Team History and Growth
Since 2011, BC Blaze has been forging a path for hundreds of local youth to explore not only STEAM fields as well as discovering the skills necessary to operate a successful business through focused marketing, vigorous fundraising, and professional writing. BC Blaze is fortunate to have an abundance of adult mentors who fulfill diverse roles required to support a successful FIRST Robotics program. Working together, the team members and mentors provide an invaluable experience that builds character, knowledge, and strength to create a strong community bond. The strengths of the program are illustrated through its deep community connections, strong leadership, and the spirit of gracious professionalism on and off the competition field. BC Blaze’s synergistic relationship with the 3,300 resident community translates to meeting the team’s expanding needs through growing community support.
BC Blaze is committed to introducing elementary and middle school students to FIRST; cultivating excitement about their potential to be leaders in the expanding world of engineering and technology. Our newest initiative is a grant-funded Lego League for third and fourth-grade students at the elementary school. Another way BC Blaze fosters this enthusiasm is through, “Full STEAM Ahead Day,” a half-day workshop for fifth-grade students. Through sessions mentored by team members, students learn about coding, engineering, and the importance of artistic design. Because this event has been so successful, fifth-grade teachers have integrated coding into their yearly curriculum for maximum STEAM exposure. BC Blaze also inspired a robotics class in the sixth-grade curriculum in 2015, and seven years later, remains an integrated class for students.
Thanks to the persistent excitement of the students, the middle school faculty worked together to add an Innovations class in 2018. Through Innovations, seventh-grade students are provided hands-on experiences in building and coding basic robots. “Sparks,” eighth-grade students who have participated in middle school STEAM are encouraged to join the FRC team as fledgling members. Their task is to learn as much about the FRC before they become official First members. This strategy has worked as currently, 60% of the team began as Sparks, and continue to blaze on, including both of our current co-presidents.
As a result of the Sparks program, incoming freshmen are equipped to assume FRC team leadership positions early and have the confidence to enroll in diverse classes, such as business, visual imaging, drafting, woodshop, and CNC machine tooling. Not only does this allow members to develop beneficial skillsets, but also demonstrates the FIRST message of Gracious Professionalism wherever they are. Additionally, the philosophy of FIRST within elective coursework maximizes student exposure.