After School Programs
The Garrett County Office of the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension conducts after school programs through the CYFAR program. G-FORCE has been providing robotics classes at after school sites. G-FORCE members had worked with both elementary school and middle school student with Lego WeDos, Lego Mindstorms, and SuGo. Since the World Championships in Atlanta, G-FORCE has conducted 6 after school sessions for 54 hours of member input.
G-FORCE in the Community
1500 Hours of Inspiration
Robotics Presentations to Groups
G-FORCE has made three presentations to groups about robotics at the GEARS facility. These groups included the 2009 Maryland State Teachers of the Year, LEAD Maryland, and the Crelin Shool Parents. G-FORCE members provided 36 hours of assistance.
Robotic Camps
G-FORCE members have served as mentors and assistants at five weeklong robotics workshops this summer. Members put in a total of 428 hours.
State 4-H Presentations
G-FORCE members have presented robotics workshops and displays at five state wide 4-H activities including: Maryland Days at the University of Maryland, Maryland 4-H Teen Focus, Maryland State Adult and Teen Leader Volunteer Forvum, Maryland 4-H State Awards Gala, and the Maryland SET Inservice. Members invested 156 hours in these events.
SUGO
The first Sunday of most months, GEARS holds a robotic event that is open to the public called SuGo. SuGo is Sumo Wrestling with Legos. Participants build a robot out of Legos using the RCX brick and special eye sensors. G-FORCE members assist participants with building robots and running the competitions. G-Force members have assisted for 81 hours.
Garrett County Fair
G-FORCE members presented robotics demonstrations on five different days at the Garrett County Fair. Members demonstrated a differnt type of robotics platform each day including: WeDos, Mindstorms, Sea Perch, SuGo, FTC. Members spent 154 hours doing demonstrations
Maryland State Fair
G-FORCE members demonstrated their FTC robot on two days at the Maryland State Fair as part of the 4-H SET Display. Members created a demo robot that participants could operate. Members put in 51 hours demonstrating.
National Association of Extension 4-H Agents National Conference
G-FORCE members and mentors were asked to demonstrate robotics platforms at the NAE4-HA National Conference in Rochester, NY. The conference was attended by over 1500 4-H Extension Educators from all over the US including Don Flyod, President and CEO, National 4-H Council. G-FORCE was part of the National 4-H Council SET display. Members demonstrated WeDos, Mindstorms, Sea Perch, and Tetrix robotic platforms. Members invested 48 hours in this conference.
Demonstrating at US FIRST Lego League Championship Tournament
G-FORCE demonstrated the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics game at the US FLL Championship Tournament which was held for the first time in 2009 in Dayton, Ohio. Many FLL members were able to see first hand the next step in FIRST robotics. 8 hours were invested in this demonstration.
FIRST Lego League Student Mentors
G-FORCE members have been mentoring a FLL team. G-FORCE members have much experience with FLL as some members have been on teams that competed at the World Festival. In addition to mentoring the members will be helping out with the FLL Regional Tournament being held in Garrett County. Members have put in 60 hours as mentors.
Don Flyod, Jr running the demo robot at NAE4-HA National Conference
