The CocoNuts Robotics Website by Vitas Zukowski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."
~ Albert PineThe accomplishment that the CocoNuts are undoubtedly the proudest of is the "explosion" of the FIRST Lego League (FLL) program for elementary and middle school students in Northern Arizona.
The CocoNuts were the very first establishment of the FIRST organization in Flagstaff, Arizona (the only "city" in Northern Arizona). Prior to 2008, there were only 3 FLL teams in the vast expanse of Northern Arizona, with each over 50 miles away from Flagstaff.
In 2008, the CocoNuts decide to change that fact and open up STEM opportunities to all young students in Northern Arizona, so they began with the city of Flagstaff. In the course of less than one year of the CocoNuts' efforts, 16 FLL teams were started across Flagstaff public schools through a STEM Initiative forged by the CocoNuts with the Flagstaff Unified School District. Each CocoNuts team member mentored one or two FLL teams at local elementary and middle schools on their own time, demonstrating their personal commitment to both the ideals of FIRST and their local community.
The growth of FLL in Flagstaff was so significant, that it necessitated an official FLL Regional Competition for Northern Arizona, only the fourth regional FLL competition in Arizona. The CocoNuts graciously decided to host this competition (which they continue to do so). In addition, this single year's growth of FLL was the largest in a single area in one year in the international history of FIRST. To this day, Flagstaff maintains one of the highest amounts of FLL teams per capita in the United States.In 2009, the Flagstaff Unified School District was sadly forced to cut all funding for its STEM Initiative due to severe Arizona state budget cuts targeting education. This STEM Initiative had not only partly funded the CocoNuts , but it had funded all the Flagstaff FLL teams in 2008. But the CocoNuts partnered with a local after school care group, F.A.C.T.S., to not only fund existing teams, but increase the amount of FLL teams in Flagstaff public schools. The CocoNuts also partnered with the Office of the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools to create community teams geared for local home schooled students. In addition, the CocoNuts worked to start and mentor FLL teams at local private and charter schools. All these efforts wound up creating 26 total Flagstaff FLL teams, with 26 attending the CocoNuts' High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza in December of 2009. And continuing the previous year's tradition, each CocoNut mentored one or two FLL teams on their own time after school, investing part of themselves into the success of their younger peers.
The CocoNuts, since 2008, are also a routine presence at the Arizona State FLL Competition at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. In fact, CocoNuts coach Christine Sapio has served as the main emcee at the event since 2008, while the CocoNuts come to Tempe to assist with volunteering and to spread their unique enthusiasm amongst all participants.
Here are videos of the 2008 and 2009 Arizona State FLL Competitions at which eleven total FLL teams mentored by the CocoNuts competed in (6 in 2008, 5 in 2009). Pay attention not only to the announcer (as she is CocoNuts team coach Christine Sapio), but to the red-shirted CocoNuts volunteering in the background!
FIRST LEGO League 2008 Arizona State Tournament - ASU School of Engineering on Vimeo.
(Vimeo video player may not work in Microsoft Internet Explorer, instead try the CocoNuts-endorsed Firefox web browser)FIRST LEGO League 2009 Arizona State Tournament - ASU Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering on Youtube.
The CocoNuts are currently working through their established partnership with the Office of the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools to establish FLL in rural communities across a Coconino County, which spans an area larger than the state of Massachusetts.
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Page last updated 02-20-2010
