We’ve had a couple mentions in the news in the past 3 days about the team, their success, and their fundraising efforts for the FIRST Championship. On March 5th, 2022, we received the Inspire Award and Winning Alliance Captain at the Montana State FTC Championship.
Saturday 3/12 – NBC Montana: https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/kalispell-robotics-team-brings-home-another-state-title (click the link to watch the video)
Kalispell robotics team brings home another state title
by Dominic Vitiello Saturday, March 12th 2022
KALISPELL, MONT. — Kalispell’s Girl Scouts robotics team, Roboscout Squad, won the 2022 Montana FIRST Tech Challenge Championship.
The RoboScout Squad is one of the few all-girls teams in the robotics scene.
The tournament was a multipart competition that included robotics, programming, problem-solving, teamwork and public speaking.
“There are no words to say how great this has been. It’s just awesome,” said Lexi Nunnally, Roboscout Squad chief engineer.
The team designed, built and programmed their robot, which they named Grover.
The team hopes to put Montana robotics on the map and encourage girls to pursue STEM activities.
“Definitely want to encourage more young girls especially to pursue STEM activities to prove that it’s not just for men,” said Roboscouts primary driver Kennedy Dortch.
After securing first place in the state championship, the team now faces their next hurdle.
In a race against the clock, the team has around six weeks to come up with $25,000 needed to make it to the world championships in Houston, Texas, where they will compete against hundreds of teams from around the globe.
“Our community is incredibly supportive. They’re very supportive of girls in technology, and they’re very supportive of things that put Montana on the map. We will make it there one way or another,” said team co-coach Krista Nunnally.
The Roboscout Squad is selling Girl Scout cookies, looking for community sponsorships and even started a GoFundMe to raise the funds needed.
The teammates say they’re not taking no for an answer and will make it to Houston after COVID-19 canceled their last world competition.
Friday 3/11 – Daily Inter Lake: https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2022/mar/11/roboscout-squad-wins-state-robotics-tournament/
RoboScout Squad wins state robotics tournament
By HILARY MATHESON
Daily Inter Lake | March 11, 2022 12:00 AM
Command position — first place at the Montana FIRST Tech Challenge robotics tournament. Endpoint position achieved.
The Kalispell RoboScout Squad brought home the state championship trophy and Inspire Award after competing March 5 in Belgrade. The Inspire Award goes to a team with all-around top performances in different areas. Placing second was a Eureka team from Lincoln County High School.
During the competition, the RoboScout Squad, made up of Girl Scouts from troop 3709, built and coded robots to complete missions and objectives centered around a shipping and logistics theme. The team also did a presentation before judges to explain their design process and submitted an engineering portfolio describing the work they did throughout the season.
Now, the RoboScout Squad is hoping to roll toward another win when they compete at their first FIRST Tech Challenge World Championships in Houston April 20-23.
RoboScout coach Krista Nunally said the Montana team will compete against 159 US and international teams.
The team is seeking sponsorships and is looking to raise $25,000 to cover travel, lodging, food, tournament registration and shipping expenses to mail equipment to and from Texas. That amount also includes other expenses such as purchasing uniforms and banners for the team’s booth display during the tournament convention, among others needs.
People may donate online at gofundme.com. People wishing to donate more than $249 and receive a tax-deductible receipt, or wanting to mail a check should contact Krista Nunnally by email at info@roboscoutsquad.com.
For more information visit roboscoutsquad.com or call 406-270-3489.
The FIRST Tech Challenge is geared to seventh- through 12th-graders.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 406-758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.
