Help Robotics Club Compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition

Hello Everyone,

My name is Deonte Thompson and I'm the founder and President of the Dreamfaith Foundation (www.dreamfaith.org), a registered 501c-3 that has the mission to empower students by equipping them with the necessary tools to victoriously overcome life's challenges, passionately pursue their dreams, and intelligently plan for success.

Born and raised in the Childs Park community on the Southside of St. Petersburg, Florida, I am no stranger to overcoming challenges. In elementary school, I could barely read and was placed in a learning disability class. Determined to prove teachers wrong, I used my summer vacations reading books in order to improve. Not only did I improve, but I quickly became one of the strongest readers in the class. I learned a valuable lesson that hard work, determination, and sacrifice are important ingredients for success.

While still in elementary school, I was exposed to technology when I found an abandoned television next to a garbage can. My curiosity led me to tearing the television apart and taking the circuit board out. For years, the circuit board sat on a wall in my room, and I daydreamed about one day figuring out how it worked. I eventually went on to major in Electrical Engineering at Florida A&M University and ultimately figured out how to design and develop circuit boards. Unfortunately, there were no STEM programs that I was exposed to as a child. I spent most of my time playing sports, and I did not know any engineers and was not exposed to the profession. This is why I started the FIRST Robotics club at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, FL. The goal was to be very intentional about bringing STEM programs to underserved areas to ensure that every curious thought from a student about careers in technology was satisfied.

Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12). Because their programs are More Than Robots®, FIRST participants are guided by a signature set of Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements. Their thrilling, sports-like challenges build their self-confidence and collaborative problem-solving skills and have a proven and lasting impact on STEM learning and interest. Their participants and alumni gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life.

In March of 2024, our robotics team (17 students) traveled to Florida A&M University and competed as the only FRC team from St. Petersburg. We received a "Judges Choice" award and the students were extremely excited because it was many of their first time being on a college campus and also building a robot that competed in a regional competition.

We would like to continue building on the momentum and success but we need your help to raise funds to attend the Tallahassee Regionals. Thank you for your support and let's continue to support our youth in the areas of STEM.

-Deonte

The cost breakdown is as follows:

Registration for Regionals: $6,000

Transportation: $7,000

Hotel: $3,000

Food: $2,000

Shirts: $500

Build Materials: $500

Laptop: $1,000