Team 167 Heads Back to Houston – Parent Meeting March 31

Good evening,

As you’ve probably heard, Team 167 is headed back to Houston! We are incredibly proud of the team for defying expectations and earning back-to-back Championship appearances. The regional was a thrill to watch, and the team’s efforts between Winona and Iowa truly helped the robot thrive.

The coaches and mentors really want to emphasize the importance of earning the Gracious Professionalism Award. The Children of the Corn are fun-loving and spirited, but this award and the 5 points it earned was what put us over the edge to qualify. FIRST and Iowa City Robotics are about more than just robots. Being strong team members, respectful competitors, and active contributors in community events played a major role in getting us here. We don’t want that achievement to be overlooked.

We will hold a parent meeting for all interested families on Tuesday, March 31, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Tentatively, this will be in Meeting Room D at the Iowa City Library, pending confirmation. If not, we will host via Zoom. A recording and notes will be shared afterward.

The FIRST Championship in Houston runs April 29 to May 2, plus travel days. We know this is a busy time, with some students returning from a band trip just before the competition. That said, this is an incredible learning opportunity beyond the robot game. Students can attend seminars, network with companies and universities at the Innovation Faire, and more.

There are many financial and logistical decisions to make quickly. Last year, the team took 25 students and mentors for roughly $40,000. We are working to keep costs low and provide financial assistance as needed. Student fees last year were $1,000, which is a rough starting point for planning discussions. This number is not yet finalized, and may rise. Please talk with your student about whether attending is possible and be ready to discuss conditions for participation at Tuesday’s meeting.

We want to help families make the best decisions and we do not want to discourage anyone. This is a rare and incredible opportunity, and we are thrilled to have the chance to do it again.

Please send any questions or thoughts beforehand. I will compile them into the slide deck to guide our discussion. If you are interested in helping with fundraising, please reach out! We have a group of parents already hard at work to make this happen. The team's PayPal Giving

Campaign can be found here.

Thanks,

Madison Livermore

Iowa City Robotics