Hi,

My name is Samantha Tan and I am a student of FRC Team 334, the Techknights, a student led robotics team in Brooklyn New York. Ever since the first Saturday of January, we have worked six days a week from January through April building a robot to bring to the New York City regional. From a combination of machining, designing, and programming our robot, our hard work has eventually paid off. At the competition, we ranked 5th in qualifications and made it to the semifinals in playoffs-- earning us a spot at the world championships in Texas.

This achievement means so much to us not just because of the competition itself, but because of what it represents. This is our first time qualifying to the world championship in the past 12 years. After taking a particularly strong hit during the pandemic, we lost mentors, sponsors, and many students. However, in the past 5 years, our team has worked tirelessly to grow-- not only in technical skill, but in resilience, teamwork, and community impact. Qualifying for the World Championship is a reflection of years of persistence, learning from failure, and continuously pushing ourselves to improve. It validates the countless hours we have spent after school, on weekends, and during breaks, all driven by our passion for STEM.

However, attending the world championship is a significant financial burden for our team. As a student led team, we rely heavily on external support to cover expenses such as travel, lodging, and registration fees. Without sufficient funding, the people who have worked so hard to get here won't be able to experience this once in a lifetime event.

We have an estimated total cost of $15,000 dollars for our team to go to the World Championship. We know that this is a huge ask, but every donation, big or small, brings us closer to the goal we've been working towards. If a donation isn't possible, share our story to anyone in your community.

Thank you for believing in our team. You are the generosity that'll transform hard work into an unforgettable opportunity. If you'd like to learn more about our team, visit our website team334.org