Local Outreach

          After Team Driven’s initial year they realized the importance of helping other teams. Every year since then Team Driven has taken a stand to help new and struggling teams find the funding and the tools necessary to be successful in FIRST Robotics. Team Driven has assisted other teams by sending tools, parts, students, and mentors down to their build sites in order to help them understand what Robotics is all about. They have assisted them in brainstorming ideas, building chassis, and helping them to define their identities for FIRST.

          In order to come up with the funds for helping other teams, Team Driven established the Robots Working Together program in 2009. The program is funded by T-shirt sales at the Cowtown Throwdown put on by Team Driven and Cerner. Robots Working Together is a bank account that any struggling or new teams in the area can access to purchase the parts needed in order to function. The funds raised in 2009 went to helping the new ACE Academy team to purchase tools and parts for their robot.

          Team Driven has led the way in the Kansas City area for reaching out to struggling teams and they continue this giving spirit by asking the teams who received the donations to pass it down to another team when they have enough funds to function.

ACE Academy

       During the 2009 season, Team Driven and Team 1987 BroncoBots, visited the newly formed ACE Academy team in downtown Kansas City. Several mentors and students from Team Driven and the BroncoBots visited their build site and brought with them parts and tools purchased with funds raised at the Cowtown Throwdown.
       Team Driven and BroncoBots members explained the purpose of FIRST Robotics to the ACE Academy students and helped them to brainstorm ideas for their robot. By the time we left, ACE Academy was not only able to drive their robot they also had a better grasp of the importance of FIRST’s message. 
       The ACE Academy team was asked to "Pay it Forward" and provide similar assistance to another new team when they were able to.

Team Driven is dedicated to furthering FIRST’s message of Gracious Professionalism by providing help to teams in need and encouraging other teams to do so as well. Visit ACE Academy's web site here.