ST. LOUIS – Two Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Robotics Teams: The Fruity Loops and P3, are headed to the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas from April 19-22, 2023.
The FIRST Championship is a culminating, international event for the youth robotics competition season and an annual celebration of science, technology, and math, as FIRST robotics programs prepare young people for their futures. At the FIRST Championship, Girl Scouts from eastern Missouri will compete against teams from more than 30 nations around the world. Last year, 3,225 teams, including more than 80,000 students and 25,000 mentors, attended the competition.
The Fruity Loops, eight Girl Scouts from grades 4th through 8th, will compete in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Championship. Under the guidance of head coach, Mike Larrabee, and assistant coaches, Laura Larrabee and Julia Vollmer, The Fruity Loops qualified for the FIRST Championship by earning the First Place Robot Performance Award and the First Place Champion’s Award at the Missouri Championship earlier in 2023. To earn the First Place Champion’s Award, The Fruity Loops had to score the highest across four categories: robot games, robot design, core values and an innovation project. Their innovation project, “Power Sleeve,” uses an array of thermoelectric generators to convert body heat into electricity. This electricity is then used to wirelessly charge batteries of implanted medical devices such as deep brain stimulators that treat movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.
The Fruity Loops Robotics team includes the following local Girl Scouts:
Asher Larrabee (7th grade student at Saeger Middle School, Cottleville)
Avery Dersch (7th grade student at Bryan Middle, Weldon Spring)
Kate Larrabee (8th grade student at Saeger Middle School, Cottleville)
Kore Vollmer (7th grade student at Saeger Middle School, Cottleville)
Olivia Johnson (7th grade student at Bryan Middle, Weldon Spring)
Sarah Larrabee (4th grade student at Warren Elementary, St. Peters)
Umaiza Chaudary (6th grade student at Fort Zumwalt West Middle School, O’Fallon)
Vivian Conrad (8th grade student at Saeger Middle School, Cottleville)
P3, a FIRST Tech Challenge team, consisting of seven Girl Scouts from grades 8th through 12th, will present at the FIRST Conference and volunteer as Student Ambassadors as part of the Championship. Led by team coaches Leslie Steinmeyer and Keith Huckshold, P3 will serve as FIRST’s most knowledgeable tour guides, providing in-depth tours to sponsors, fellow robotics teams, attendees, and competition VIPs. During their trip to Houston, P3 will also attend and showcase a project during the FIRST Championship Conference. The conference includes sessions and workshops that align with the FIRST core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, and teamwork. Their presentation, titled “m.e. FIRST Initiative” ensures free and easily accessible menstrual products are available to all who need them during FIRST events.
The P3 Robotics Team includes the following local Girl Scouts:
Gracie Steinmeyer (Dean’s List finalist; 12th grade student at Rockwood Summit High School, Fenton)
Mira Iyer (Dean’s List Semifinalist; 12th grade student at Rockwood Summit High School, Fenton)
Michelle Serrano (Dean’s List Semifinalist; 11th grade student at Rockwood Summit High School, Fenton)
Amayra Taneja (Dean’s List Semifinalist; 10th grade student at Lafayette High School, Wildwood)
Embry Rickman (12th grade student at Parkway West High School, Chesterfield)
Nitya Bollam (8th grade student at Crestview Middle School, Ballwin)
True Howard (11th grade student at Seckman High School, Imperial)
To learn more about Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Robotics, please visit girlscoutsem.org/robotics
We’re Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsem.org.