Wyn Schuh’s smile is the best introduction to Spartan Robotics. With one glance, our lead mentor conveys the atmosphere of friendliness and camaraderie that FIRST Robotics represents. She embodies what all members on 971 strive to be: a strong, inclusive leader and a perfect representative of FIRST values. Wyn unites everyone she meets to give all students opportunities to find a passion for STEM.
Because of Wyn, 971 developed a strong network to expand effectiveness. By sending out annual letters updating organizations on our progress and thanking them for their continued support, she retains key sponsors such as Solidworks, Google, NVIDIA, and St. Jude. Our team accumulated a total of 122 years of sponsor support due to her dedication.
As a female mentor with an engineering masters degree, Wyn is an encouraging, supportive presence at every meeting and provides guidance for anyone to excel in STEM. Due largely to her efforts, we went from having 1 or 2 girls in 2002 to girls making up a third of student membership in 2017. Her priorities ensure that all members are appreciated and participate on the team in a way that inspires them to pursue a STEM career. Additionally, she’s presented at the English Language Development classes over the past three years to show over 150 students that participating in FIRST Robotics is possible for anyone. Wyn aims to create a diverse team by recruiting underrepresented students.
One of Wyn’s biggest contributions is her effort to pair students with mentors who specialize in that student’s interests. This allows each person to find and further their passion, because she always follows up to make sure that students enjoy what they’re working on. Her knowledge and dedication send a clear message that anyone can become an integral part of our team embracing the spirit of community and empowerment.
Wyn extends FIRST’s network by bringing the program to our local school district, neighborhood newspaper, local Chamber of Commerce, and Solidworks Educational community. She spearheads our communication with companies like NVidia. As a result, 971 will be featured in one of their upcoming documentaries about their vision system.
Wyn’s impact also extends beyond 971. She is a gateway for knowledge that spreads to all of FIRST. This is best demonstrated in the 21 teams she’s assisted by hosting tours of our shop, answering emails, or passing them onto a mentor that specializes in their inquiry. Teams 5951 in Israel, 4211 in Indiana, and 846 in California have reached out to us because of the organizational and leadership knowledge Wyn has that makes 971 the team it is today.
Wyn deserves to be recognized for her dedication to 971, our community, and FIRST. She constantly inspires and strengthens our community, and puts all of her faith in us to pursue STEM in our futures. Wyn loves FIRST so much that she uses the program to unite students she inspires, mentors she leads, and communities she’s part of.
