Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for December 17th, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have our regular meetings on Monday from 6 pm to 9 pm and Wednesday from 6 pm to 8 pm.  If you ordered coffee you can pick it up at the Monday or Wednesday meetings before winter break. There will be an optional tour of FedTech’s facilities on Tuesday, December 20th, at 3:30 pm. Students need to provide their own transportation, so have a plan or ask in #rideshare on Slack! Also, we will not be meeting the week of winter break and will return on Wednesday, January 4th with a 6-8 meeting. After that, we have Kick-Off starting at 10:45 am on Saturday, January 7th, where Build Season will begin and FIRST will release the 2023 game! This will be super exciting and all students are required to be there!

Reminders:

As wintery weather sets in, here’s an update on KnightKrawler’s meeting cancellation policy. All decisions for regular vs optional meetings will be made by noon and communication will go out on Slack and via email. We will generally follow the steps of the Irondale activities office.

Students, remember to fill out the Woodie Flowers and Deans List nomination forms. They are posted in #announcements, and are due soon! These awards recognize students and mentors who inspire others and follow the core values of FIRST. Secondly, a clarification about meetings and our build season schedule. Students reached out saying what we mean by regular and optional meetings is sometimes confusing.

During build season we have four regular meetings (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), which you are expected to attend, and if you cannot be there, you need to send an email to [email protected]. However, sometimes we also have optional meetings. Attend these meetings if you have a task to work on. The timing of optional meetings can change, so keep an eye on #announcements whenever you are attending one. 

Parents and Volunteers remember to help your student register on the FIRST website. This is important for students to attend competitions with the team. If you have any questions, use Slack to message @Bryan Herbst or email [email protected]

Asks:

As we look towards Build Season, KnightKrawler will need help building a field (what the robots drive on) for Week Zero ( the practice competition) we host. If you have technical skills (or if you can hold a paintbrush!) reach out to Steve Pesklo on Slack or by emailing him using [email protected] to help us set up or build the field. KnightKrawler is proud to offer this opportunity for other teams to come and practice on a real full-sized field, but without your help, this isn’t possible. Thanks to all of our past and future volunteers who assisted us in making Week Zero happen.

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Comcast. As a leader in internet, media, and technology, Comcast is committed to bringing digital equity and lifting up projects in local communities. KnightKrawler is proud to have a sponsor like Comcast. Thanks, Comcast for sponsoring KnightKrawler!  If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Emily Davis for presenting about Scrum at our Monday meeting, and to Anika, Lynnea, and Nicole for working on the Romi robots on controls. Keep learning java and prepping for Build Season, you guys!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for December 10th, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead, we have meetings on Monday from 6 pm to 9 pm and Wednesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. Come prepared to do a TEST post-mortem on Monday! There is also a mandatory Parents Of KnightKrawler meeting on Monday, December 12 from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Reminders:

Coffee Sale Alert! Until Tuesday morning the 13th at 7am, we are taking orders for 3 most popular roasts.

• Early Morning Krawl – Medium roast
• Blue Banner Brew – Dark roast
• Dark Mode – Extra dark roast

All roasts are available in whole bean or ground. $15 for a 16 oz. bag. Coffee can be paid for and picked up at the Wednesday, Dec 21st robotics meeting. Here’s the link for the form: FORM LINK (Issue with the form? Ask a team member or Slack @scott.davis)

Additionally, if you’ve been waiting to get your formal uniform, no need to worry! Each student is provided with a gold shirt and a work shirt. If you would like to have more than one shirt they are available to order via the link! SHIRT LINK

Parents and Volunteers, mark your calendars. There is a mandatory PoK meeting Monday, Dec 12th starting at 6:15 pm until 8ish in room LL30. Here is the POK Meeting Agenda:

• Upcoming Events
• Budget Review
• Sponsors
• Build Season /Schedule
• Kickoff
• Build Season Lunches
• Week Zero / field construction
• Competition and Travel

Asks:

Time is getting tight for us to secure our hotel for the FIRST Championship in Houston Texas. KnightKrawler needs help calling hotels and asking for information and quotes. If you know anything about the area or can donate time to the team, please message @Ben Johnson on Slack or email [email protected] with the subject line, “Hotels.” Any help we can get with this would be amazing and helps ensure our travel can be equitable for our students!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting SoftLake Solutions. SoftLake Solutions is a data analysis company, and their commitment to finding creative solutions and guiding clients through times of stress and times of prosperity inspires us at KnightKrawler to follow our values, including innovation and unflappability. Thanks for sponsoring KnightKrawler SoftLake Solutions! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to both of our turtle TEST teams for buckling down and getting their robots done in time for the competition. We’re so proud of all your hard work, and can’t wait to see how you implement the skills you learned in the upcoming build season!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for December 3rd, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have a meeting on Monday, from 6 pm to 9 pm, and on Wednesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. Our turtle TEST competition will be on December 10 at Tanglen Elementary school. This week is the last week of meetings before TEST so we will have optional meetings on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, keep an eye on #announcements for updates regarding those!

Reminders:

Students, remember to be at school at 7:15 am on Saturday, December 10 for the turtle TEST competition. Also, there are NO concessions at TEST so everyone will have to bring a sack lunch! Here’s what else you need to know about TEST:

• Bring: Formal Uniform or Irondale High School apparel, Safety glasses, Closed-toe shoes, Sack lunch, optional– notebook, and writing utensil for pit scouting.
• The bus should return to Irondale around 6:45 in the evening.

Parents and Volunteers, mark your calendars. There is a mandatory PoK meeting Monday, Dec 12th starting at 6:15 pm until 8ish in room LL30. We will discuss the team’s budget, donations, build season meeting changes, Week Zero competition, and more. The full agenda will be posted in the next update.

Asks:

Parents of KnightKrawler need a few volunteers to call Houston area hotels. We need to get pricing and other logistical information to plan for the trip to the 2023 First Championship. If you are interested in helping call hotels or are familiar with the Houston area and have any recommendations, please contact [email protected] or message Benjamen Johnson on Slack. By setting the accommodations up now, we get a better price that makes it less expensive for every student on the team, so this work is essential to having an equitable trip to Houston!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Medtronic. Medtronic is one of KnightKrawler’s longtime sponsors, and this relationship has allowed our team to make a long-lasting impact on students and our community over the years. This year KnightKrawler was honored to receive Medtronic’s 2021 Inclusion, Diversity & Equity award. Thank you for your sponsorship, Medtronic! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos are a shout-out to everyone planning and attending the December 8th Asian New Year celebration and to Tommy Lee and Tu for bringing attention to this awesome event! Everyone is welcome to join in the festivities at Irondale, see attached flyer for more information!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for November 26, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have our scheduled meetings on Monday, from 6 pm to 9 pm, and Wednesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. Keep an eye on #announcements for the time for a possible optional meeting on Thursday. Reminder our Turtle Test competition will be on December 10 and like Minne Mini, this is an all-day event!

Reminders:

Students, our Turtle Test competition is on December 10. There will be a bus to and from Tanglen Elementary School. The call time for the bus is at 7:15 am, and the bus will be leaving at 7:30 am; we will not be waiting after that! Our return time should be around 6:45 pm ~ 7 pm. Use the Slack call feature if Irondale’s front doors are locked when you arrive for a meeting. If you message in Slack they may not see it, so using the call feature is way more likely to work. Remember, there are only 4 meetings until the Turtle Test competition; make sure that each counts! We will send an update about an optional meeting on Thursday, December 1 in #announcements.

 Parents and Volunteers, you are welcome to join us at Tanglen elementary in Minnetonka for the Turtle Test competition on December 10. It’s a great opportunity to see the payoff of all the hard work students have been doing!

Asks:

KnightKrawler is planning on submitting for the FIRST Impact award this year. Teams that exemplify FIRST values (from structure to outreach and sponsors) receive this award. Has KnightKrawler had an impact on you? Email [email protected] or send a message to #tf-impact-award on Slack if you could give a testimonial!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Sampson Miller Advertising. They have been creating successful campaigns in the twin cities since the 1930s. Sampson Miller’s driving mission is “Focus on the client, not the sale.” For KnightKrawler this mission reflects our commitment to building students by building robots. Thanks for sponsoring KnightKrawler Sampson Miller!  If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos are a moment of gratitude for all the students, mentors, and sponsors who have worked in the past to ensure that our team could exist and thrive now. We hope to continue their legacy and success in the future!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for November 20, 2022.

This is coming out on Sunday, because of our Off-Season regional yesterday at Prior Lake High School. Our rookie drivers got some great practice, and even though we ranked low we ended up on the Number 3 alliance with 4198 (Robocats), 7028 (Binary Battalion), and 2531 (RoboHawks). We won our first matches in the double-elimination bracket and came second in the finals. I’m incredibly proud of all the teamwork I saw yesterday, from scouting and cheering to driving and helping fix other teams’ robots. Great work KnightKrawler!

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead there are no regular meetings because there is no school. However, there will be an optional meeting on Monday November 21 from 6 pm to 8 pm to work on Turtle Test, Media, and disassembling the field elements we got at Minne Mini for the aluminium and polycarb. A reminder that there are 3 meetings until Turtle Test Competition at Tanglen Elementary!

Reminders:

We will be having a coffee sale at the Monday optional meeting so if you want to top up your supply or give a holiday gift that helps support the team, stop by and pick up some! Medium and light roasts are available.

Students, remember to get your FIRST registration complete and to put any Plusses (things we want to continue doing, positives) Deltas (Things that we need to change, something that was disappointing), and Kudos (Shoutouts to people/groups for something great) into the thread in #general. Also, if you are interested in contributing to the impact award (the most prestigious award of FIRST) then join the #tf-impact-award channel on Slack!

Parents and Volunteers remember to help students with FIRST registration, and if possible come to the Turtle TEST competition at Tanglen Elementary in Minnetonka to see the robots our students have been working so hard on!

Asks:

Parents of KnightKrawler need a few volunteers to call Houston area hotels. We need to get pricing and other logistical information to plan for the trip to the 2023 First Championship. If you are interested in helping call hotels or are familiar with the Houston area and have any recommendations, please contact [email protected] or message Benjamen Johnson on Slack. By setting the accommodations up now, we get a better price that makes it less expensive for every student on the team, so this work is essential to having an equitable trip to Houston!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting the Groves Foundation. Groves foundation has been helping fund twin cities projects and building up communities since 1955. Groves Foundation’s longtime sponsorship has helped KnightKrawler have the confidence to envision a bright future and keep on building students–and robots!  If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to our parent volunteers and mentors for helping make MMR possible. Having chaperones and mentors in the pit is essential to being able to go to competitions. Equally, a huge shout out to students, for scouting and driving! You all did a great job, and it makes going to the Northern Lights and 10K regionals very exciting!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for November 12th, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead, we have a meeting on Monday from 6 pm to 9 pm to work on Turtle TEST projects. We have a driver training-only meeting on Tuesday from 6 pm-8 pm. If you would like to drive at MMR and you attended MRI then come to this meeting. Without this training, you cannot drive the robot at MMR. We also have a regular Turtle TEST meeting on Wednesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. This upcoming weekend, November 19, 2022, is the Minne Mini Preseason competition in Savage MN, it is an all-day event with bussing to and from Prior Lake High School. 

Reminders:

Here is the Minne Mini breakdown!

• Be at Irondale to get on the bus at 6:45 am. The final call is at 6:55 am, we have robots to get to, and will not wait if you are late!
• Wear your maroon work shirt (if you have one), gold t-shirt (if you have one), or Irondale High School apparel
• Safety glasses
• Closed-toe shoes
• Notebook/notetaking device and writing utensil
• Sack lunch (if you have paid for a pre-paid lunch, you will receive your ticket at the venue); cash for snacks from the concession stand is optional
• You can find all the information about Minne Mini in this pdf that Ms.Lee made. It has the 2022 game animation, the schedule of the day, and what student expectations are at MMR.

Students, remember to read the MMR pdf so you know what to expect, and what your responsibilities are. Anyone interested in PR/media can join the #tf-media channel on Slack. If you want to photos at MMR, please let us know on that channel! Also, if you are interested in helping work on KnightKrawler’s social media, then also send a message in #tf-media! If you need a ride to and from Irondale, send a request in #ride-share.

Parents and Volunteers remember you can drive to Prior Lake High School in Savage MN and join us in the stands for the Minne Mini Preseason Competition on November 19, 2022. Also, half of the team has not completed their FIRST registration! Please log into the FIRST website and do that, as your student will not be able to go to regional competitions without it!

Asks:

Parents of KnightKrawler need a few volunteers to call Houston area hotels. We need to get pricing and other logistical information to plan for the trip to the 2023 First Championship. If you are interested in helping call hotels or are familiar with the Houston area and have any recommendations, please contact [email protected] or message Benjamen Johnson on Slack. By setting the accommodations up now, we get a better price that makes it less expensive for every student on the team, so this work is essential to having an equitable trip to Houston!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Ebenezer Care. During the pandemic, KnightKrawler manufactured many face shields for Ebenezer, and we are so grateful to have a new partner, what an example of the benefits we all have when we help each other! Thanks, Ebenezer Care! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Matt Huesman, Dylan Huynh, Charlie Trombley, and Ken Carranza for attending Jumpstart and taking some great notes! And, a bonus kudos to everyone who went to the optional meeting last Thursday, all of you made great progress!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for November 4th, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

This week we have a meeting on Monday from 6 pm-9 pm, and on Wednesday from 6 pm-8 pm. If we have enough interest from new students we will have an optional meeting from 6 pm-8 pm on Thursday. This is open to all students, build and controls. If you are interested in attending, respond to the message in #announcements. Jumpstart, a free FRC conference that is open to all students will be on November 12 from 9 am to 3 pm. It is a great opportunity to learn more about different skills in robotics, and has presentations for every level, from java beginners to advanced pneumatics, electronics, and autonomous code. Use this link to register! Our last Rapid React offseason event, called Minne Mini will be at Prior Lake High School on November 19. We will be all riding a bus to get there, and more information about the day’s schedule will be posted soon!

Reminders:

Update! The online apparel store is active, extending the deadline to November 6th! This is our last call for the annual sale, so if you were thinking about checking it out, this is your last chance. Click here to access it! If you have any questions, slack or email Jennifer Kyhl. 

Students, remember to fill out the Minne Mini lunch poll in #announcements and if you are buying lunch, bring $6.50 to Monday or Wednesday’s meeting for Scott, as we are collecting the money for lunch tickets now. Additionally, if you are interested in working with social media, send Michelle Johnson a slack message, and look out for website, photography, and media announcements to come!

Parents and Volunteers remember to talk to your student about plans for Minne Mini, and let us know if you’d like to come along with us on the day! There will also be a stream of the competition if you’d like to watch it from home.

Asks:

KnightKrawler is looking for opportunities to have outreach and demo events at local elementary schools and community events. If you have any information about either of these, or would like to help us organize any kind of outreach event, send an email to Lexi Birken, Dahsol Lee or join the #tf-outreach-planning channel on Slack!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting 3M! 3M is a Minnesota company whose interest in raising up STEM has impacted many more teams than just KnightKrawler. During the COVID-19 lockdown, KnightKrawler had assistance in getting materials from 3M in a project where we made over 30,000 face shields. We couldn’t have done that without them, thanks for sponsoring KnightKrawler 3M! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Haley and Colton for their hard work on getting photos ready and updated for the website. Their work has helped us finish this yearly task far faster than we usually do. Thanks, Haley and Colton!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for October 30, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have no meeting Monday, October 31, (Happy Halloween!) and a meeting from 6 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday, November 2. Remember that after the meeting on Wednesday, there are only 8 weekly meetings left before Turtle TEST competitions! On November 12th KnightKrawler and many other FRC teams will be presenting on topics from pneumatics, LEDs, HTML, and electronics to social media and strategy at a free conference called Jumpstart. If you’re interested in attending this event at Medtronic Headquarters, use this link to register as an individual, without an abstract. Our final Rapid React offseason competition (Minne Mini aka MMR) will be held on November 19th at Prior Lake Highschool in Savage MN, keep an eye out for more details as we get close to that day! 

Reminders:

Update! The online apparel store is active, and the deadline has been extended to November 6th! This is our last call for the annual sale, so if you were thinking about checking it out, this is your last chance. Click here to access it! If you have any questions, slack or email Jennifer Kyhl. 

Students, remember to fill out the poll in #announcements on Slack about lunches for Minne Mini by the end of the week! Make sure you have joined your TEST team’s channel on Slack, and either #build or #controls. You can add new channels by using the “browse channels” feature!

Parents and Volunteers remember to consider joining us at Prior Lake High School for Minne Mini! It’s a great way to see what later regionals will be like, and get a sense of what Robotics spirit really looks like! Also, discuss with your student about what they would like to do for lunch at Minne Mini, having this discussion ahead of the day of the competition helps us avoid a lot of miscommunications.

Asks:

KnightKrawler is selling one of our professional-grade media cameras. It’s a 6D markii Canon full frame digital SLR, and 24-105mm full frame silver ring Canon Lens with 2 canon batteries and charger in a hard storage case. We are asking $1500, and please reach out to us on Slack if you are interested in purchasing it!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting QONQR! QONQR is a game created and run by our very own mentor Scott Davis and centers on the digital capture of 3 million real places based on factions surrounding the novel and possibly dangerous AI called QONQR. Thanks for sponsoring KnightKrawler QONQR! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Kevin, Nicole, Caleb F, Colton, and Ken & his family for helping KnightKrawler attend Irondale’s Trunk or Treat. Events like these are not only super fun, but they help build community awareness for KnightKrawler. Thanks, everyone!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for October 23, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have a meeting from 6 pm-9 pm on Monday and there is NO meeting on Wednesday. There is also no meeting on Monday the 31st, so go enjoy your Halloween! Remember that after Monday there are only 9 meetings before Turtle TEST competitions.

Reminders:

Update! The online apparel store is active! Click here to access it. Some items are available in tall sizes and alternate colors; click on the item for details. The store will close on October 30th at 11:59, and we only do this sale once a year! If you have any questions, slack or email Jennifer Kyhl. KnightKrawler gear is a fun way to show team spirit but is totally optional. Note, we do team uniforms separately from this, so no need to worry about getting your student a uniform, as this will be done by the KnightKrawler for new members!

Students, remember if you did not get your picture taken, or need a retake, wear your uniform or a solid colored shirt to Monday’s meeting. New students, Jennifer Kyhl will be at Monday’s meeting to confirm your team uniform work shirt sizes, so please try to attend Monday’s meeting if at all possible, and if not, remember to email [email protected] if you will be absent at this–or any–meeting. If controls students would like to bring their own laptop to meetings they are more than welcome to but not required!

Parents and Volunteers KnightKrawler is selling one of our professional-grade media cameras. Please reach out to us on Slack if you are interested in purchasing it! Also, a heads up that our next practice competition will be on November 19 so if you want to experience a robotics competition close to home, then hop on the bus with us or drive yourself to Prior Lake High School in Savage MN!

Asks:

We’re gearing up to start building Turtle TEST robots! These robots are full FRC-sized and just as complex, so if you, your neighbors, or your employer would like to donate materials to the team then please let us know in the #build channel on Slack. We need aluminum box (1×1 and 2×1), c-channel, polycarbonate sheets, #10-32, and ¼ – 20 hardware, and aluminum sheet cutoffs.

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting the New Brighton Lions Club. KnightKrawler recently partnered with the Lions Club at the 2022 Stockyard Days parade and fair. The Lions Club has generously donated to the team, and we’re excited to have a new partnership if the community. Thanks, Lions Club! If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Tu Lee for his scouting work at MRI. Tu took a lot of team-specific notes, and I can’t wait to see what he does at a regional competition!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all, this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for October 16, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead, we have meetings on Monday from 6 pm-9 pm and Wednesday from 6 pm-8 pm. On Monday we will continue to take photos for those who haven’t done them yet. Next week Sunday the 23 is our compost site fundraiser at the Arden Hills Compost Site from 11 am to 4 pm. Additionally, we have NO meeting on October 26th or the 31st.

Reminders:

Announcement for all: Our KnightKrawler apparel store will be up in the next week or two! If repping KnightKrawler or wearing comfortable clothing is your jam, check your email and slack for a link to the online store!

Students, remember if you didn’t get your photo taken, come to Monday’s meeting in your uniform or solid color shirt. Build students, we will continue to assign safety glasses and everyone will need them for training so if you took them to MRI, please have them back in our space on Monday! Controls students, if you would like to bring your own laptop to meetings, you can but we also have computers for student use so it isn’t required.

Parents and Volunteers, no big announcements for this week, other than to keep an eye out for our second off-season competition in November if you couldn’t make it to this one! PS: We also stream both events, so yes you can watch Robotics just like you watch any other sports by searching for the event on YouTube, or checking Slack for the link we’ll send out!

Asks:

KnightKrawler is looking into getting our Saturday Build Season Lunches sponsored, so if you know a local grocery store that would like to help support 50 students on their pathways to learning and success, let us know in the #fundraisers channel on Slack!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Donatelle. Donatelle manufactures precise and complex medical instruments. Their core values are reliability and creating possibilities, which we also value in robotics. Thanks, Donnatelle, for sponsoring KnightKrawler!  If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to our new drivers at MRI, who put themselves out there and demonstrated KnightKrawler Core values through their Unflappability and Dedication. Also a huge thank you to all the students who scouted at MRI, we couldn’t make essential strategy decisions without you!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all, this is Lexi, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for October 8, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead, on Monday there is an optional meeting for returning students who would like to drive the robot at MRI. On Wednesday we have a meeting from 6 pm-8 pm and we will be doing a scouting and strategy presentation and taking pictures in addition to our Turtle TEST prototyping. Additionally, there is a POK meeting at the same time, from 6-8. On Saturday the 15th we also have an optional practice competition at Roseville Highschool from 8 am to 6 pm. The Minnesota Robotics Invitational or MRI uses last year’s game Rapid React and is a great way to experience an FRC competition for the first time!

Reminders:

Reminder for all: Arden Hills compost site waivers are due at the end of this week, be sure to get them into Ms. Lee by then if you want to participate!

Students, remember to wear your uniform, or a solid color t-shirt on Wednesday for pictures. Also, MRI this Saturday is an all-day event. Concessions will be available for lunch, but also encourage students to bring a sack lunch. Returning students should also wear their uniforms to this event, and new students should wear any Irondale gear they have! If you need a ride, let Ms. Lee know, and everyone should plan on being there at 8:15 am.

Parents and Volunteers, there is a meeting for volunteers this Wednesday. Ben Johnson will lead this meeting and go over a lot of robotics 101 information.  We will welcome all of you to the team and let you know about our preseason competitions. Pro Tip: Our preseason competitions are open to the public, so bring along anyone you know who would like to see some robots!

Asks:

Oftentimes we have students who can’t get a ride to outreach events or preseason competitions. If you have extra space in your vehicle and are willing to help us support these students and ensure everyone can have a great robotics experience, join the #rideshare channel in Slack and we will help you coordinate.

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Comcast. As a leader in internet, media, and technology, Comcast is committed to bringing digital equity and lifting up projects in local communities. KnightKrawler is proud to have a sponsor like Comcast. Thanks, Comcast for sponsoring KnightKrawler!  If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Paul M. for stepping up as a new student and doing a fantastic job modeling his team’s robot during our Build-A-Bot simulation on Monday. Great job jumping right into team activities Paul!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey All, this is Lexi Birken, your KnightKrawler Team Captain here with your weekly update for October 2, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have a meeting from 6-9 pm on Monday and a meeting from 6-8 pm on Wednesday. Homecoming and the Pep-fest are this Friday, so keep a look out for Dale–our T-Shirt cannon–at these events! Our first practice competition is at Roseville High School from 8:15 am to 5:30 pm on October 15, and our first fall fundraiser is at the Arden Hills Compost Site on September 23.

Reminders:

Students, getting into slack is our number one priority, and also remember if you want to help us out at the compost site you need a signed waiver so respond to the poll in Slack asap!

Parents and Volunteers remember to activate your slack account. Also, you can subscribe to our podcast, google calendar, and email list at 2052volunteers.com. If you have questions reach out to [email protected] with “Question” in the subject line. Don’t be afraid to ask, your feedback helps make new generations of parents (and students) more informed and have an easier time integrating into our community!

Asks:

One of the ways companies can help KnightKrawler is by donating materials. Common materials our team needs are aluminum box, c-channel, polycarbonate sheets, #10-32, and ¼-20 hardware. If you’d like to help us build robots by donating materials, please reach out!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Graco Inc. Graco is a fluid management and engineering company committed to growing STEM and leadership in the community around them as an integral part of their ethos. Graco has sponsored KnightKrawler for many years now, and we thank them for letting us work together to teach STEM and leadership skills to students. If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Josiah Baker for being incredibly welcoming, and actively working to include our newest members this week. Josiah displayed excellence in guiding new students through kickoff processes making sure they got to have hands-on work with manual deciphering and encouraging them to express their ideas. Thanks for modeling leadership and inclusion Josiah!

That’s our update for this week, thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all, this is Lexi Birken, your KnightKrawler team Captain here with the weekly update for September 25, 2022.

Meetings and Events:

Heads up for the week ahead we have an optional meeting Monday 26. Info night is on Wednesday September 28 from 7 pm to 9 pm in the upper lower gym. Additionally, we have our Turtle Trials kick off on Saturday October 1 from 9 am to 4 pm; lunch will be provided for students.

Reminders:

Students, remember if you know people who are interested in robotics, bring them to Info night! Parents and Volunteers, remember to come to info night with a Chromebook and payment method or plan for our activities fee.

Asks:

We need help with lunch for the Turtle Trials kickoff. We’re having sandwiches ordered in but could use shareables like fruit and chips from families. Consider sending something to share with your student on Saturday, thank you!

Sponsor shout-out:

Our generous sponsors support KnightKrawler. This week we’re highlighting Irondale High School. We recently acquired a dedicated shop space and share our gym space with Dance and Wrestling. Irondale also helps bus our team to and from competitions. Thank you to Irondale for supporting our team!

If you, someone you know, or your employer is interested in sponsoring KnightKrawler, reach out to Steve Pesklo by emailing him using [email protected].

Kudos:

This week’s kudos go to Charlie Trombley for stepping up to lead computer imaging and welcoming new controls students during our Wednesday meeting. Thanks and keep up the great work, Charlie!

Thanks to everyone who helps our team come together and accomplish our goals. Let me hear you holler, KnightKrawler!

Hey all! It’s your Team Captain Lexi Birken here to welcome everyone to the 2022-2023 KnightKrawler season! I hope you all had a great summer. KnightKrawler has been busy in the post season with parades and our summer farmers market. It’s not too late to order some of our awesome robotics themed locally roasted coffee. Reach out to us at [email protected] and put COFFEE in the subject line if you’d like to place an order. Every order helps our team raise the funds we need to participate in First Robotics.

You can expect to get a weekly written and audio update from me every weekend for the 22-23 season. Each week I’ll be covering what’s on deck for meetings, what you need to remember this week, what asks our team has and, my favorite, sending out Kudos to our team members.

Let’s have a great season!