Newsletter: Triple Helix update – November 2018

Triple Helix earns a win at IROC!
Triple Helix went 11-2 at this year’s IROC tournament at Battlefield High School in Haymarket, VA and WON THE EVENT along with alliance partners 346 and 339!  The team’s goals for this event were to allow students to explore new roles and introduce some of our rookies to the new experience of competing in a real FIRST robotics competition.  We definitely met this objective!  Thanks to all who were able to visit and watch us on the live webcast– it was great to be cheered on by so many of our alumni, parents, and friends!

This weekend, visit Rumble in the Roads at Heritage High School
The Rumble in the Roads on Saturday, November 3 is one of the FIRST Chesapeake region’s premiere offseason FRC robotics competitions.  Located at Heritage High School in Newport News, this event is run by Triple Helix in partnership with our friends at FRC teams 1610 and 5957.  This tournament will feature over 30 high school teams from VA, MD, and NC who will compete all day with their 140-pound robots to determine who will be crowned champion.

As a spectator at the Rumble in the Roads, you’ll also be able to visit the “pits” where you can inspect the robots up close and meet the students and mentors who created them.  You can enjoy the family-friendly event and discover ways to get involved in local efforts to strengthen STEM education.  Most importantly, you can do all of this for free!

You’ll also be able to watch the live webcast of the event on TBA GameDay.

In two weeks, attend the inaugural Open House of the Peninsula STEM Gym
Founded and operated by Triple Helix’s operating sponsor Intentional Innovation Foundation, the Peninsula STEM Gym is a place for student robotics teams to develop competition robots and have real-world engineering experiences that will inspire a lifelong interest in science and math.  By enabling our students to better practice their sport in our Gym, we increase the likelihood that they can “turn pro” upon graduation.

We are excited to announce that the Peninsula STEM Gym now features a complete 2018 FIRST Tech Challenge – Rover Ruckus playing field sponsored by Newport News Shipbuilding!

We invite those wishing to learn more about the Peninsula STEM Gym to attend the first Open House to be held on Saturday, November 17 from 2pm to 6pm at the facility located at 11516 Jefferson Ave Unit #2, Newport News, VA 23601.

Community members wishing to contribute financially to the Peninsula STEM Gym are invited to sponsor the purchase of a chair.  Sponsors of chairs will be invited to attach customized brass name plaques to their chairs at the open house.

Thank you to major sponsors TE Connectivity and Best Buy
For the second season, Triple Helix has been selected to receive $5,000 in sponsorship funding from TE Connectivity.  We thank our friends at TE Connectivity for for their generous and continued support of our team!

In addition, Triple Helix was awarded a new $5,000 grant through Best Buy’s Community Grant program which supports programs that provide youth with access to new technologies and help them become interested and fluent in digital learning while developing skills to help better prepare them for future education and career success.


Nate Laverdure
Head coach, Triple Helix Robotics
President, Intentional Innovation Foundation