Roaring Riptide’s Mission and Vision
Team 4118 engages youth in STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – activities through our local community, state, and national outreach efforts. We believe our outreach efforts help to foster the acquisition of transferable skills such as teamwork, work ethics, flexibility, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and adaptability.
Thank you, Dr. Woodie Flowers, for establishing the FIRST ethos of Gracious Professionalism.
About Team 4118: Roaring Riptide
Roaring Riptide: FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 4118, was founded in 2011 at P.K. Yonge DRS in Gainesville, Florida by Dr. Carl Crane, a professor at the University of Florida, along with Dr. Lynda Hayes, former Director of P.K. Yonge. The team’s first competition season was in 2012, playing the game themed “Rebound Rumble” at the South Florida Regional Competition.
Our #FIRSTwithAT Initiative has gained the support and recognition from 4 local college student organizations, 2 local hospitals/clinics, the university, as well as national organizations.
Assistive Technology (AT) refers to any device that increases accessibility or improves the quality of life for people with disabilities.
#FIRSTwithAT is an initiative started in 2019 by Roaring Riptide that aims to get other robotics teams involved in making low-cost AT solutions for members of their communities. Riptide works to donate custom AT devices and open-source designs to the Gainesville, FL area and beyond.
TEAM ACCOLADES
- 2024 Regional Engineering Inspiration Award – presented at the Tallahassee Regional Competition
- 2023 Quality Award – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2022 FIRST World Championships Session Presenter – A #TidalWave of Assistive Technology
- 2022 Judges’ Award in Servant Leadership – Orlando Regional Competition
- 2022 Orlando Regional Session Presenter – A #TidalWave of Assistive Technology
- 2020 ATIA Poster Session Presenter – A #TidalWave of Assistive Technology – FIRST Robotics Competition Team 4118
- 2019 Judges’ Award in Assistive Technology – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2019 Pit Safety Award – presented by UL at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2019 ATIA Session Presenter – Inspiring the Minds of Tomorrow
- 2018 Awesome Pit Award – presented at Roboticon Tampa Bay
- 2018 Imagery Award – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2018 Friendliest Team Award – presented by FRC Team 945: Team Banana
- 2018 Imagery Award – presented at South Florida Regional Competition
- 2018 Squealer Award – presented by FRC Team 1902: Exploding Bacon
- 2018 Woodie Flowers’ Finalist Award – presented at the South Florida Regional Competition
- 2017 Woodie Flowers’ Finalist Award – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2015 Gracious Professionalism Award – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
- 2015 Orlando Regional Winner
- 2015 Dean’s List Winner – Logan Hickox – presented at the Orlando Regional Competition
About FIRST
Inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989. FIRST is about inspiring innovation, igniting curiosity, and creating pathways for students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. Each January, teams from around the world are tasked with a challenge during a Season Kickoff Event. During the build season (following kickoff) teams work through the design process, with the ultimate goal of building a successful competition robot. In the months of March and April, teams compete at district, regional, and world competitions.
Even if you’re not interested in robotics or engineering, joining a FIRST robotics team might still be for you! Being on a FIRST Robotics competition team is much like being part of a small business. Skills needed to make a FIRST team successful include: entrepreneurship, design, art, photography, acting/performing, marketing, business, mechanics, engineering, computer-aided design, programming, leadership, spirit, electrical, strategy, safety, and so much more! Email us today to learn how you can join our team!
