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Florida Engineering Foundation sponsors FIRST Tech Challenge team, Renaissance Robotics. One of their numerous outreach activities involved UCF’s Go Baby Go! program. On September 17, 2019, seven FIRST Tech Challenge (robotics) teams spent the afternoon re-wiring four PowerWheels ride-on cars as part of the UCF Go Baby Go! program. The UCF Go Baby Go! program, through workshops and individual builds,  provides children with mobility limitations modified ride-on cars, drastically impacting their lives by getting them moving! Mobility has been demonstrated to positively affect a child’s physical, cognitive, and social development.

In response to our question, “Would you please explain why you chose to volunteer with UCF Go Baby Go!”, Frankie Zahrt IV, high schooler and team-member of Renaissance Robotics responded: “Because it is OUR job to change the world, to make this world a better place for the next generation! UCF Go Baby Go! is such a wonderful organization that really makes a difference. Did you know that they do not make self-controlled wheelchairs for students under five years old? This is a need that can and is being filled with these cars. It’s much more than helping one kid with one car. In addition to helping the young student, who has limited mobility by giving them a very inexpensive wheelchair option, it also helps elementary school students learn that they can also change the world. UCF Go Baby Go! allows elementary school students to participate in the build program by gluing the PVC pipes together to make the safety bars. Realizing that they have the power to change the world is a crucial fact that all elementary students should get the opportunity to learn. On top of that, UCF Go Baby Go! also helps us, the high school students,  confirm or reconfirm our commitment to making this world a better place by allowing us to do the pre-wiring. Having the high-schools students perform the wiring, allows the elementary school kids to also participate by doing the easier tasks of the build that are geared for their level. The preschooler with limited mobility gets the chance to learn that others care and that there are no boundaries that they can’t overcome. Building one car, helps lots of students, not just the final recipient of the car.” Florida Engineer Foundation could not be more proud of our high school robotics team, Renaissance Robotics.

UCF faculty member, Jennifer Tucker, director of the Go Baby Go! program at UCF, made the following comment about the Renaissance Robotics team, “I was so impressed by the energy and problem solving skills that the students brought to the Go Baby Go build.  I look forward to working with them again in the future”.

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Argenis Apolinario Photography 2019

Argenis Apolinario Photography 2019

Argenis Apolinario Photography 2019

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