Robotics: Purposed Me A New Life by Tania

Robotics: Purposed Me A New Life by Tania - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

During my sophomore year of high school, I was going through a very personal phase. I felt empty inside, and I had no idea why. The feeling was saddening and challenging to handle, but it seemed to disappear when I focused on school. I was eager to find a new sports club that would get me distracted from that empty feeling and help me find my purpose. I was already the Golf captain for the Girls Varsity Team, but this was not enough for me. I had to do something more than just golf to fill in that hole of desolation. I decided to apply to my school's robotics team! This engineering club was something new to me, and I grew excited at the thought of joining. After an hour interview with the mentors who run the program, I was in. I became a part of the team. I have been a member of this Varsity Robotics STEM Team for three years now, and it has benefited me in numerous life-changing ways. We are called FRC 3005 The RoboChargers partnered with FIRST, which is a nonprofit STEM organization. FIRST helps young people like me discover new skills and knowledge that are helpful for our future. This is done through countless hands-on experiences with the mentorship of real-life engineers who work at Texas Instruments, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and in various other technical professions.

My first year in the robotics club became my getaway, and it gave me a new outlook on life. I noticed that this program was like no other that I had ever been a part of before. I came into a whole new community filled with people who were welcoming and friendly. It was contagious! In the blink of an eye, I became well known amongst other robotics teams in and out of Texas, which was awe-inspiring because it gave me a sense of family. As I went through my first year, it was difficult for me to build a robot, let alone program one, but I learned how to. I made it my priority to build, program, CAD, and wire a robot. But what I loved the most about the team was the business and the media side of it. Learning the Marketing and Media perspective was where I found my inner and outer satisfaction. Shortly thereafter, with the obdurate work I was embedding, I became Social Media Manager, Lead Scout, Lead on Outreach, Engineering Journalism Lead, and the Marketing Lead for the team. This unlocked leadership skills inside of me I didn’t realize I had. I began with small projects like making flyers, creating presentations, directing meetings, and designing the team's website. My responsibilities quickly increased. I then started writing grants, planning fundraisers, speaking to local businesses, and reaching out for sponsors. This one-of-a-kind experience is one I’ll never forget, and I am confident that it has cast me into who I am today.

Needless to say, I developed a passion for Marketing, Management, and Advertising; overall, the idea of aspiring a career in the business world was sparked because of robotics. For example, my most important responsibility as the Marketing Lead is to reach $100,000 for the team each year. This covers team expenses such as team travel, gear, food, hotel stays, competition fees, supplies for robots, and more. Because of these efforts, the team and I not only met but exceeded the goal in the last three years. All of this can be extremely overwhelming to be handling at my age, especially being a high school student with dual credit courses to top it all off. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed my experiences from the very beginning. The robotics team has taught me meaningful lessons and has filled me up with the knowledge I know will serve me well after high school and in the real world for a lifetime. I have seen myself grow a significant amount and blossom from teamwork, confidence, management skills, the ability to work under pressure, fast adaptability, project management, and community outreach skills.

Within those lines, this year, I am beyond proud of being part of a team where we have set the bar high enough for all the other teams around Texas. Defeating World Record in the University Interscholastic League in April is one of many goals so far. We have been the Alliance Captain at every single FRC competition and also have advanced to compete in the World Championship in Houston, TX, for the fourth time in a row. In August, I became a Senior Mentor for FLL (First Lego League part of FIRST) assisting elementary and middle school students in competing at the State level. There are many more plans I have to execute in the upcoming months, and I am thrilled about what they will draw to my life. I look back at how much I have done for the team and how much this club has done for me within the FIRST community and still cannot process everything. I’ve come so far in 3 short years, and I realize this is just the beginning of what I can accomplish personally and academically as I prepare to graduate. Reflecting on my team and I's successful projects over the years has given me the confidence that I craved, provided the purpose that I needed, and reminded me of the bright future I have in store.