The 4C Commodores Celebrate the 2020 FIRST Field with Ribbon Cutting
February 5, 2020— Albany, GA—Tuesday evening, The Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy (4C Academy) robotics team, The Commodores, recognized community partners in a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the redesign of the school’s practice field in the STEM gym for the FIRST Robotics 2020 challenge.
“This event was an opportunity for our local robotics teams to thank those in our community who make robotics possible - our business sponsors, our coaches and our mentors. They invest so much into this program - whether it’s their dollars or their time - and we really wanted to thank them,” remarked Chris Hatcher, CEO of 4C Academy.
“It was also a great opportunity for our teams to hear from industry leaders in our community about how robotics is being used right here in Albany at the Base, at Phoebe Putney, and at Procter & Gamble. We were honored to have them as part of the program,” Hatcher continued. Special guests speakers were Farid Khan, Plant Manager for Procter & Gamble Albany, Joe Austin, CEO of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Major Daniel Whitt, MCLB, LOGCOM, and Connie Haynes, CEO of Georgia FIRST.
Guests at the event included robotics teams from other schools in the area who utilize the 4C Academy’s facilities to develop their own robots. In addition to thanking team coaches, local FIRSTÒ mentors were also recognized during the ceremony. According to Darren Hagler, The Commodores team coach, “Mentors add an incredible level of value to the robotics experience. Mentors provide expertise in areas like programming, design, fabrication and even marketing, and they volunteer their time, energy and knowledge to help our students build a solid foundation in STEM fields.”
Founded in 1989, FIRST is a not-for-profit designed to inspire young people’s interest in participation in science and technology, and to motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM fields. Each year, robotics teams from across the globe compete for the opportunity to qualify for the FIRSTÒ Championship game. This year’s FIRST challenge theme, Infinite Recharge, was developed in partnership between FIRST and Star Wars: A Force for Change charity. In the game, robots must be able to perform various functions including climbing a wall and throwing “power cells”.
During the month of March, there will be five Georgia FIRST qualifying events leading to the State Championship April 1st -4th at Mercer University. The Proctor & Gamble Albany Qualifier competition will be held March 26th -28th at the Albany Civic Center.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chris Hatcher
CEO, Commodore Conyers College & Career Academy
Ph: 229-431-1562
Email: Chris.Hatcher@4CAcademy.org
Web: 4CAcademy.org
About 4C Academy:
The mission of the Commodore Conyers College & Career Academy is to produce college and career ready graduates with relevant skills and education and exceptional work ethic who can compete and succeed in the real world. Our partners include local business and industry, the Dougherty County School System, Albany Technical College, Albany State University, the Albany/Dougherty Economic Development Commission, and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, we have partnered with the Calhoun, Terrell and Baker County School Systems.