For the first time since the team was founded, East Palo Alto's Churrobots, FRC team 8048, earned a spot at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships in Houston. And thanks to their community, they were fully funded.
"Other teams were surprised there was even a team from East Palo Alto, much less a small team that won a regional. All of this has helped change the impression people have of our community."A Hope Horizon student, during the FIRST Impact Award presentation
On March 3, 2024, the Churrobots won the Silicon Valley Regional Competition, qualifying for the World Championships. Then reality set in: they needed to raise $40,000 for flights, hotels, food, and equipment to get to Houston.
Most teams cover those costs through school budgets, parent support, and connections. Not the Churrobots. They turned to their community, and through social media, local TV appearances, and a lot of hard work by students, families, coaches, and staff, they were fully funded in less than a month.
The only team like it
Despite sitting in the heart of Silicon Valley, STEM careers are badly underrepresented in East Palo Alto. The Churrobots are the FRC team in the city, drawing students from more than ten different high schools and coached by local volunteers. The team is made up almost entirely of students of color, most of whom will be first-generation college students.
The City of East Palo Alto issued a proclamation honoring the team, calling them an example of "the spirit of community collaboration." One student earned the Dean's List Finalist award for leadership and embodying FIRST's core values.
"The Churrobots exemplify the spirit of community collaboration."Proclamation by the City of East Palo Alto
None of it would have been possible without the team's own work and the support of coaches, families, and the whole community. This is what happens when a neighborhood decides its kids belong at the highest level.