2017 Making It Loud Award

Congratulations to Mark Anderson, winner of the 2017 Bob Trojan “Making It Loud” Award. This award honors an individual or community organization who has worked to promote FIRST Robotics programs.

Mark has dedicated countless hours over many years to supporting FIRST Lego League in the Rick River Valley. Starting as an FLL coach of both home and school based teams and progressing on to organizing and running FLL regional competitions. When FLL expanded in our community and outgrew one regional competition, he didn’t hesitate at hosting two Regionals each season on two different weekends providing hundreds of local youth the opportunity to show their skills to their friends, families and our community.

 

2017 Scholarship Winners

Rock River Off-season Competition and RVC Foundation are pleased to announce the inaugural scholarship class. These four $1,000 scholarships are designated for post-high school educational institutions. Of 32 completed applications in 2017, these four students exemplified the necessary commitment to and excellence in integrating FIRST Robotics into their educational, personal, career and community experience. Congratulations to these recipients:

Emmarie A.
Hometown: Belvidere, IL
FRC Team: 3352, Flaming Monkeys
Graduating Year: 2018
Post-High School Plans: Anticipated Biomedical Engineering major at four-year institution

Isabelle T.
Hometown: Oswego, IL
FRC Team: 2338, Gear It Forward
Graduating Year: 2018
Post-High School Plans: Anticipated Mechanical and Robotics Engineering major at four-year institution

Spencer T.
Hometown: Waukesha, WI
FRC Team: 2062, C.O.R.E.
Graduating Year: 2017
Post-High School Plans: Anticipated Mechanical Engineering major at Milwaukee School of Engineering

Andrew T.
Hometown: DeKalb, IL
FRC Team: 5934, Crowbotics
Graduating Year: 2017
Post-High School Plans: Anticipated Applied Mathematics major at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

2016 Competition Winners

Congratulations to the 2016 Rock River Off-Season Competition winners.

Competition Champions:
2451, PWNAGE; 2338, Gear It Forward; 5934 Crowbotics; 2202, BEAST Robotics

Competition Finalists:
1625, Winnovation; 2081, Icarus;, 4241, Joliet Cyborgs;  5125 Hawks on the Horizon

Many thanks to all participating teams. We hope you enjoyed the event and will be back in 2017!

2016 Reach Out and Read

As a community Connection, R2OC supports Crusader Clinic and Reach Out and Read.

reach_out_and_read_logo Crusader Clinic is a community based, non-profit health center that serves the Rock River Valley area. Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization of medical providers who promote early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.

At the 2016 competition, teams donated over 350 books to Reach Out and Read. Congratulations to Team 3352, Flaming Monkeys, for donating the most books. We appreciate their efforts as well as those of all participating teams.

2016 Midwest Regional Competition

Congratulations to the four Northern Illinois Teams that competed at the Midwest Regional: 1625, Winnovation; 2039, Rockford Robotics; 3352, Flaming Monkeys; and 4655, Stateline Robotics. All four teams made it to the Eliminations Rounds.

Special shout-outs to the Flaming Monkeys for winning the Imagery Award, Rockford Robotics for winning the Gracious Professionalism Award, and  Winnovation for winning the Innovation in Control Award.

The Flaming Monkeys were also part of the winning alliance and will compete at the World Championship in St. Louis.