“The Ferret Nation” is a coalition of parents, teachers, mentors, and students who work together to further the mission of FIRST Robotics. With the goal to “inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”
Since 2010, FIRST Robotics has brought STEM education to Anacortes students of all ages. The Anacortes Robotics Booster Club (ARBC) has fostered the development of the robotics program, which operates as an extracurricular group in the Anacortes School District (ASD). As with many extracurricular activities, a substantial amount of funding comes from outside sources. This is where ARBC comes in.
ARBC has successfully raised the majority of funds for the team since 2012. This funding assists with the purchase of kits, tools, equipment, and fabrication supplies needed by FIRST teams at all levels of the FIRST progression of programs supported by ARBC in the Anacortes School District. In addition, ARBC provides scholarships for students that need help with event expenses. The school district provides some coaching stipends and the use of school facilities to run the FRC/FTC programs, but ARBC itself is an all-volunteer organization that, with the help of the Ferret Nation, raises approximately $20,000 to $40,000 annually.
Contact Les Branch (contact info in footer) ARBC President, for more information.
Request our assistance!
Do you want a robotics demo for your classroom? Or a presentation from our team on what exactly we do every year? Have a project you’d like us to get involved with? Let us know by filling out the form below! (Please note that we do have prior commitments and are not able to fulfill every request…but we do our best!)