The mission of BOW Community Robotics is to promote interest, knowledge, and real world hands on experience to K-12 students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) throughout the Charlotte metropolitan area. To develop leadership, business, teamwork, communication and other 21st Century skills. Our team was founded in 2011 by mentors from Phillip O'Berry Academy of Technology. Unfort
unately, due to logistics and the passing away of one of the mentors the team was unable to participate in the 2012 game season. In 2013, our first-year as a FRC competition team we traveled to Raleigh North Carolina, to participate in the North Carolina Regional FRC tournament. During the summer of 2013 the team became a community robotics team with membership open to all area high school students interested in US FIRST Robotics. The team ramped up its community outreach participating in K12 Open houses, community festivals and many other events. In 2014, the BOW Community Robotics FRC Team relocated to 2xSALT Community, Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2015, the team partnered with QCRA "Queen City Robotics Alliance" and relocated again to the FIRST Zone. In 2015 - 2016 season, we won the North Carolina FRC Guilford District event. We ranked 7th among 75 teams heading into the NC State Championship. We received an opportunity to compete at the FIRST World Championships in April in St. An inspiring trip to St. Louis energized Team 4290 to strive for tremendous team experiences on and off of the competition field. During the 2016 - 2017 season, the team membership grew to 30 students, 5 youth mentors and 11 adult mentors. Team 4290 had a successful season, winning the FIRST district competition at Pitt County, ranked fourth overall at the district competition UNC-Asheville, qualified for state competition held at Campbell University and we were the winning team at THOR (Thundering Herd of Robots), an off-season competition at the University of North Carolina Pembroke. Due to funding QCRA had to close the zone at the end of the 2016 - 2017 season. During the off-season QCRA has found a new home and the teams are settling into the workspace. Since the inaugural season, Team 4290 has grown in membership and mentorship. Our goal continues to be an inspiration in the fields of science and technology with a focus on engineering skills, teamwork, and leadership training. Our team welcomes students from all area high schools, charter schools, private schools and home school students.
