Fairfield East Elementary invited Butler Tech Robotics to their STEM Night to engage students in STEM activities. The team conducted a robot demonstration for the 2024 game and brought a robot dog for student interaction. Two presentations were given, one about the mechatronics program and team activities and the other being the FIRST Lego League. Custom 3D-printed items and FIRST Lego League paper handouts were distributed to parents and students interested in joining a team.

Following the event Kathy Ackermann said, "I just wanted to let you know that your students did an outstanding job last night and were the biggest hit of the evening.   We can't thank you enough for allowing them to attend our STEM Night and to share their awesome talents and abilities!   We are hoping you would be willing to join us again next year!"

During our visit to the UC Cancer Research Center, we learned about student opportunities and explored potential engineering roles in cancer research. We spoke with PhD, master’s, and bachelor’s students about their academic experiences, research projects, reasons for choosing UC, and changes in direction during their education. The visit included a detailed tour of the Cancer Research Center and the Vontz Center.

We hosted Mid-America Technology Center from Oklahoma, welcoming 12 visitors to our lab space. They learned about our class structure and the programs we offer. The group showed interest in our chips machine, student structure, and our partnership with Techsolve. At the end of the visit, we summarized the opportunities in our programs and the skills needed for student success.

We met with AtriCure's HR and 3D printing department in our lab. They excitedly shared their projects that mimic human anatomy and organs, sharing photos of their innovative work. They expressed interest in arranging a tour to visit their facilities and see their 3D printing equipment firsthand. Additionally, AtriCure is looking to hire some of our students this spring, highlighting potential career opportunities.

BTR visited Yaskawa, a manufacturer of industrial robot arms for welding applications. 18 students participated in the tour, which included large-scale manufacturing processes, industrial robot applications, and welding safety practices. 

Special thanks to Shannon Oyler for organizing the visit!

Fairfield Elementary recently hosted a STEM Night, featuring a robotics demonstration by Butler Tech Robotics. The event aimed to engage students in STEM activities and introduce them to FIRST Lego League and local robotics teams. Parents received informative handouts about joining these teams, while students were thrilled with custom 3D-printed fidget cubes created in the lab. The highlight of the evening was the opportunity for students to interact with the robot, catching notes related to this year’s game and assisting the robot driver. It was a fun and educational experience that sparked interest in robotics and teamwork among the students.

85 Butler Tech Mechatronics & 10th Grade Engineering students attended Hydrotech's Technology Day, where over 40 different hydraulics and pneumatics industry vendors from around the world demonstrated their products, provided technical training classes, and networked with our students. Notable connections students made included Hydrotech President John Campbell. Look out for an interview on our social media pages.

Following the event, class of 2022 Butler Tech Mechatronics alumni & current Hydrotech Controls Engineer, Vinny Ariss said, "I spoke with all our vendors and employees, and your students asked fantastic questions and were very respectful!" 

During our visit to Arku, a German manufacturing company with a local shop, 5 students had hands-on experience with their machines, including coaster production. We learned about the maintenance needs of their equipment and gained insights into the manufacturing process. At the end of our visit, we summarized the skills required to work with their technology and the career opportunities available in the field.

Prolink a recruiting and staffing agency, visited us to discuss potential hires. They are interested in our lab for our experience and are looking for sponsors for our FRC teams, including funding, mentorship, materials, marketing, and collaboration with other companies. 

The representative was impressed with our project management and said, “You guys are running like a company, and we would like to implement some of your strategies at our company.”

The Butler Tech Robotics Outreach Team actively participated in the Food for the Soul event, where they contributed valuable services to the community. This event offered health screenings, resource information, and various giveaways to support those in need. The team provided free fresh produce, assisted elderly attendees, and helped carry groceries to vehicles. Additionally, the team engaged in networking with other organizations present, creating connections beneficial for students. Throughout the event, the team also promoted the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and raised awareness about the robotics program at Butler Tech.

Toyota Boshoku America visited our lab to see our industrial automation capabilities and future industry needs. They focused on our integration of vision systems in automation projects and were impressed by our precision machining, including our mill, lathe, CNC operations, and industrial robots. We concluded by highlighting the skills and opportunities available in our programs.

Procter & Gamble visited our lab to engage students in a session focused on interview skills and resume building. They presented a detailed slideshow offering valuable tips on how to craft and organize an effective resume, as well as strategies for answering interview questions and preparing for interviews. After the presentation, P&G representatives took the time to review our current resumes, providing personalized feedback and suggestions for improvement. A big thank you to Procter & Gamble for their time and insightful guidance!

Ellison Technologies visited Butler Tech to see our precision machining and mechatronics programs. They were impressed with our manufacturing processes, including our mill, lathe, and CNC operation with TechSolve. The group also found our industrial robots interesting. At the end of their visit, we summarized the skills and opportunities available in our programs.

Mayor Slamka visited our lab to see our mechatronics program and learn about the Middletown students' experiences. She showed interest in our degree program with Sinclair College and its structure. Students provided an overview of the 2024 FRC competition and showcased our robots, Sonic and Tails. At the end of her visit, we highlighted our sponsors and the unique aspects of our classroom environment.

We were invited to participate in Butler Tech's Business Advisory Council Breakfast Event that hosted 125 companies from around Butler County. Ohio Legislators including Congressman Warren Davidson &  Ohio State Senator George Lang joined us. P&G guest speaker Corey DeRosset highlighted our Mechatronics program, emphasizing to ". . .not treat our students like they are in high school. They are so much more than that!". Tech Solve announced their investment in creating a School-Based Enterprise, estimated to generate around $100,000 in annual sales, based out of our Mechatronics lab. Students will manage the project from raw materials to shipping the purchased product. Profits will support students in need and fundraise for our FRC team. Throughout the event our students networked with companies telling their story of their experience, accepting business cards, and considering job opportunities. This event helped us establish new relationships to bring in new business partners and potential future employers for this upcoming school year.

We were invited to present at the Butler Tech Board of Education to talk about our experience at the 2024 FRC World Championship as one of our schools successful Career Technical Student Organizations.

For the 2nd year in a row we hosted an FRC team from China. Our alumni hosted team members from FRC 9597 from middle of March to the end of April after the World Championship. We picked up their robot at the Central Illinois Regional. During their stay we shared our lab space, tools, materials, code, and culture. We were very thankful for the opportunity to get to know their team as closely as we did. We look forward for more opportunities to support international teams competing in our region.

Whiting-Turner was welcomed into our lab last week to introduce our students to the possibility of a career in civil engineering. They spoke about positions available at their job sites for project managers, and contract managers. A great opportunity for us to learn more about the field of civil engineering. Thank you Mitch Revetta Class of 2011 Alumni & Whiting-Turner for the lunch & learn! 

We invited the University of Dayton, P&G, & YAC Robotics to come visit our workspace during our kickoff event. They were impressed by our students work on former robots. The skills they learn in our lab space will directly apply to various paths each of our visitors expressed interest in collaborating with us. Its exciting to continue to foster existing relationships and start new ones during our team kickoff.

5th Grade FLL Team 355 from Ross came in to the lab to get support for working on their app. They were excited to see our lab space. We were able to get them in a good direction and shared our team's contact info to continue to get them support as needed. 

Our team went to Fairfield East Elementary School for their STEM Night event. At our station we shared information about our program and demonstrated our robot dog & 2022 robot. We answered questions about how our robots function and levels of robot competitions that are more suitable for their age group such as FIRST Lego League & FIRST Tech Challenge. We had a QR code available for parents to scan so they could learn about local teams or start a team of their own.

BTR had the opportunity to visit Shepherd Color. Six of our students made the trip to tour their facility. Some highlights from the tour included learning about how different materials will result in different colors and applications. 

Thank you to Nikki Hammes with her help in setting up the tour.

BTR had the opportunity to visit Yaskawa, manufacturer of industrial robot arms specialized in welding applications. Six of our students made the trip to tour their facility. Some highlights from the tour included viewing large scale manufacturing processes, industrial robot applications, and welding safety practices. 

A big thank you to Shannon Oyler & Clint Chapman with their help in setting up the tour.

BTR had the opportunity to visit CTL Aerospace. Six of our students made the trip to tour their facility. Some highlights from the tour included viewing large scale manufactured parts, composite materials, and safety practices. 

A big thank you to Jim Golem with his help in setting up the tour.

We showcased our lab's features over the course of 3 days to students from 14 different high schools to approximately 100 potential applicants to our program. Tour groups stopped by stations that featured 3D printing, CAD, Industrial Robot Arms, & Manufacturing. At the end of the tour students summarized what students needed to do to apply to the program, and what jobs they could expect to apply for when they graduate.

BTR welcomed P&G to our lab to share about their work environment. Their speaker gave us insight into the different job opportunities, company benefits, and other things that we could expect if our students worked there.

BTR had the opportunity to visit Makino. We sent out 7 students to tour. Some highlights from the tour included viewing a variety of their CNC machinery as well as their integration of industrial robots such as FANUCs in their products. A big thank you to Jennifer Pocisk, Jason Long, and 144 alumni Elijah Thacker for organizing and leading the tour for Makino! 

Our students dressed up in costumes and handed our candy to 50 elementary students from our local YMCA in our lab. The students were excited to see our team's robots and industrial equipment. Happy Halloween!!

Exciting day at BTrobotics, as we hosted Martin Kimberlin from Pole/Zero!  He shared insights about their innovative work and the incredible journeys of our grads.  Discover the exciting career paths that await with Pole/Zero! 

On Monday, BTR welcomed Pete Wessel from Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Pete gave us insight into the different job opportunities, company benefits, wage information, on-site training, and other things that we could expect if we worked there! We had some of our students who participated in a summer internship at Boeing also speak about their experiences.

Thank you to Boeing and Pete Wessel for coming out to our class! 

We sent out 8 students to tour Invotec. Highlights from the tour included viewing a wide variety of machines to refine assembly line processes, Solidworks applications, Allen Bradley PLC's, and integrated fluid power systems.  All subjects we are currently covering in our degree coursework.

We appreciate Invotec's partnership. 

A couple of our first year team members took initiative to reach out to May We Help, a volunteering organization that consists of engineers, designers, inventors, makers and artisans, to create adaptive equipment for people with disabilities at no cost to the client. Our students have taken various projects over the years such as bike adaptions, pneumatic fishing rig, play station controller, and a sewing machine button

https://maywehelp.org/ 

We showcased our lab's features to approximately 60 potential applicants to our program. Tour groups stopped by stations that featured 3D printing, CAD, Industrial Robot Arms, & Manufacturing. At the end of the tour students summarized what students needed to do to apply to the program, and what jobs they could expect to apply for when they graduate.

Shared information about our program with a local Cub Scout troop. The team demonstrated our 2022 & 2023 robots. We answered questions about how our robots function and levels of robot competitions that are more suitable for their age group such as FIRST Lego League & Vex Robotics.

Students from FRC team 325 informed the community of opportunities in FIRST Lego League and showcased our 2023 robot Big Blue / Bentley. We had about 150 visitors to our booth.

Our students interviewed companies to collect information about their expectations for the Advanced Manufacturing Facility. Questions were focused on what area students should develop their skillset best to accommodate their workforce needs best. Key points were made about employers need for students with both manufacturing and programming blended skill sets. 

We brought 31 students ranging from freshman - seniors to Mazak. During our tour students  saw a wide range of large scale machines for a variety of applications. Some of the machines featured were the size of a typical high school classroom. They showcased robotic systems that indexed  parts that would mimic the footprint of Colerain High School's main building. One application that peaked the students interest was the hybrid machine that offered welding and machining capabilities due to the integration of Lincoln Electric products that related to our recent guest speaker presentation. We were also joined by Class of 2015 alumni Nolan Schwaeble.

We partnered with StandardAero to tour their facility and learn about their manufacturing processes. Students got a close up look at machine operations such as thermal spray & shot peening, nondestructive inspection, & coordinate measurement machine (CMM). Students also identified practices for minimizing waste such as inspection machines next to their manufacturing setups to save transportation time & prevent wasting time from teardown and reset up. Students concluded the field trip with an Augmented Reality Trainer & photo op. Special thanks to Tim Newman for setting up a great field trip opportunity for our students! 

Colerain & Northwest High School sophomores toured our lab and encouraged to apply to the program. Our students did a robot demonstration with our 2022 Robot Onyx. Sophomores introduced to CAD drawings, laser manufacturing, 3D printing, and our CCP program. We gave away 3D printed kit card rockets for students to assemble. 

Miami University Regional campus staff presented about engineering college opportunities and career paths for students to consider. They provided an electrical kit activity for students to use a schematic to wire a light chaser on a breadboard. 

A member of our local community and regional salesman for Lincoln Electric presented to juniors and seniors about career opportunities offered at Lincoln Electric. Students were highly interested in the 3D printing robots and post processing roles. 

We are honored to have the opportunity to host over 3,000 eighth graders in our lab throughout the school year.

Students attended a Vex robotics competition hosted by the 2021-2022 World Champions to learn about the 2022-2023 Vex robotics competition game Spin Up. Students were inspired by other schools designs to create their own robot for this years competition.

Students, teachers, & community partners came together to discuss the outlook for a new Advanced Manufacturing Center. The facility looks to further facilitate students earning industry credentials across program lines. For example students currently training to specialize in welding could earn a certification  in programming industrial robotics preparing them for a career field in programming welding robotics in the future. 

Members from FRC team 325 Respawn robotics demonstrated our 2022 robot Tempest at Wildwood Elementary school with a goal to interest them in pursuing the mechatronics career field and pursue STEM. We were able to reach over 500 students with one event.

We partnered with GE Additive to tour their facility and learn about their manufacturing processes, design practices, and job opportunities. We discussed with their engineers how to optimize our CAD models, light weighting patterns, and material properties. Their engineers also showed us Laser, Binder Jet, & Electron Beam metal 3D printers. We discussed the pros and cons of each style of printer based on our design intent. We will look to partner with them for our upcoming build season to improve our manufacturing and design capabilities. 

FRC Team 144 hosted a dodgeball tournament open to the community. During the event teams could stop by the team information booth to learn more about the robotics programs available at Colerain. Attendees requested the event to be held annually. We have been joined by teachers and administrators from across our district as well as local FRC teams such as 1038 Lakota Robotics & 325 Respawn Robotics. 

Students participated in design challenges as part of a competition among Cincinnati area students. Students could also apply for internship opportunities to work for P&G.

Colerain High School hosted an event for 8th grade parents to visit our high school to learn about extra curricular activities they can get involved with such as our Vex & FIRST Robotics teams. We handed out our team brochure with QR codes to our website & information about our Associates Degree program. We attracted people to our table with our team guitar that was designed and built by our 2022 senior class. 

We partnered with seniors at the University of Cincinnati  & Class of 2017  FRC Team 144 graduates Ben DeNoma and Nick Poulos to design and build a custom swerve module for their senior capstone project. The module was proven to be reliable through the 2022 competition season. Members of the FRC community raved about its design and would like to see it on the market. The team will look to work with suppliers to discuss the feasibility of bringing the modules to market. With the success of this years project the staff from the University of Cincinnati expressed interest in continuing this partnership next year. Their work will be published by their advisor

The swerve drive module placed 1st in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Category. Congrats to Ben & Nick!

With a significant level of interest from students to attend an engineering program at the University of Cincinnati, Sinclair advisers recommended checking out the credit transfer portal for their Sinclair credits.

We were invited to present at the Monfort Heights Elementary School STEAM night. At the presentation our students demonstrated our 2021 robot Kyber for students to observe the machines functions, and inspire them to learn more about to learn about STEAM related fields. Our students answered questions about our FIRST robotics and Vex robotics programs offered at Colerain High School.

This event was especially challenging as it was lead by 1st year program students without a mentor, due to our teams need to prepare for competition in a remote lab space and our teacher being pulled away for the high school parent conference night.

We were invited to present at the Northwest Local School District Board meeting. Students presented this years robot as part of a demonstration. Students took turns presenting key features of this years design, using visual references from the robot and our team's build blog. Board members were impressed with the students level of technical knowledge, and life skills. We went on to answer questions from the board, and share alumni success stories that date back to the graduating class of 2011. A member of the community from the audience also stepped up to share their perspective of the program, and wanted to highlight the program was more than building a robot. 

Link to Board Meeting Video: https://youtu.be/_eCWwtCBzpw?t=914 

Ending comments from the Board Members: https://youtu.be/_eCWwtCBzpw?t=4180 

We were invited to a breakfast event from Butler Tech. The goal of the meeting was to bring together students, teachers, industry partners, and stakeholders to talk about career technical education. Students talked about their experience that led them to career tech, industry mentors talked about desired skills for coops, and P&G presented a wide range of job opportunities that will be available to students in a wide range of programs offered at BT.

Students participated in design challenges as part of a competition among Cincinnati area students. Students could also apply for internship opportunities to work for P&G.

FRC team members demonstrated our 2021 robot, Kyber, at the Butler Tech Board Meeting in front of superintendents for all of Butler Tech's districts. Students talked about their experience in the robotics program and their post graduation plans.

ROCK 144 team members took a trip to Monfort Heights Elementary School to inspire Elementary students to learn more about STEM programs and what it takes to build a robot. They set up stations for classes to visit focusing on robot demonstrations, manufacturing, programming, prototyping, and 3D modeling.

The superintendent and the assistant superintendent from Butler Tech stopped by the lab to check out our progress this year.  Our team C.O.O. described this years challenges  to Mr. Graft and Mr. Sprankles. The students explained the spirit of FRC “It’s not about who’s the best. It’s about getting better with your team. Gracious Professionalism is what we focus on”  

The students went on to describe the technical aspects of the competition and how we are planning to address each of the challenges for this year. Mr. Graft was impressed with our students technical documentation and our senior class presenters. The documentation was so thorough that he mistook it for a professional kit we assembled. Which lead us to the signature comment of "Its not your kids Lego kit anymore."

Students create a showcase project they want to share with the community that is meaningful to them. Students explain the motivation behind the project and why it is meaningful to them.

FRC Team 144 hosted a dodgeball tournament open to the community. During the event teams could stop by the team information booth to learn more about the robotics programs available at Colerain. Attendees requested the event to be held annually.

Since 2019, our lead mentor, Ray Frank, has advised senior students from Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati on their Senior Capstone Projects. Projects to date have included a Convertible Scooter Cover, and a Prosthetic Leg Adaption. 

https://qlplus.org/partners/university-of-cincinatti 

During our 2018 spring break P&G graciously invited 5 of our students to a Hackathon at their robotics lab exclusively for FRC teams. We were broken up into groups and given different problems to solve. One of the sub-teams with ROCK students won the competition and had their solution implemented globally in P&G's packing lines.

Our high school team members worked alongside middle school students to solve design problems with Legos. 

The Middletown branch campus of Miami University, invited FRC Team 144 to host a presentation at their middle school STEM day. At this event about 600 middle schoolers came to Miami Middletown throughout the day. Our team presented on STEM robotics, CAD, 3D Printing and the future of technology. Our goal was to inspire kids and assist them in realizing that they can be the future technology leaders and create the future.

ROCK 144 was invited by the regional director of FIRST, Katie Dunn to speak at meeting of regional business leaders, about what FIRST does and what we as students do. The topic of our presentation was about the talent pipeline adn "ideal candidates" that FRC provides and how these local businesses that specialize in everything from education, computers, defense, and healthcare, can use FIRST to get the qualified, hardworking employees they desperately need.

Team 144 was very pleased to be invited to the Additive Technology Business Symposium. The symposium was a conference of business and technology leaders hoping to help make Cincinnati the epicenter of additive manufacturing technology. Hosted by Cincinnati State and the University of Cincinnati, it provided a unique perspective on 3D printing technology and business to our students. The symposium addressed education and how there is a great need for people that have skills that FIRST can provide.

Since 2014, The ROCK has prided itself in its involvement in C-STEM. The C-STEM Girls of Coding Camp is an all girls coding camp for academically at risk girls that we volunteer and sponsor. The majority of the girls on our team have volunteered at this event for the past few years. 

Alumni from FRC team 144 & 1038 worked together to present to members of the University of Cincinnati about the FIRST Robotics Competition as a STEM program in Cincinnati. The University was impressed with the presentation. The university president worked with our teams to create 25 $2,000 scholarships for incoming freshman. They also supported the creation of a T-shirt cannon robot project lead by the students from the board presentation. 

https://maywehelp.org/ 

Our team has supported our local FIRST Lego League teams in various ways over the years. We have volunteered at FLL events,  hosted lab tours, mentored their team. 

Since 2012 Colerain High School has generously invited us to present at their senior citizen luncheon. At the luncheon we demonstrate our most recent years robot, and educate attendees about our robotics programs both FRC and Vex.

Our robotics team is based out of the Butler Tech Engineering class at Colerain High School. Every year during build season, the program hosts tours for current sophomores at Colerain and Northwest High School. Nearly 500 students per year come through to visit our lab. As part of the presentation current students present their experiences and projects to the new potential students to get them excited about science & technology.

Juniors and Seniors travel to the local middle school to inform students about Career Technical Programs available at the high school, and career opportunities that would follow. 

In 2012, our team heard that FRC team 1772 lost sponsorship just before traveling to the Queen City Regional. We offered to let them stay with us for as long as they needed. They stayed for 3 weeks and we shared our busing to the Queen City, and the World Championship. Students from Brazil also shadowed our students in their classes. 

We look to utilize local newspapers to spread the word about what we work on in our robotics program.

We take pride in supporting our local FRC teams. In recent years we have extended mentor resources to local teams such as:

FRC Team 325 - Respawn Robotics, Butler Tech D.Russel Lee Campus

FRC Team 6084 - SWOOP Robotics, Aiken High School

FRC Team 4284 - SCOTBOT, Oak Hills High School

FRC Team 1038 - Lakota Robotics