Welcome to the 2017 November 
Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter  
You may click any of these links to jump to a specific section. 
Thanks for helping inspire youth for a lifetime in 2017 and how to help in 2018!
THANK YOU   for your generous donations and support during our 2017 Competition Season!  
Please consider making a donation to bring BEST at no cost to our competing schools in 2018.  Tuesday 5 December is Colorado Gives Day and you can click here to  schedule your donation today.
   
Volunteer 
 
2017 Crossfire Logo     
 
2017  CROSSFIRE 
COMPETITION 

Rocky Mountain BEST hosted 27 teams with 410 students over 6 weeks in September and October. The middle and high school teams were primarily from the Denver metro area with one school traveling 6 hours from Montrose. 
You, our volunteers and sponsors, are the reason we were able to bring a hands-on engineering competition  at no cost to the schools.  
Last month we recognized our volunteers, this month we are recognizing our corporate sponsors ... listed below ... and the MANY donors.
 
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF YOU!
We'd love to have your organization as a sponsor in 2018!  
 


 
 
 
Jeppesen Logo

 
 
 
 
        Metro State Logo

          BAC Logo

Kroger Logo



Noerr Logo
YOU MADE AN IMPACT - 
YOU ARE THE BEST!

With your donations and volunteer support,

...we were able to repair, replace, buy and assemble all the items to PROVIDE the 27 school teams the ROBOTICS KITS used to build their robots - AT NO COST to the schools, 


... we were able to TRAIN over a dozen teachers and mentors  at our July Teacher / Mentor Institute to prepare them to coach their teams.
2017 TMI Teachers and Mentors

... we were able to build a 4 quadrant competition GAME FIELD, 
  2017 Game Day East HS

... we were able to provide REFRESHMENTS for all of our 110 volunteers at each event and 
provide a pizza snack for over 400 students on Game Day,  

..we were able to purchase the TROPHIES and MEDALLIONS for our award winning teams,
 

...AND we were able to do all the other activities required to hold a successful competition!! 
 
 BRI 
Regional Championship Logo
CHAMPIONSHIP VOLUNTEER SIGNUP NOW OPEN 
15, 16 & 17 December at Auraria Event Center 

Use this SIGNUP.COM LINK to register to help us host the  top 24 schools  from  5 Colorado BEST Robotics Hubs  competing for the first time in Denver! 
Our volunteers will find this event is similar to Game Day with a 2 1/2 day schedule and TONS of FUN and EXCITEMENT and even MORE ACCOMPLISHED ROBOTS. 

Dates and Activities
Volunteers Needed
Week prior - 4-11 December
Engineering Notebook Judging
Engineering Notebook Judges with option 
to judge on-line from your home -  Please email Linda.King@bestinc.org to signup.
Friday, 15 December
Moving & Facility Setup
 Feed volunteers
Movers and help with 2 game fields, pit, hospitality, and lobby setup
Volunteer hospitality support.
Saturday, 16 December
BEST Award Team Judging  
Robot Compliance Check  
Team Practice
Take Team Photographs
Register teams
Register & feed volunteers 
Volunteer and team registration
Volunteer hospitality help
BEST Award Marketing Presentation and Team Exhibit and Interview Judges
Referees and Field Setters to assist with team practice activities
Photographer for the Team Photos
Compliance team and other pit volunteers
Finalize setup for the robot competition.
Sunday, 17 December
Robot Competition on 2 parallel game fields
Pit for robot maintenance
Award Judging
Register teams
Register and feed volunteers.
All Game field volunteers: Referees, Field Setters, and Scorekeepers
All Pit volunteers including compliance, support,  staging and monitoring 
Additional award judges
Volunteer / team registration 
Volunteer hospitality help



Hub
Regional 
ChampionshipSchool  
Name

Hub
Regional Championship School Name
Rocky Mtn
Abraham Lincoln HS
Denver CO
Front Range
Ralston Valley HS
Arvada CO
Rocky Mtn
DSST Byers
Denver CO
Front Range
STEM HS
Highlands Ranch CO
Rocky Mtn
DSST Cole
Denver CO
Front Range
West Jefferson MS
Conifer CO
Rocky Mtn
East HS
Denver CO
SoCo
Raton HS
Raton NM
Rocky Mtn
Innovation Center of SVV   Longmont CO
SoCo
Manzanola Jr/Sr HS
Manzanola CO
Rocky Mtn
New Vista HS
Boulder CO
SoCo
Primero Jr/Sr HS
Weston CO
Rocky Mtn
Skyline HS
Longmont CO
Golden Plains
Julesburg HS
Julesburg CO
Rocky Mtn
St. Mary's Academy MS Englewood CO
Golden Plains
Peetz Elementary
Peetz CO
Rocky Mtn
Thomas Jefferson HS
Denver CO
Golden Plains
Peetz  High School
Peetz CO
Front Range
Chaparral HS
Parker CO
Golden Plains
Peetz Junior High
Peetz CO
Front Range
Legend HS
Parker CO
Pikes  Peak
Academy ACL
Colorado Springs CO
Front Range
Manning MS
Golden CO
Pikes  Peak
Liberty HS
Colorado Springs CO

BEST Robotics Denver Regional Championship!
Please email cbauer@rmbest.org if you have any questions

COGIVES  
MAKE A DIFFERENCE  and INSPIRE A YOUTH with BEST IN 2018
PLEASE GIVE ON COLORADO GIVES DAY - TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER

Please support Rocky Mountain BEST on Colorado Gives Day - 5 December   2017 Colorado's largest one-day online giving event, presented by Community First Foundation and First Bank !   

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO CONTINUE BRINGING BEST ROBOTICS COMPETITION TO OVER 400   STUDENTS IN 2018 AND TO HOST THE 2018 DENVER REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP --  ALL AT NO COST TO COLORADO SCHOOLS! 

Last year, we received over $6,400 from our generous donors and the incentive fund boost from  Community First and First Bank. This year, our goal is to raise $13,000. 
 
$1 Million Incentive Fund  - Thanks to Community First Foundation and First Bank,  Colorado Gives Day features a $1 Million Incentive Fund, one of the largest gives-day incentive funds in the country. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the Incentive Fund, which increases the value of every dollar donated.

Your support helps us continue to bring robotics  competitions to Colorado to "inspire a youth for a lifetime". 
  • Your donation can be scheduled NOW! Be sure you choose the button "CO GIVES DAY" under Donation Type when you schedule your early donation so we are eligible for a portion of the Incentive Fund. Visit the  Colorado Gives Day FAQ page for donating details.  
  • OR Give online with a donation any time on December 5 to "give where you live!"
 
Schools
2017 ROCKY MTN BEST COMPETITION RESULTS
An Extra Award Presentation at West Middle School

"Must Be a Problem with the Programming..."
The team members at West Middle School jokingly repeated the above quote as they spoke about their six weeks of work at the 15 November Award Ceremony when they received the  2017 Best Rookie Team Award presented by Carolyn Bauer, Rocky Mountain BEST Hub Director.
 
Many people attended the after school presentation: teachers, mentors, parents, four members of the RM BEST Steering Team, and, of course, students!! An awesome video of the days of team work and the competition was shown. The principal congratulated the team and said that she was very proud of them. As are we at RM BEST!! The students demonstrated the team spirit and work ethic that BEST supports. We wish them even more success as they continue traveling their STEM path. As their team t-shirt states: "Robotics - It's not a phase mom!" 

 Outreach 
BEST  Outreach 
Colorado Science Conference
 
On Friday, November 17, the Colorado Science Conference (CSC) was held at the Denver Mart. Helping at the BEST booth were: Lois Walton, Tami Kirkland, Lori Lazuk, Carolyn Bauer, and Illuminati, the robot.
 
The BEST team had a great day talking with people around the state who already support BEST and meeting new teachers who may participate in the future! We encouraged people to attend the first ever Denver Regional Championship event on 16 and 17 December. We hope you come to join the fun as well!!
 
AIAA Logo
AIAA Technical Conference
 
The American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics - Rocky Mountain Region had its Annual Technical Symposium (ATS) for the first time at MSU Denver, 17 November  2017. Mr. Wesley Kenison, RM BEST Board of Directors Vice President was the chair. The event was sponsored by major Aerospace Companies such as Lockheed-Martin, Ball Aerospace, Analytical Graphics Inc., and Teledyne Brown Engineering. The day was spent with presentations as diverse as Boom Technologies explaining their  supersonic airliner to Congresswoman Diane DeGette discussing STEM efforts. The companies brought in special displays for the Exhibit Hall and RM BEST was a participant. Jose Lopez, AIAA Student Chapter Faculty Advisor and RM BEST Executive Director staffed the booth and also met with representatives of the various companies to discuss BEST. 

 
More

END OF YEAR OPPORTUNITY TO BOOST BEST 
A Way to Contribute Before End of Year!
  Boost BEST BRI Fundraiser
Join us at this link for the  Boosting BEST Futures campaign and help us to reach and inspire more students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. As many of our teachers, students, parents, and volunteers will attest, the learning experience in BEST Robotics is both unique and impactful.  
  • The BEST program is FREE to schools and students because we are committed to making STEM learning  accessible and inclusive for all.
  • Help give more students the skills they need to pursue careers in STEM.
  • Help BEST reach and serve more students.  Please give today.
UNABLE TO VOLUNTEER?  MORE WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
Donations - You can also 
donate ANYTIME

Benevity
 If  your company has gift matching through Benevity, Rocky Mountain BEST is one of the eligible non-profit organizations. Please check with your company about gift matching!

Kroger Gift Card- If you have a Rocky Mountain BEST King Soopers /City Market Gift Card, Kroger donates donates 5% of EVERY gift card purchase at any Kroger Store -- including card refills -- to Rocky Mountain BEST... all at no cost to you -- FOREVER! In 2017, we received $1455 thanks to all the card users.    Contact Lois Walton at  lwalton@rmbest.org    to make arrange to purchase a card or get one one at the Championship event and help increase the value we received. 
Amazon Smile -
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Rocky Mountain BEST whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
  
   
Wondering what to do with your  used car or truck?  
Donating your old vehicle to ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST is convenient, easy, and may qualify you for a tax deduction. And best of all, your donation of a used car or tr uck will make a big difference in supporting ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST.
Why not donate your vehicle today? All you need to do is to complete our  SIMPLE ON LINE FORM  or call 1-866-628-2277 and we'll take care of the rest. We will pick up your vehicle, arrange to have your donation towed, and provide you with a tax-deductible receipt, all at no charge to you. 

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