The CocoNuts Robotics Website by Vitas Zukowski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Civic Engagement
The CocoNuts have spoken to both the Flagstaff City Council and the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) Governing Board numerous times regarding their accomplishments in the FIRST Tech Challenge and the FIRST Robotics Competition. The CocoNuts even received a standing ovation from the FUSD School Board during one visit when announcing their receipt of the Arizona FRC Chairman's Award.
In 2010, the Flagstaff Unified School District will be forced to close a high school due to severe Arizona educational budget cuts, and the FUSD Governing Board is currently deciding whether to close Sinagua High School or Coconino High School. The CocoNuts stood along with the rest of Coconino HS in simply highlighting the positive aspects of Coconino HS instead of putting the other school down. The CocoNuts attended two FUSD school-closure forums in February 2010. Instead of engaging in argument, the CocoNuts stood up and negated wrongful criticism of their school with stories of their accomplishments and factual demonstrations of their positive impact in Northern Arizona.
STEM Outreach
The CocoNuts have been and will be continue to perform demonstrations for local schools to get younger kids excited about science and engineering, as well as to recruit students to the CocoNuts from other local middle and high schools.
The CocoNuts also are heavily involved with Flagstaff's annual "Festival of Science," participating in both the Northern Arizona University Mountain Campus Science and Engineering Day and the "Science in the Park" event in downtown Flagstaff's Wheeler Park.
In March 2010, the CocoNuts will be heading down to Prescott, Arizona to engage in a day-long series of presentations for over 800 K-8 students. It is the CocoNuts' intention that this kickstarts the FIRST Lego League program in the Prescott/Prescott Valley/Chino Valley area in a similar fashion to what happened in Flagstaff.
School Involvement
The CocoNuts present and are recognized at Coconino High School pep assemblies, most recently partnering with the CHS Danceline for a "Terminator" themed performance featuring out 2009 robot, "Astra".
The CocoNuts have also formed partnerships with other school clubs and organizations: from being contracted to make honor roll keychains by the CHS Counseling Department, to contracting the CHS Panther Cafe Foods Class to provide catering at the High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza.
Community Engagement
The CocoNuts march in the Annual Flagstaff 4th of July Parade with their robots, in addition to holding educational presentations and demonstrations at the Annual Coconino County Fair.
At the 2009 High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza, the CocoNuts partnered with the Flagstaff Elks Club to coordinate a canned food drive competition involving participating teams. The food collected during this drive was then used for the Elks Club's Christmas food boxes that were distributed to the needy families of Flagstaff.
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Page last updated 02-20-2010
