Gateway High robotics team says program grew, logged 480 volunteer hours and expanded outreach

Sean McMahon, head coach of Gateway High School’s robotics program, told the Gateway School District board the team just completed its 19th season and thanked the board for $10,000 in annual funding that covered competition registration fees last year.

“We just finished our 19th season,” McMahon said. “We were very appreciative” of the district’s funding, which he said allowed the team to focus on building the robot rather than fund-raising for registration fees.

Student members described program growth and outreach. A student identified himself as Daniel and said the high school team had its most successful season, finishing seventh and serving as an alliance captain; the high school roster was about 20 students this year, including five seniors. The coach said the middle-school program grew from about six students in prior years to roughly 24 this year after adding two teams; one middle-school team won the season’s core-values (sportsmanship) award.

The team also reported community activities: awarding its 1,000th badge, logging roughly 480 student community volunteer hours, attending 42 outreach events, helping the local library build a New Year’s Eve ball-drop mechanism and piloting a STEM club at University Park. McMahon said the club started a robotics club at Divine Mercy Academy to introduce about a dozen students to robotics through ten meetings.

Board members asked for clarification about grade-eligibility and program distinctions (First Lego League versus SeaPerch and how competition eligibility ties to math placement such as algebra or geometry). McMahon and student presenters said First Lego League is an after-school, seventh–eighth grade supplemental competition; SeaPerch is a separate program with broader grade participation and is run more through classroom curriculum in some schools.

Board members and guests praised the team’s impact on students’ career interests and confirmed the team’s participation in community events, including the Fourth of July parade and an upcoming community day.

The presentation closed with the board thanking the coach and students. No formal action was required; the team’s requests were informational and the board expressed ongoing support.