East West

2363 Nate Laverdure 2019

Nate Laverdure joined Triple Helix six years ago and took on the role of head coach the following year. As a cryogenics mechanical engineer at Jefferson Labs, he is extremely valuable to the team as a whole, serving as the primary coordinator of Triple Helix activities in the community. As head coach, Nate has transformed […]

122 Nate Laverdure

First Robotics Competition team 122, the NASA Knights, wishes to nominate mentor Nate Laverdure. William Arthur Ward once said, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Only a truly great teacher can motivate students beyond the limits of a classroom. Nate Laverdure is one of those […]

2363 Wendy Bretton

Wendy Bretton first joined Triple Helix four years ago as a software mentor, but her impact on the team has been much larger than that. As a professional software engineer for over 20 years, Mrs. Bretton has an incredible amount of knowledge that she is willing to share with both students and mentors alike. She […]

1619 Mike Ott

One day in 2013, an unassuming man, Mike Ott, visited our pit at the CO Regional. We didn’t know it at the time, but he was going to transform our views on everything from scouting to drivetrains. Before Mike, we had never traveled out of state. He has added so much to our team: a […]

1619 Teresa Ewing

Be careful running into this mentor at the grocery store because you might find yourself invited to “visit the team.” Teresa Ewing, lead software mentor for UACR, has made an undeniable impact on 100s of students. Her excitement & dedication to inspire us to be technology leaders is boundless. As our mentor for the last […]

1619 Bruce Hoiem

“True education will remain a human to human activity.” Dr. Woodie Flowers It is the personal connection that Bruce has with us students at Up-A-Creek Robotics (UACR) that makes him an extraordinary candidate for the Woodie Flowers Award. Bruce has a kind, and soft voice, and guides us through fabricating a part. He leads us, […]

1619 Tom Glenn

Tom has been a mentor at Up-A-Creek for 6 years. He joined the team in 2013 and is a passionate and invested mentor. The first word that comes to mind when we think of Tom is enthusiasm. It shows whether he’s talking about space, cleaning coolant, or machining parts. His passion is infectious; it draws […]

1619 Dr. Cathy Olkin

The smile that pulled me out of the swirl of tension around me at Houston last year is still etched in my mind. As I stood with our robot in queue for another challenging match, lost in the stress of upholding my team’s soaring hopes, Cathy’s well-chosen words brought me back to myself and shattered […]

148 Adrienne Emerson

Since its inception 25 years ago, our team has developed into a program that does more than  build robots. The way the Robowranglers mix fun and professionalism in a healthy work environment  stays with students for the rest of their lives. Mentors exemplify the true meaning of FIRST to the team,  and constantly remind us […]

148 John V-Neun

In two short years, John V-Neun has made a lasting impression on Team 148 with his commitment to excellence,  professionalism, and dedication to the FIRST program.  John pledged his experience and enthusiasm when he accepted our Team Leader position. After working with several  teams over the past eight years, John has a specialized, unique perspective […]