the FTC

World Championship were milled at Electroimpact!

Electroimpact is a world leader in design and manufacturing of aerospace tooling and automation.

GM Nameplate supports our teams financially.

2004 marked GM Nameplate's 50th year serving customers by offering an ever-broadening range

of custom manufacturing possibilities.

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The Larry Bossidy Family

The Larry Bossidy Family generously supports our teams by hosting corporate fund raisers.

Microsoft supports our team financially with its generous employee Volunteer Matching program.

Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions that help

people and businesses realize their full potential.

Point B supports our teams financially.

Point B, Inc. helps organizations form, execute, and thrive. With capabilities including Strategy,

Venture Investment and Advisory, and Management Consulting this integrated set of businesses provide

value to the organizations and communities they serve.

SolidWorks provides our team the professional CAD software we use to design our robots. SolidWorks

Corp. offers complete 3D software tools that let you create, simulate, publish, and manage your data.

SolidWorks products are easy to learn and use, and work together to help you design products better,

faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers,

designers and other technology professionals than ever before to take advantage of 3D in bringing their

designs to life.

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Taco Time supports our team financially.

Taco Time is an upscale quick service restaurant chain that specializes in freshly prepared, home-style

Mexican fare. They offer quality fresh ingredients in large portions with a unique blend of spices. Great

tacos, great food ... what more can you say!

Tecplot supports our team financially.

Tecplot, Inc. is a highly skilled team of creative, trustworthy and caring professionals dedicated to

serving the scientific and engineering community. Founded in 1981 and based in Bellevue, Wash.,

Tecplot, Inc. empowers engineers and scientists to discover, analyze, and understand information in

complex data, and to effectively communicate the results to others. Since then, Tecplot has been

applying and influencing the latest advances in visualization technologies and plotting capabilities.

With thousands of users worldwide, Tecplot has become the trusted name in data visualization.

Ward Phillips

Ward Phillips is a generous financial supporter of our team.

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Sponsor Benefits

Degrees of Sponsorship:

Title Sponsor - $1,000 +

• Robot: Logo of business

• Team T-shirt: Large logo of business at the back of the T-shirt

• Website: Name and link of business on sponsorship page& logo on the front page

• Pit Display: Logo of business

• Banquet: Invitations to all sponsors

• Letters of appreciation

Platinum Sponsor - $500 - $999

• Website: Name and link of business on sponsorship page

• Pit Display: Logo of business

• Banquet: Invitation to all sponsors

• Letters of appreciation

Gold Sponsor (Families) - $100 or less

• Website: Name of individual sponsors (families) on sponsorship page

• Banquet: Invitations to all sponsors

• Letters of appreciation

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Team Outreach/Impact

Sustainability The CyberKnights seek outreach opportunities that lead to deep long term impact with a focus on

positive relationships. Further, CyberKnights outreach has not only touched our local school

community but has crossed state lines to serve in South Los Angeles, and crossed the oceans to serve in

Uganda Africa.

Local School community Outreach (King’s Schools)

• 2009-2014: Demonstrate team robotics to elementary and junior high school students at our

12 school through classroom visits, assembly demonstrations, school carnival ‘Drive-a-bot”

activities, etc.

• 2009-2014: Help inspire, start and mentor numerous FIRST teams K-12 directly involving over

10% of our entire student body. This school year we support five FLL teams including one all

girls team), four Jr. FLL teams, and two FTC teams.

• 2011-2013: Host “Build-a-bot’ birthday parties as a school based fundraiser.

Local Community Outreach (Greater Seattle Area)

• 2009-2013: Featured in numerous articles by local newspapers.

• 2010-2013: Demo FIRST robotics to senior citizens in a local retirement and assisted living

facility.

• 2010-2013: Run week long robotics summer camps teaching NXT robotics to elementary

students and FTC Tetrix to middle school students, reaching over 150 different students.

• 2010-2014: Demo FIRST robotics at Shoreline PTA Science Night.

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• 2011: Demoed FIRST robotics at Seattle 2011 Robothon event, Seattle Center.

• 2011: Demoed FTC robots at WACTE Convention for Washington Schools CTE directors.

• 2011-2012: Helped run and demo robots at 2011-2012 Girl Fest, Centurylink Event center

• 2011-2014: Demoed FTC robots at Northshore Christian School.

• 2011-2013: Demoed FTC and FIRST robotics at Electroimpact (a corporate sponsor).

• 2012: Demoed FIRST robotics at Seattle 2012 See It Be It career fair, Seattle Center.

• 2013: Demoed FIRST robotics at the Seattle 2013 Technology & Engineering Day Fair,

Seattle center.

• 2013: Demoed and spoke at Seattle Rotary luncheon, highlighting benefits of STEM based

FIRST programs.

• 2013: Interviewed and demoed our award winning FTC robot on live television and radio at

KOMO broadcasting.

FIRST Community (Washington and Idaho States)

• 2010: Helped run a mini FIRST event for the filming of a FIRSTWA training video.

• 2010-2012: Served as volunteers helping to run the Idaho State FTC Championship in

Moscow ID.

• 2011: Demoed FTC robots at Washington FIRST Robotics fundraiser.

• 2013: Helped with set up of new FIRSTWA headquarters and warehouse facility

(multiple weekends)

• 2014: Hosted the first ever “5th

Week Unveiling Celebration” during the 2014 Aerial Assist

season with four local FRC teams (over 120 people) joining us to show our bots, share game

strategies, socialize and celebrate FRC!

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US Based Outreach (South Los Angeles)

• 2011: Helped write, submit and win a $10,000 Google grant for the South Los Angeles based

Adventures Ahead tutoring center allowing them to purchase laptops, WeDo and NXT

Mindstorm robot kits and start a new robotics program and FLL team.

• 2011-2012: Made two separate trips to South Los Angeles to help establish a STEM based

robotics curriculum and FLL team at an inner-city tutoring center Adventures Ahead for

disadvantaged and underserved elementary students. Trained and mentored the tutoring

center FLL team who in their first year advanced to the LA district meet (team, 2780).

International Outreach (Uganda Africa)

• Head coach and team leaders traveled to Soroti Uganda summer of 2013 to start a robotics

academic and FIRST program at the Beacon of Hope School. Trained school math and science

faculty in problem based learning techniques and the NXT Mindstorms robot curriculum.

• This project has now gained the direct in county support of Dr. James Webb (University of

Massachusetts Amherst), Dr. Lane Seeley (Seattle Pacific University), and PhD student,

Tina Fletcher (Purdue University). Tina Fletcher will be working summer 2014 at the

Beacon of Hope School extending and deepening STEM curriculum and projects for girls.

• The CyberKnights will be returning to the Beacon of Hope School in Uganda this summer to

continue the training with the goal of establishing the first FLL or FTC robotics team in

Uganda by 2015.

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Team Outreach/Impact (persons affected)

40

35

Community

270

LA

International

Team Growth Summary

Overview

The CyberKnights was founded by King’s High School math and computer science teacher,

Mike Thompson. We started working in our coach’s math lab, using a Microsoft engineering and

milling lab each Saturday to cut and bend plastic and metal materials. When our small rookie team made

it to Worlds our very first year, our potential was recognized by King’s High School administration, who

began working with us to gain sponsors and members to expand the program. During the next 3 years,

we were given a large office space that was converted into a workshop area, yet very quickly outgrew

the space. In 2011, we had grown to four FTC teams with so many members that only three teams could

meet per week. We were forced to create a formal schedule so that all teams could get in the requisite

practice time.

Early in 2013, King’s Robotics moved once again, this time to an old workshop area previously

used by the art teacher. It is a very large space, which allows the team to keep the FTC field set up for

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18 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

the rookie junior high and freshman teams, with enough room left over for our machine workshop.

There is also an attached room where the programmers can set up computers and have a quiet

environment away from the loud machines. Inside this room whiteboards cover the walls, and it’s big

enough for all of our team members to meet before breaking off into our groups to work on the FRC

season tasks.

Sustainability

As a result of the CyberKnights’ emphasis on team sustainability, all of our FIRST teams from Jr.

FLL to FRC have experienced growth in the last five years. Currently, at our school, it is cool to be on

the robotics team. The CyberKnights team provides a community for students to belong and learn at

the highest levels. Our team is comprised of not only engineering minded students, but includes many

students who are interested in other types of extra-curricular activities, making our team well-rounded

with many skills and abilities; just like a real world corporation.

Details

2009-2010 Season: Hot Shot!

During our first year as a FTC rookie team, the CyberKnights miraculously made it to The

Washington State Competition. We were ranked 5th at the end of the qualifying rounds, and when

the number two alliance captain joined the number one alliance for the final rounds, we moved into

the fourth alliance captain position. We won the competition and earned a ticket to the World

Robotics Competition in Atlanta, GA. In Atlanta, the CyberKnights finished in the top 20.

The 2009-2010 season taught us that the best robot will not always win; it is often the team

that has the most reliably running robot. The CyberKnights built their robot proficiently, first in CAD,

and then in the Microsoft milling lab, so that it would continue to run even if something went wrong.

The build team designed the robot so that motors and wires were easily replaceable for quick repairs.

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2010-2011 Season: Get Over It!

During our second season, the CyberKnights won the B.C. Canada Inspire Award, and was the

Winning Alliance Captain at the Washington State Competition. A new team was started because the

number of people in our robotics program doubled, so the rookies formed the team, CyberDaze. The

CyberDaze won the Idaho State Competition Inspire Award and were also the Winning Alliance

Captain. Both teams went to the World Competition in St. Louis, MO where the CyberDaze took 7th

place overall. Also, at the world competition, NASA was running a live stream of the CyberKnights’

division, and paid special attention to their autonomous mode since it was one of the most

impressively accurate and consistent robots at the competition.

From the 2010-2011 season we learned how to use infrared sensors, gyros and ultrasonic sensors,

working in unison, and creating an incredibly accurate autonomous mode that even if we were blocked,

or hit by another robot our bot would stay on course.

2011-2012 Season: Bowled Over!

During the 2011-2012 season, King’s Robotics grew large enough to form four FTC teams. They

were split up into Varsity, Junior Varsity, and the two new rookie teams, called CyberReign, and

CyberSquires. All four teams were loosely one large group until build season started, and then each team

met to create their own robot designs.

The CyberKnights won the Washington State competition as the Winning Alliance Captain. The

CyberDaze were Winning Alliance Captain at the Idaho State Competition, and both rookie teams

made it to state through regionals. At World’s in St. Louis, the CyberKnights went on to win their

division, and take 4th

place overall, and the CyberDaze made it to the semifinals in their division.

During the Bowled Over season, we learned how to mentor the rookie teams as they came into

the program. Our season begins in mid-August where we focus on building skills until the FTC

season started at the beginning of September.

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2012-2013 Season: Ring It Up!

Last year in the Ring It Up competition in FTC, our varsity team 3717, the CyberKnights, were

unsure of how to tackle the game, but we worked endless hours, prototyped, manufactured, and

programmed our way to state. Part of the reason we got to state was because we took our past

experiences creating the engineering notebook and decided to change the way we designed it. We made

it simple, easy to read, and visually appealing.

In the first few weeks while we were analyzing the game, we decided that the requirements

would be to have a robot that is easy to maneuver, hard to push, and powerful. A swerve drive best fit

this description, so even though one had never been made in FTC, we agreed that it would be a good

opportunity to innovate and design something new. The swerve drive met our expectations and was an

asset during competition. The requirements for our scoring arm was to be able to score on the top row of

the scoring rack, and be able to score over another robot. The final result was a four degree freedom of

movement arm with a scoop for collecting and dispensing rings. We also wanted control of the arm to

be very simple so the team programmed it using forward and inverse kinematics. Additionally, we

invested in buying a 3D printer that augmented the robot’s design. 3D printing was critical to the

development of our robot as we used it to make custom gears and innovative components like our

electrical slip rings. As we worked on the swerve drive and electrical slip ring, our team learned how to

properly compile a successful engineering notebook and shared the knowledge with other teams at a

FTC workshop.

Our creative design helped us to excel at state competition. We ended up as the finalist alliance

captain after competing and overcoming the adversity of having nine burned out motors. We were blessed to

be awarded the Inspire award at State as well. After State, one of the areas we wanted to augment on our

robot was making the wiring more organized because it often got tangled up. A member of our team decided

to try making electrical slip rings which would help clean up the wiring on our drive

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train and also help the drivers control the robot better. It took an incredible amount of time just to make

one slip ring, so we were not sure if we had enough time to fit them onto the robot, but we managed to add

them on. The additional slip rings and the existing features on our robot helped us to place second at the

World Championship FTC competition in St. Louis and aided us in winning the Rockwell Collins Innovate

Award.

Last summer, a few members of our robotics team and our coach went on a mission trip with a

group of students from our school to Africa. We worked with the organization Pilgrim Africa and went

to the Beacon of Hope School in Soroti, Uganda with the goal of setting up a robotics program. In

addition, we worked with math and science faculty, teaching them how to run an inquiry based

robotics class as well. For this reason, our team received a “Peace Through Science” award from

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Our team lead’s mother

worked with Pilgrim Africa for several years and she was a member of the Seattle Rotary Club. She

notified the Rotary Club about our accomplishments and the US National Commissioner to UNESCO

presented the award to our FTC team along with a scholarship of $1,000.

Future Plans Summary

Short Term

Our main goal as a team is to win the Rookie All-Star Award, thereby gaining the honor of

participating in the FRC National Championship. To accomplish this goal the team will have to

collaborate not only to achieve an efficient and safe engineering environment, but also to reach out to

fellow FRC teams, and to compile a professional engineering notebook. Most importantly, while

closely working together throughout the season, we aspire to provide special opportunities for each

team member to learn an abundance of skills pertaining to their personal jobs, as well as expertise in the

numerous activities that make our program successful.

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This is our rookie year in the FRC program after being a FTC team for four years. Our team

has expertise in constructing a FTC robot, and we are presently helping our school rookie FTC teams

in the hope of maintaining our King’s legacy in robotics and engineering. Members of our FRC

engineering crew have been sent out to the new FTC teams to assist them in their robot construction;

they will be helping to correct the common problems that a FTC team confronts while constructing

robots. Our members will need to teach clearly, and explain the solutions to their problems using more

understandable terms. By coherently explaining problem solving skills to other teams, our team will

benefit by learning how to approach the future problems we will inevitably face later in our season.

Since obtaining the new workshop area this year, the team is working towards creating a safer

work environment. The safety lead will be certifying people to be able to use the new milling and

manufacturing machines the team is receiving this year. The main robotics mentor is also working with

the safety lead to set up barriers and rules so that only students using the machines will be allowed into

the milling/machine area. This is so students have a minimal chance of getting injured on one of the

machines. The machines are company grade, and could be very dangerous if someone isn’t paying

attention.

Team 4911 aims to streamline the process of creating a business plan format into easily

accessible summaries for the purpose of increasing efficiency and work quality for future business

team members. Additionally, the team intends to recruit more DECA members, either in a part time

mentor position, or a full time team member capacity.

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23 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Action-Implementation Plan

STRATEGY ACTIONS GROUP PLANNED

RESPONSIBLE COMPLETION

Provide -Mentor junior high Engineering sub- June 2014

assistance and through ninth grade team

mentoring to FTC and FLL (Members with

rookie teams new -Student leadership

significant FTC

to the FTC

experience and

and idea exchanges

competition

training)

with other FRC

teams

Inspire interest Mentor robotics Team 4911 Ongoing

in robotics program at Beacon

programs of Hope school in

overseas Soroti, Uganda

Develop strong Combine business Sub-team leads, January 2014

collaboration and engineering sub- mentors

between teams to host FTC

engineering and league meets

non-engineering

teams

Inspire high Robotics Executive Ongoing

school students demonstrations/Q&A

to develop skills sessions

in STEM

Increase Create business plan Business sub-team June 2014

efficiency and template

streamline

procedures on

Business team

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24 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Win Rookie All Focus energies on Team 4911 June 2014

Star award (get service, bringing

to World’s) attention to STEM

fields in community

and abroad, and

developing a high

quality robot for

competition

Compile a Collaborate with Business sub-team June 2014

professional engineering team to and engineering

quality compile information sub-team

engineering as the team develops

notebook and builds the

competition robot

Develop an Put up barriers in Engineering sub- Ongoing

efficient and safe machine shop, Team/Executive

working improve safety

environment for measures and first

engineering and aid training, organize

build sub-teams new space to

increase storage and

efficiency

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25 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Long Term

The CyberKnight team long term goals for FRC are to continue a sustainable program by

reaching out to the student body to keep a steady inflow of rookies. The team will also continue to

have veteran team members serve as team leads, and use the time during the school year before the

FRC game starts in January to teach the rookies the new skills necessary to be a good team member

during the 6 week build season. In this environment, they will be able to further their skills in their

field, yet remain under careful watch of the team lead to ensure correct application of skills. In this

manner, team 4911 will create a system of team members continually learning, solidifying, and

teaching skills to the next rookies after them.

King’s CyberKnights will continue to serve the Beacon of Hope School in Soroti, Uganda

(student body composed of former child soldiers, refugees, and orphans), by giving them the tools

and training they need to teach their students anything they want to learn and to help them find hope

for a profitable and rewarding career. In order to further help these students discover the incredible

opportunities they can have in engineering, the team will return to Uganda this summer 2014, and

continue to work to improve the quality of life for these children.

2% 5%

20%

23% 43%

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King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

SWOT Analysis

Strength Weaknesses

• Coming on as a robust team from • We are brand new to FRC, “sailing in

previous FTC team experience uncharted waters”

• Coach and mentors have been in the field • First time to having a non-engineering

for most of their careers. team.

• We have a variety of strong sponsor • Three times as many people on the team

support in our community. than we are used to; team management is a

• Our school has a STEM based challenge

curriculum so academically we are well • Coach and some mentors are unfamiliar

supported; computer and CAD labs with the procedures of FRC.

• Facilities and machinery are up to date to • Team is unfamiliar with the procedures of

support our sciences. FRC

• We are consistently part of the circle of

teams that helps organize FTC events.

Opportunities Threats

• Outreach programs at The Beacon of • Critical skills for non-engineering teams

Hope school in Uganda to teach the are missing

students robotics • Lack of focus and knowledge of new

• Working with FTC teams in King’s Junior

hardware and software.

High School.

• We have no knowledge and lack of

• Working with the FLL teams in the King’s

experience of how FRC competitions run.

Elementary.

• New machinery that could possibly

• FIRST District meet at Glacier Peak High

malfunction or be misused

School, will give us a chance to prove and

reinvent ourselves.

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What Makes 4911 Unique

The CyberKnights are a collection of individuals utilizing their unique qualities to create a

positive, productive, sustainable team learning experience. The people who constitute the King’s

Robotics community originate from diverse backgrounds with a wide variety of professional

expertise. King’s CyberKnights intentionally works to meet a common goal and gain knowledge for

possible future careers in STEM fields. The team’s support system stretches far beyond the team

members themselves, including the parents, the school, and sponsors. Every member supports one

another, creating an environment that encourages every member to perform to the best of their ability

and endeavor to learn from one another. Team 4911 is unique because even as a young team, the

CyberKnights have carried the FIRST banner to not only their local school and community in Seattle,

but also far away to Idaho, South Los Angeles, and to Uganda Africa. The CyberKnights are making a

real difference in the world.

King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

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31 King’s CyberKnights’ Business Plan

Team Contact Information

Website: http://mhthompson.com/KingsRobotics/FRC/index.php

Team Email: [email protected]

Main Contacts:

Coach Name: Mikel Thompson

Title: Program Director and Coach

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 206-931-8117

Team Meeting Information (before Build Season):

Location: King’s High School

Dates: Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 3:15 to 5pm

Team Meeting Information (during Competition Season):

Location: King’s High School

Dates: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 3:15 to 7pm

Dates: Saturday from 9- 5pm (engineering teams may stay later)

Dates: Sunday from 1- 6pm

Sponsorship Information:

Checks should be made payable to: King’s High School

Donations may be tax deductible; please contact the team for more information.

Mailing Address:

King’s High School, MS-95

19303 Fremont Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98133