Mech Tech Dragons

STEM Event

Our free annual STEM Event, targets middle schoolers due to a common decline in STEM interest at that age. At the event, students participate in fun activities and hear presentations held by team members, school clubs, local businesses and nonprofits about a wide variety of STEM topics and careers, including building a solar-powered car, designing and marketing and product, programming and more. In 4 years, 490 students have attended, with 200 of them joining in 2020 alone thanks to a new virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic.

FLL Tournament

Since 2001, our annual FLL tournament has served as the largest and longest running tournament in Central VA. Team members are involved in all levels of the tournament, leading efforts in logistics, judging and planning. Students of our team build leadership skills while supporting the next generation of FIRST Robotics competitors.

Women in STEM

Team 422 is proud of its distinct focus on empowering Women in STEM in our community. In 2020, our team presented for the Goochland Girl Scouts, helping them to earn their Robotics Badges. We’ve also visited Holman Middle School’s Women in STEM Club and have attended Full STEAM Ahead and Camp Diva, both programs that focus on uplifting young girls in STEM. Many of our STEMinars, started in 2018, feature professional women in STEM presenting about  their jobs to our team and greater school community.

Demos

Over the past few years, we have continuously brought STEM to our community through robot demos in a variety of places including Nuckols Farm Elementary, John B. Cary Elementary, and the Sacred Heart Center. We have also demoed our robot at RVA Makerfest, which attracted over 2k people. Our efforts will continue even in a pandemic– plans for virtual demos are in place for the YMCA and Richmond Public Library.