Change can start with a girl...

While our team believes strongly in spreading STEM to children around the world, we also strive to improve the human condition in general. In January of 2010, shortly after a massive earthquake struck Haiti, we decided to incorporate fundraising for humanitarian efforts into the San Diego FTC regional.

We called the fundraiser "Hotshots for Haiti," a play on the 2010 FTC challenge, HotShot. Individuals could participate in 2 ways; they could either sponsor a team or give a flat donation. If they chose to sponsor a team, they would pledge to donate a certain amount of money per point that their team scored during the tournament and then pay at the end of the tournament. This fundraiser produced amazing results because it spoke to the spirit of cheering on your team in the competition, as well as raising money for Haiti. Altogether, we raised about $1400, and several other teams promoted the Hotshots for Haiti fundraiser at consequent regional competitions!!

In the past, our team done other humanitarian work like collecting school supplies for hurricane victims, and since founding a not-for-profit, RISE, we are working to expand our humanitarian efforts. At the moment, we are working to raise money for "The Girl Effect."

The Girl Effect is an organization that helps improves girls' lives in developing countries, and was introduced to one of our girls at a leadership conference. The organization targets teenage girls in an attempt to disrupt the cycle of poverty that they can be trapped in at a young age; The Girl Effect puts girls back in school and gives them an opportunity to positively effect their communities! Please, if you would like to learn more or donate go to: www.girleffect.org. There's a wonderful, short video animation detailing the organization's efforts.

If you have a suggestion of a cause we should support, feel free to email us!