About « Aquidneck Island Robotics

About

Aquidneck Island Robotics (AIR) is a 4-H club dedicated to mentoring local youth about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. AIR is organized under the National 4-H council and locally under Rhode Island 4-H.

Rhode Island 4-H is the youth outreach education program of Cooperative Extension in the University of Rhode Island’s College of the Environment and Life Sciences. The organization offers “hands-on” learning activities for young people so they will become productive citizens. Self directed study and “Learning by Doing” are key to the attraction and success of the 4-H program.

AIR members compete in four different robotics competitions. Three of those competitions are coordinated by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). For the 2011-2012 competition season, we will have teams competing in these FIRST Programs:

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) – A unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high-school-aged young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of engineers and researchers can be.
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) – A mid-level robotics competition for high-school-aged young people. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST Robotics Competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.
FIRST Lego League (FLL) – An exciting and fun global robotics program that ignites an enthusiasm for discovery, science, and technology in kids ages 9 to 14.

The fourth competition AIR competes in is the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC). VRC is a mid-level robotics competition where students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, aim to build the most innovative robots possible.

Within all four types of competition, the game the robot must play changes yearly. Each team builds a new robot from scratch to compete. Our teams compete in state and regional competitions to earn a spot in their respective programs championship event. Members not only learn about STEM subjects, but also about the importance of teamwork, planning, and communication.

AIR would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, volunteers, donors, and families. They believe in the long term benefits of getting youth interested in science and technology.