Past Outreach
Check out our outreach events from over the past 3 years!
2019-2020 Outreach
CuriOdyssey First Friday
CuriOdyssey is a science museum at Coyote Point that hosts these events called First Friday. For the February First Friday, we were invited to come to show our robot to a few attendees. Some other teams, such as team 5026, came and we got to show off our robot together. Although
Although our robot began to malfunction at the beginning of the event, eventually, we managed to squeeze in a few rounds of catch before the event ended.
CuriOdyssey is a science museum at Coyote Point that hosts these events called First Friday. For the February First Friday, we were invited to come to show our robot to a few attendees. Some other teams, such as team 5026, came and we got to show off our robot together. Although our robot began to malfunction at the beginning of the event, eventually, we managed to squeeze in a few rounds of catch before the event ended.
Holiday Heroes
On December 10, the Bots were invited to attend the Holiday Heroes event at Oracle Park. Placed near the
the entrance of the baseball stadium, families circled around the robotics booth, waiting for their turn to catch the ball and throw it back into the robot wearing a fun Santa hat. Older kids were given the chance to learn about how the robot works and eventually drive it around the designated area while shooting balls for other kids to catch
catch. Adults were interested in the team’s organization programs and self-driven dedication to learning STEM.
On December 10, the Bots were invited to attend the Holiday Heroes event at Oracle Park. Placed near the entrance of the baseball stadium, families circled around the robotics booth, waiting for their turn to catch the ball and throw it back into the robot wearing a fun Santa hat. Older kids were given the chance to learn about how the robot works and eventually drive it around the designated area while shooting balls for other kids to catch. Adults were interested in the team’s organization programs and self-driven dedication to learning STEM.
8th Grade Night
To introduce the incoming freshmen to the campus and school organizations, Mills High School holds an annual “8th Grade Night,” allowing 8th graders from local middle schools to get a glimpse of the student life at Mills. The eighth-graders and their families are sent on a “scavenger hunt,” collecting stamps from various landmarks around the school. Being the largest club on campus, our team’s Makerspace was a landmark on the scavenger hunt each year, which allowed us to interact and recruit future members. This event not only gave our team the opportunity to advertise ourselves, but also let team members describe their own experiences on the team.
FIRST Lego League Qualifying Tournament
The team makes weekly announcements to its members about the FLL and FTC volunteering opportunities in our area. In November, several members went to both the FIRST Lego League Qualifying Tournament at Lowell High School and the FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifying Tournament at Burlingame High School. The Boba Bots firmly believe in the FIRST chain of progression, and that inspiring kids to join STEM programs starts from a young age.
Millbrae Lunar New Year Parade
This year, our team took part in the local Lunar New Year Parade. Alongside other Millbrae organizations and the Dragon team from our school, we marched
marched between the crowds of people and showed off our robot. Although people were there mostly expecting to watch the dragon’s performance and listen to the drumming of the music, I think many were excited to see our robot as well.
This year, our team took part in the local Lunar New Year Parade. Alongside other Millbrae organizations and the Dragon team from our school, we marched between the crowds of people and showed off our robot. Although people were there mostly expecting to watch the dragon’s performance and listen to the drumming of the music, I think many were excited to see our robot as well.
Hour of Code
The Boba Bots reached out to Taylor Middle School, our local middle school and long-time partner, to organize
organize an Hour Of Code event. During our workshop, we taught nine middle schoolers basic Javascript using “Counter Hack”, a program provided by Tynker. Through the program was mostly self-guided, we helped the students out by explaining concepts in further depth and helped to debug code when it wasn’t working. At the end of the hour, we also brought out our robot to show the students how code was applied in real-life situations.
The Boba Bots reached out to Taylor Middle School, our local middle school and long-time partner, to organize an Hour Of Code event. During our workshop, we taught nine middle schoolers basic Javascript using “Counter Hack”, a program provided by Tynker. Through the program was mostly self-guided, we helped the students out by explaining concepts in further depth and helped to debug code when it wasn’t working. At the end of the hour, we also brought out our robot to show the students how code was applied in real-life situations. Each student also received a certificate for their completion of the Hour of Code program, as well as cookies!
Each student also received a certificate for their completion of the Hour of Code program, as well as cookies!
Grand Avenue Branch Library Pop-up Event
On December 7th, the Boba Bots were offered an opportunity to demonstrate our robot in South San Francisco. As questions of our robot went on, we actually managed to casually drop in a few FIRST competition mechanics from our 2019 game. Kids also found more creative ways to play with the robot! Instead we
of launching the cargo ball up into the air for someone else to catch it, they tried to headbutt it back into the cargo launcher.
On December 7th, the Boba Bots were offered an opportunity to demonstrate our robot in South San Francisco. As questions of our robot went on, we actually managed to casually drop in a few FIRST competition mechanics from our 2019 game. Kids also found more creative ways to play with the robot! Instead of launching the cargo ball up into the air for someone else to catch it, they tried to headbutt it back into the cargo launcher.
Green Hills Community Day
It is part of the Boba Bots mission to bring STEM education not only to the students at Mills High School, but also to the rest of
of our community. Boba FET visited Green Hills Elementary, playing a modified version of basketball using this year’s game pieces. Kids also played a robot trivia game, and earned Boba Bot stickers for participating!
It is part of the Boba Bots mission to bring STEM education not only to the students at Mills High School, but also to the rest of our community. Boba FET visited Green Hills Elementary, playing a modified version of basketball using this year’s game pieces. Kids also played a robot trivia game, and earned Boba Bot stickers for participating!
Mills High School Club Faire
our team. This was a great opportunity to recruit new members into our team and teach students about robotics.
Every year, Mills holds a club fair, giving various clubs a chance to advertise their purpose and function to students. At Club Faire, our team brought out the robot and drove it around, while telling fellow students about our
Every year, Mills holds a club fair, giving various clubs a chance to advertise their purpose and function to students. At Club Faire, our team brought out the robot and drove it around, while telling fellow students about our team. This was a great opportunity to recruit new members into our team and teach students about robotics.
Iris Automation
On July 24th, Iris Automation invited the Boba Bots to their headquarters in San Francisco for lunch and a presentation. The Boba Bots explained to the Iris Automation team what FIRST is, how the team is structured, and what the team does each year. The Boba Bots then met up with various Iris employees to talk about their jobs and how they got there, and even received some helpful advice about out own college and career paths.
Taylor Middle School
On June 5th, the Boba Bots took a trip to our local middle school. The team presented to multiple eighth grade classes, giving the childre
middle school students an introduction to FIRST and FRC. The students also learned about the Boba Bots team structure, as we briefly explained the roles and responsibilities of each department. After the slideshow, we took the students outside for a robot demonstration. The students were able to get up close and interact with Boba FET, and some even got the opportunity to drive the robot!
On June 5th, the Boba Bots took a trip to our local middle school. The team presented to multiple eighth grade classes, giving the middle school students an introduction to FIRST and FRC. The students also learned about the Boba Bots team structure, as we briefly explained the roles and responsibilities of each department. After the slideshow, we took the students outside for a robot demonstration. The students were able to get up close and interact with Boba FET, and some even got the opportunity to drive the robot!
Bancroft Middle School Family Science Night
On November 14th, the Boba Bots were offered the chance to display our robot at Bancroft Middle School, located across the bay in San Leandro. Kids interacted with the robot as we drove it around the classroom, and had the chance to come up with questions to ask about FIRST, FRC, or robotics. This event allowed us to reach out to a community that had no prior experience with FIRST and a high demographic of traditionally underrepresented groups.
Green Hills Math Night
Working alongside CAM Educational Services and the Burlingame Iron Panthers, our team was able to reach out to hello
elementary-aged children and help foster their interest in STEM. We were also able to entertain them using our robot’s unique capabilities. After a quick demonstration, we taught interested kids how to shoot the balls using our joystick. This event was a good opportunity to converse with parents and explain the opportunities FIRST provides for younger grades, such as FIRST Lego League Jr.
Working alongside CAM Educational Services and the Burlingame Iron Panthers, our team was able to reach out toelementary-aged children and help foster their interest in STEM. We were also able to entertain them using our robot’s unique capabilities. After a quick demonstration, we taught interested kids how to shoot the balls using our joystick. This event was a good opportunity to converse with parents and explain the opportunities FIRST provides for younger grades, such as FIRST Lego League Jr.
Engineering Night
On October 11th, the Boba Bots hosted the first ever Engineering Night. Mills students were invited to attend a presentation given by Professor Thomas Lee, who teaches Electrical Engineering at Stanford. Members learned about the history of Silicon Valley, and how its face has changed over the course of many decades. Students and the professor also engaged in conversations regarding the pursuit of engineering as a potential future career.
Millbrae Machines
On August 17th, the Millbrae Lions Club hosted their annual car show featuring over 250 amazing vehicles. The Boba Bots joined the show
show, featuring Boba FET in downtown Millbrae. Children at the car show played a game of catch with Boba FET, trying to toss the “cargo” into the flywheel shooter. The Boba Bots would like to thank Mr. Caccia and the Millbrae Lions Club for inviting us to this wonderful event!
On August 17th, the Millbrae Lions Club hosted their annual car show featuring over 250 amazing vehicles. The Boba Bots joined the show, featuring Boba FET in downtown Millbrae. Children at the car show played a game of catch with Boba FET, trying to toss the “cargo” into the flywheel shooter. The Boba Bots would like to thank Mr. Caccia and the Millbrae Lions Club for inviting us to this wonderful event!
San Mateo County Fair
The Boba Bots worked with other FRC teams to create a robot display at the San Mateo County Fair. During the event, kids and adults alike came to drive and interact with the robot. The demonstrations allowed the team to the
display Boba FET’s abilities on the game field, and gave the team the opportunity to introduce newcomers to the FIRST organization.
The Boba Bots worked with other FRC teams to create a robot display at the San Mateo County Fair. During the event, kids and adults alike came to drive and interact with the robot. The demonstrations allowed the team to display Boba FET’s abilities on the game field, and gave the team the opportunity to introduce newcomers to the FIRST organization.
Maker Faire
The Maker Faire, as a showcase of innovation for everyone, from artists to engineers, to exhibit their creations, was the perfect place for the Boba Bots to demonstrate Boba FET’s abilities. Working with other local FRC and FTC teams to run a FIRST booth at the San Mateo Maker Faire, the teams hoped to not only entertain the attendees, but to inspire them to become makers themselves. We also looked to spread awareness of FIRST to the community by having team members answer questions from the audience while they watched the demonstrations. After the robot demonstrations, the team went to enjoy the rest of the fair. Our electronics lead, Carolyn Yee, even made a tiny model of last year’s robot at one of the exhibits.
2018-2019 Outreach
MV Code Club
During the 2018 offseason, the Boba Bots visited the MV Code Club, a local computer science education program that teaches coding, game development, web development and robotics for grades K-8. The team brought the L Evader for a demonstration, as well as a presentation going over the basic aspects of robotics and engineering covered in FRC. The team also answered questions from parents and students about the specifics of the team, and how their programming work could be applicable in the real world. By showing them our own robot code, the team hoped to inspire the students at the MV Code Club to continue working on their coding projects, and one-day program something as complex as our robot.
San Mateo County Fair
Although the L Evader was done with official competitions, the robot was long from being retired. The Boba Bots went to the San Mateo County Fair, demonstrating alongside other FRC and FTC teams to create a robot attraction in the technology zone. The L Evader lifted power cubes onto the makeshift scale, showing off the newly repaired elevator mechanism.
Millbrae National Night Out
The first Tuesday of August is named National Night Out; an event dedicated to community-building and promoting police-community partnerships. For National Night Out 2018, the city of Millbrae hosted a movie night at the local central park. Along with a few other local organizations, the Boba Bots brought the L Evader to join the party.
Millbrae Machine
Thanks to the Millbrae Lions Club, one of our amazing sponsors, we were able to have a spot at the Millbrae Machines Motor Show to demonstrate our robot. We set up at a booth provided by the Millbrae Lions Club and promoted FIRST, driving our robot and providing information about the organization to the people enjoying the show. This was a great opportunity to increase our presence in our community, and further our goal of promoting STEM involvement in our community.
2017-2018 Outreach
SMART Program
SMART (Students Making Awesome Robotic Technology) is a robotics-curriculum-based weekly class opened up to 20 eighth graders from the local community. Students participated in activities based upon what the Mills Robotics Team uses to train new members. Students learned basic skills from each department, which include programming, electronics, construction, and public relations/business. This introductory course gives students an idea of what a robotics team is like, as well as what they can learn from being in the team.