Our 501(c)(3)
our 501(C)(3)
OPERATING AS A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
We are currently supported by our 501(c)(3) Friends of Waialua Robotics (FWR) Non-Profit organization to serve as a funding arm for the Waialua Robotics STEM Learning Center. Team 359 is operating as a 501(c)(3) approved non-profit corporation established on January 19, 2016.
We focus on sustaining other school-level STEAM programs with funding and technical support, as well as hosting various workshops for both community, state-wide, and national events to assist and impact other teams and schools.
We fund our Band Program’s part-time teachers, supplies, equipment, and bus transportation. We also fund our middle school sport’s stipends for coaches and uniforms/equipment/transportation for students. Team 359 coordinates and volunteers at numerous STEM and community service events year-round such as Rotary Club functions and the Haleiwa Bon Dance. Our program has created and developed a community STEM Learning Center offering Graphic Technology, Printing, PCB Milling, Laser Engraving, 3D printing, Mini-Milling, and Waterjet cutting services for other interested participants, businesses, and programs as a self-sustaining mechanism to fund our team.
Partnerships already established include Midas, Montgomery Motorsports and Hammerhead Spear Gun, Bang & Olufsen, where we collaborate over prototype devices and products. We also partner with our local Oakley, Nike, and Nixon representatives for support in team uniforms, safety glasses, and accessories in exchange for technical services and custom-made products.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic that changed most of our traditional in-person meetings and virtual programming, our students developed custom face shield and face masks to support first responders and front-line workers at our local health care facilities, schools, and local businesses. Our team has produced over 600 custom 3D printed and laser-cut face shields and 1000 custom face masks since March, and our production continues today.
We will continue raising funds to support the Waialua Robotics Program and Initiatives to further expand STEAM opportunities for youth both inside and beyond the State of Hawaii.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTNERS
Since our program began, our team works towards sustainability, long-term growth plans, and a designated Waialua Robotics Team business account to sustain FIRST expenses, infrastructure costs, travel costs, and scholarships for students.
We maintain a business-like structure that addresses all need areas of our program, ensuring that all students can pursue their post-secondary STEAM career interests. The Hawaiian Kids have a comprehensive and diversified academic and financial plan to insure that our STEM Learning Center will continue in for years to come while achieving at a high level in all phases of our robotics curriculum, our partnership/outreach program, and our funding support. Partnerships with the local Universities and Career Readiness Centers have helped our families of students prepare their child for post-secondary opportunities and education.
Team 359 aims to further FIRST globally. Our team has traveled to Japan, China, Taiwan and Australia in recent years to visit schools and participate in Robotics/STEM competitions and events. We also have been corresponding with STEM leaders with respect to possibly starting FIRST teams and participation in other international robot competitions. For example, our program visited China annually from 2014-2019 and participated in the 2015 inaugural FIRST competition in Sydney, Australia. Our program also participates in the iREX Robotics Convention, the largest in the World every other year (i.e. 2013, 2015, and 2017). We also travelled to Taiwan in August 2019 and participated as consultants, workshop presenters, and judges for an off-season FRC event in preparation for the inaugural 2020 Taiwan FRC Competition. Due to COVID-19, our plans to travel to both Taiwan and China in 2020 were postponed and the events have been cancelled until further notice.
To assist in expanding our outreach efforts, we are always looking to acquire larger corporate sponsorship and additional federally funded grants. Our goal is to build a dedicated STEM Innovation Learning Center to expand program offerings beyond Robotics and help our entire community and State of Hawaii.
Future Plans
Partnerships have been established with an ever-growing list of sponsors to help offset sponsorships lost (due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic). Our outreach program looks to help other programs/teams while ensuring the sustainability of our own program, feeder programs/schools, and relationships with our partners. Team 359 participates in service projects for our community/businesses; volunteering in sponsorship activities, helping those in need, coordinating tours of our Robotics program, performing public demonstrations, and coordinating joint-venture benefit fundraisers, advocating the mission of FIRST by increasing STEM opportunities for the underserved youth in Hawaii.
