Network It Out

Deep in the thick of build season, Nemesis 2590 briefly halted prototyping, put down their tools, and took a collective break from the organized chaos of Build Season Week 3 to host their fifth annual Sponsor Networking Night.

Sponsor Networking Night is the best and most direct means of thanking and maintaining a thoroughly personal relationship with sponsors. Through presentations, personal interactions with team members, and hands-on demos, sponsors are offered penetrating insight into the inner workings of Nemesis.

The night began with Nemesis team members from all subteams greeting representatives and leading them into the Robbinsville High School (RHS) Technology Lab. Sponsors became increasingly intrigued as build executives Charlie D’Amico and Mariko McMurtry discussed the previous season’s successes before divulging information regarding the 2017 robot and the FIRST Steamworks game. Surprised by the game’s complexities, sponsors were extremely curious as to how Nemesis’s 2017 competition robot would tackle this fresh challenge. Answers did not have to wait, as sponsors freely questioned team members 1-on-1 between demonstrations.

Next, marketing executives in the adjacent Student Activities Center gave an overview of the team’s finances, competitive standings, and community outreach. During this presentation, Nemesis’ true nature shined through. 2016 produced the team’s most successful food drive yet, multiple competitive awards, and expanded the horizons of Nemesis influence. Operated as a high-tech business, Nemesis 2590’s marketing sector directly interacts with sponsors who essentially act as investors. However, instead of investing with the intention of monetary returns, sponsors reap the healthy profit of potential employees and a diverse, strong future STEM community.

Assemblymen, industry representatives, and parents marveled at the final presentation: a hands on operation of Daedalus, Nemesis' 2016 competition robot. “I think it’s awesome what’s going on here. It’s a near completely student-run organization and these students are doing things reminiscent of what’s actually being produced in the technology field,” brightly observed NAVAIR representative Colonel Cynthia Wong of the United States Air Force. Sponsors swerved, drifted and spun Daedalus across the Nemesis practice field, pausing only to ask questions or launch foam balls from the robot’s powerful shooter. Also found in the RHS commons was the programmable, dancing, walking, and talking NAO Robot as well as several Nemesis 2590 produced videos.

It’s been 10 years since Mrs. and Mr. Wolfe, an intensely dedicated group of students, and the RHS administration came together to form the Robbinsville Robotics Team, FRC 2590 Nemesis. In that time, Nemesis has won numerous awards and jumpstarted the careers of countless Robbinsville students. These accomplishments would have been rendered impossible without the generous and vital support of their sponsors. To them, Nemesis 2590 extends its sincerest gratitude.

Nemesis would like to give a special thanks to: Robbinsville High School, NAVAIR, CCL Label, DoDStem, Knowledgement, Nordson, Leidos, the Robbinsville Educator Association, Lockheed Martin, Sharbell Development Corp., the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Investors Bank, RAS, the Robbinsville Education Foundation, Triangle Copy, Skylink, Coldwell Banker, Northstar Vets, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, Designtree, Siemens, SRI, McGraw Hill Financial, as well as all the Friends and Family of Nemesis.