By Edgar Sandoval, Contributor | Posted: August 7, 2020 | Revised: March 28, 2022

Madeline is just one of the students on Gear it Forward 2338, a FIRST team sponsored by Caterpillar’s medium wheel loader (MWL) and large wheel loader (LWL) product groups. The team, comprised of students from Oswego High School and Oswego East High School, has been making its mark in both science and technology and the local community.

Caterpillar has sponsored FIRST for many years, but it’s the passion of the young people involved that drives the success of the organization. It aims to inspire students to become leaders in science and technology.

“The excitement and enthusiasm the students have for FIRST is contagious,” said Royce Leaders an Engineering Specialist for Medium Wheel Loader Performance & Controls.

Royce is the Caterpillar Aurora FIRST Robotics Sponsorship Coordinator and is one of many Caterpillar employees that serve as mentors for FIRST students around the world. With more than 660,000 students in more than 100 countries, FIRST uses mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills to inspire innovation and foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership.

“It directly affects the way I approach my job at Caterpillar, Royce said. The rate at which these students are learning and growing is clearly visible.  The growth you see is the reason to come back for more.”

In 2020, 4,000 teams made up of more than 100,000 students, from 35 countries constructed robots and participated in a worldwide robotics competition. While this objective is a primary focus of FIRST students, there is also a high emphasis on spreading the message of STEM.

“From talking to people about robotics in our daily life, we grew to understand that most people believed they couldn’t join for various reasons. Gear it Forward 2338 needed to show that STEM is for everyone,” Madeline said.

Recognizing the opportunity for national awareness, the team members partnered with their mentors and a team alum to create and present a proposal to support STEM education to U.S. Congressman Bill Foster. As a result, the entire FIRST lobbyist machine from Washington D.C. is engaged and House Resolution #942 is now circulating through U.S. Congress. If approved, the third Friday of every March will be designated as ‘National FIRST Robotics Day’.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the same Gear it Forward 2338 team decided to apply their leadership skills and technical abilities to give back to their local community. The team found a design for a mask buckle, which allows medical professionals to wear face masks comfortably for extended periods of time.

“This went deeper than just a project for a robotics team. It was an opportunity to bring STEM to our community,” said Madeline.

Utilizing their home 3D printers, the team has printed and distributed more than 6,000 mask buckles to Chicago area medical facilities.

“Caterpillar is the founding sponsor of Gear it Forward 2338 and has helped our team continue to grow. The skills they share lead our alumni into careers in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Project Management – just to name a few. We are able to accomplish our many goals throughout the season due to the mentors provided by Caterpillar,” said Madeline.

It’s important to remember that even in challenging times, there are bright spots of hope. These students are rising to the occasion to not only invest in science and technology but also help their local community. Together, we can and are building a better world.