Give Us a Lever Long Enough and We'll Move the World

FRC Team 281 started in 1997 as team 65 as the original South Carolina FIRST Team and has split several times. We've also changed our name from UpStaRT--Upstate Robotics Team-- to EnTech 281, in deference to the other new upstate teams, and to reflect our more comprehensive engineering & technology program. Woody Flowers said, "The robot is just the campfire around which we gather to inspire students..." We took his message seriously and decided to create a "wildfire". This is our 6th year as a year-round program, and we've expanded our offerings to include many different engineering activities and educational & inspirations programs, while keeping the FIRST robot as the center of our program.

We welcome all high school students on the team-public, private, and homeschoolers.

Our team structure is similar to the 4H Club structure and FIRST's. We have an Advisory Board with representatives from the schools and businesses, Executive Council, made up of students and mentor leaders, and a PMS Committee made up of parents, mentors and students, which provides support services.

All our staff is volunteer. I am still amazed at the dedication of our mentors. While they could do a task in 5 minutes, so they could go home for supper, instead they teach the students to do it, so it takes an hour or more. The mentors' skills and patience are truly astounding.

For the Robotics Season, students choose a specialty--electronics/electrical, programming, communications, mechanical. All students are required to make at least one part of the robot, and to help with the design concept.

EnTech and its teams have won many awards for its robots, engineering, community service, and sportsmanship.

We assist the local FLL (FIRST Lego League) teams, do demonstrations and presentations at schools, fairs, clubs, and various other organizations and events. We are the regional coordinators for the Robot Chicks Union, and our Leader is on the National Advisory Council and was an Illuminary in August 2004. We have presented seminars at Clemson's 4H Teen Leadership Congress, 4-H Leaders Southern Region Conference, Greenville Future Teachers Program, Invention Convention, Michelin Family Day, Boys clubs, scouts, summer camps, and various Hispanic events.

We try to be family friendly. We have 3 families who work on the team, and they say it has brought them closer together. We welcome younger siblings, and provide tasks, activities, and games for them, and help them work with Legos.. One 9 year old even presented his concept for this year's robot!

Our team is our family, our social community, our support system, our source of entertainment and education. We've learned to treat each other with respect and consideration, no matter what our ages, economic level, educational level, or school. New people are taken into the fold very well. No matter how good (or bad) our robot is, we still have each other, and that has been a great source of comfort for all of us.

Funding is provided mainly from Michelin Research Center , with some from the Greenville County Schools, fundraising, and donations. We sincerely thank our sponsors!