Get Involved
2023 Portsmouth District Competition Finalists
We need your support.
The Aviators was established in 2006 at Norview High School to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). We proudly stand as Norfolk Public School's award-winning competitive robotics team, promoting and nurturing the next generation of leaders toward STEM careers through our outreach and community-building efforts.
In order to achieve our goals and compete in competitions, we rely on community support to maintain our team. The FIRST Robotics Competition requires intense support during the season, whether it may be donations, mentorships, or services that can assist at a moment's notice. One of our main goals is to make our team, regardless of income, accessible to all. Whether you're a representative of a company or organization, a community leader, or merely an individual interested in what we do, we hope that you can help us continue to be a competitive force in FRC and the community.
See The Aviators on the Hampton Roads Show here.
Why you should support us:
Creating Accessibility and Opportunity
The Aviators have curated an all-inclusive environment that allows members to join with minimal dues or fees. We understand that in order to spread STEM awareness to all and give everyone the same opportunity, we do not bar anyone from joining due to their financial background or technical experience. We provide alternatives or waive fees if needed. Your support would allow us to continue this inclusive model.
The Aviators is 100% Member-Led
The Aviators has developed a team structure rare among FRC teams where members are the main decision-makers. It is up to the members to brainstorm, facilitate, and lead in building robots and other projects. The role of mentors and volunteers is to guide us along the way and to keep us safe. We aim to keep this doctrine of allowing members to lead, and your support will allow our members to grow and flourish.
Showing Results For Two Years
The Aviators have continuously improved to achieve higher than we have in the past. Since our 2022 robotics season, we have become district finalists for the second year in a row, a first in our team's history. Additionally, we have become a top 5 ranked team in an off-season competition allowing us to become an alliance leader, with the last time being back in 2008. We trust that this is only the beginning, and your support will help our constant improvement and legacy.
Giving Members First-Hand Experience
The Aviators prides itself on being the only FRC team in Norfolk Public Schools. Our team gives members the unique opportunity to learn manufacturing, electrical, computer-aided design (CAD), coding, and business management in a rewarding and relaxed environment. Additionally, members experience intense amounts of teamwork and communicative skills through the season and competition. Your support would allow us to bring more opportunities to the team.
By the Numbers:
3 finalist awards were won between 2008 and 2023.
1 district competition won in 2017.
80% of the team consists of low-income and underrepresented students.
All seniors graduated in the top 10% of their class in 2023.
Over $650,000 awarded in scholarships in 2023.
Ways to get involved:
Donations
We accept both monetary and in-kind donations in order to expand our efforts in FRC and in the community. For monetary donations, please see our sponsorship packet below or donate through Cash App. For in-kind donations, we seek materials, tools, machinery, and technology that can increase our productivity and capabilities. If you have anything that you think might be useful to us, please consider donating it to us. Please contact involve@norviewrobotics.org for these donations.
Services
During build season, we rely on certain services that we cannot do in-house. This can range from brand printing (t-shirts, labels, stickers, posters), advanced machining and fabrication, food, media, transportation, and more. If you and/or your organization/company are able to provide services at a free or reduced price, please contact us at involve@norviewrobotics.org.
Mentorships
The FIRST Robotics Competition gives a chance for high schoolers to have experience in many fields of discipline. However, we are still very inexperienced by professional standards. In order to maintain a high-performing standard within FRC and our community, we require help from mentors to lead us toward being a more capable team. We need help in many areas such as mechanical, electrical, programming, CAD media, outreach, fundraising, and more. If you and/or your organization/company are willing to be mentors, please contact us at involve@norviewrobotics.org.
Our Current Robot
2023
Built for Rapid React, our 2023 robot, features a scissor lift paired with a retractable arm that is able to reach the top rungs. This robot also contains an automatic preset to auto-balance on the charging station. This robot earned our team district finalist.
See our previous robots here:
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All updates from us including news from build season, competition, outreach, sponsors, and any other interesting things.
Commonly Asked Questions
Where are you located and when you do usually meet?
We are located in Norview High School at 6501 Chesapeake Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23513. During our season, we usually meet Mondays-Thursdays from 2:15 PM to 6:00 PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Please contact outreach@norviewrobotics.org for any visits.
When does the robotics season start and end?
FRC "Kickoff" usually starts on the first Saturday of the year, starting the season. The robotics build season spans from early January to late April, with district competitions in March. Depending on our ranking, regional and world championships are in April.
Where do donations go towards?
During the season, we have a variety of expenses. Donations may be spent on things that are associated with robot building, workshop infrastructure, registration, and travel.
How can I keep up with news and updates?
We have created a newsletter to release news and updates to members, parents, sponsors, and community leaders. Please visit the link that will redirect you to subscribe to the newsletter here.
How can I learn more about the FIRST Robotics Competition?
Please visit the FIRST website to learn more about FRC.
Can your robot be presented to us?
It depends! We often present our robot in order to spread STEM awareness to others and to get our name known. Unfortunately, we are only able to show our robot at public, educational, and sponsor events (as disclosed in our sponsorship packet). We get extremely busy throughout the year, however, we try our best to attend all events we are invited to. If your events fall under the categories mentioned before, please email us at outreach@norviewrobotics.org. If you simply want to see us in action, please follow our newsletter to catch us at public events and competitions.
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Have any questions about what we do? Any sponsorship opportunities? Any other robotics team have a question for us? Click the button below to email us!
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Thank you to our sponsors!
