NHTSA mentors Phelps HS robotics team

It should be pretty clear by now that I love my job, and for many reasons. But, mostly it's because of the dedicated people working at DOT. And a special crew at NHTSA offers a terrific example.

These folks have been giving up their evenings and weekends to mentor students at DC's Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School in the FIRST Robotics Competition. This year, Phelps Robotics Team 2912 earned 3rd place at the DC Regional Competition, and NHTSA Administrator David Strickland went to Phelps for their FIRST Robotics awards ceremony.

NHTSA mentors work with members of Phelps HS Robotics Team 2912 on their robot

FIRST--For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology--was founded by renowned inventor Dean Kamen, who you may know as the inventor of the Segway and many other innovative creations. Kamen's mission for the FIRST challenge programs is "to transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders."

But the program also encourages what Kamen calls "gracious professionalism," a way of competing that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

Watch an animated simulation of the challenge the Phelps team faced in this year's competition.

As proud as Administrator Strickland and I are of the NHTSA mentors' role in supporting that vision, we both agree that the Phelps students are the real stars. These students chose to apply to Phelps--a selective, citywide, comprehensive high school with a rigorous curriculum based in math and science--and then chose to form a FIRST Robotics Competition team.

This engagement in their own education will take them far, perhaps even to a future as NHTSA scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.

Phelps Robotics Team 2912

That they took 3rd place in a competition featuring more than 50 teams from 11 states is also a testament to their persistence. You see, this is only their second year fielding a robotics team, and in their first year they placed second to last. Plus, the team is comprised exclusively of freshmen and sophomores with no upperclassmen. I think that says something very promising about these kids.

Speaking to the Phelps students, Administrator Strickland called them "builders and thinkers," and alerted them to the many possible applications of their skills:

"As I look at all of you, I’m wondering which one of you will be working an underwater robot to successfully cap a gushing oil well. Or which one of you will help save the lives of troops with your work. Or which one of you will go on to design the next generation Mustang."

A Phelps student reviews the process with NHTSA Administrator David Strickland

And he reminded them of the important lesson offered by FIRST's emphasis on gracious professionalism, that "fierce competition and mutual gain are not mutually exclusive."

Congratulations to Phelps Robotics Team' 2912 and their generous mentors from NHTSA. And I encourage them to enjoy the summer. After all, FIRST Robotics Competition 2010-2011 is just around the corner!

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

This is a great story that shows what our education system can and does do in spite of major budget cutbacks, top heavy scool and district administration, and teacher layoffs. This is terrific and its great that DOT's Highway Administration staff are involved in helping the program and students. More programslike this one are needed. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Sam Snead]

This is an excellent program. I was a mentor for a group at the University of Rhode Island while in graduate school. They secured first place in the New England Regional Competition in 2004.