Fullerton College is opening its doors to a new robotics team that is already putting what they’ve learned back to the community. Joey Victor, Brent Fritz, Irving Barajas and Allan Gomez all share a passion for teaching and building things. The group recently went to a few middle schools to help kids discover a passion for engineering.

“[We] just want to be part of a group that will help benefit society,” said engineering major Victor.

The robotics team began meeting this summer where they began working on a self-balancing robot and have already gone off to Nicholas Junior High School to teach basic electronics.

“We started going to Nicholas Junior High and taught them basic electronics and we plan on going back to further their education to more advanced topics,” said Victor. “We have a lesson scheduled for La Habra High school as well.”

Director of Special Programs Karen Rose helped Victor start the group and began meeting with the adviser for the robotics team Jeannie Abutin-Mitch.

“Expert teacher advisors taught us so much that we will try to pass on our knowledge. The more we are taught the more we can pass on,” Victor said.

Next up for the robotics team is attaching an arm to their self-balancing robots. They also hope to join competitions and eventually have FC become a school where the engineering program is a strong learning ground for future engineers.

“We worked to get the kids involved and to have them learn as much as possible,” Victor said.

In order to stay funded the robotics team must apply for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math grant and must continue to prove their dedication of building electronics.

“Hopefully we will be able to teach other students at elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels what we have learned,” said Victor.

Joseph Tran feels that student interest in the program is on the rise.

“If it’s interesting to the students, they’ll learn,” said Tran.

The team meets one Saturday a month and goes to middle schools to be advisers and continue their teachings.

“It’s actually a really good turnout. We’ve received positive feedback, the schools actually contacted me,” Victor said.

In order to become a member of the robotics team students need to be in the honors program.

“We encourage people to start their own small robotics and engineering groups. There is a workshop in November they can join and also many other opportunities through the new engineering club,” Victor said.

Victor will also be starting a new engineering club next semester.

For more information on the FC robotics team contact Joey Victor at [email protected].