Miss Daisy
Miss Daisy
2009 was a banner year for Team 341. The year started with a regional win in San Diego and concluded with one of our biggest moments, when the team won the Championship Engineering Inspiration Award. This award is the second highest honor in all of FIRST. It is given to the team that in the judge’s estimation has done the best job of inspiring students to pursue engineering and technology careers. “We had some other amazing experiences this year,” Coach Ostrow shared, “including performing at the 2008 Farnborough International Air show in England, a three day demonstration at the World’s Largest Air show. The Robot also performed on the floor of an NBA 76ers Game, shooting souvenir balls into the stands.”
“What I love most about FIRST goes beyond simply sparking an interest in STEM careers. What FIRST does so well is to integrate Engineering, Art, Critical Thinking, Communication Skills, Teamwork, and Caring in a way that is real and relevant. FIRST holds close to a set of guiding principles which allows students to compete with honor, while still lending a helping hand to their neighbor. This social concept known as Gracious Professionalism is proven repeatedly on the field of play and in the pits, as students work to help those they will soon face in competition. As a Mechanical Engineer, Teacher, and FIRST coach, I understand the importance of motivating kids to pursue STEM careers but what truly inspires me is the visible and positive change that I see in my students. FIRST produces confident and caring individuals that are ready to tackle the world’s problems with a sense of compassion.”
Team Members
Logan Moloshok graduated from Wissahickon in 2008. He was on CAD and Animation for two years and on Design and Build for another two. Upon graduation, he went on and is currently studying Digital Media at Drexel University. His favorite memory is winning the Philadelphia Regional two years in a row. Some advice he has for current team members is to not be afraid to experiment; if you think something looks interesting, give it a shot.
Natalie Morris spent four years on Miss Daisy’s Design and Build team and Chairman’s team. After graduation in 2008, she went on to Carnegie Mellon University to study Computer Science and Physics. She is currently pursuing her degree and planning for grad school. Her favorite moment on the team is realizing that she knew what she was doing for the first time. Some advice she would like to give current students is to enjoy everything about robotics. Whether it’s the learning, frustration, or success; you have to enjoy it.
Katrina Selverian graduated in 2008 and is currently a communications major at Fordham University. She spent four years on the media team specifically working on Team in a Box. Her favorite memory was planning sessions for Team in a Box and winning their first President’s Circle Award. Her advice for current team members would be to not be afraid to suggest new ideas – many of the best features and methods of Team 341 have been thought of by students like you.
Katie Trageser was on the team for four years and graduated in 2008. While on the team she worked on design, build, and Chairman’s. She then went on to Penn State University to study aerospace engineering. Robotics helped her change her mind about what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Her favorite memory of the team was winning Drexel twice and being given the position as booth coach her sophomore year. Some advice she would like to give to current team members is to enjoy the time you have on the team, to ask a lot of questions, and to not be discouraged if things seem challenging.
Christopher Brouse is working as a counselor at a Children’s camp trying to earn money for college in the fall. He will be attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute to study Mechanical Engineering. In 2009 he was still on the team when they won the San Diego Regional and won Engineering inspiration at the Championship in Atlanta.
Vincent Bevivino is currently attending DeVry University and intends on returning to the team as a mentor.
Ryan Morris is still attending Wissahickon High School and participating on the robotics team.
Andrew Kamerosky’s experience on the team allowed him to meet some of the most important and memorable people in his life. During his high school career he was on the team for one and a half years helping build the robot and developing the business plan. After graduation in 2006, he went on to double major in Environmental Science and Geology with a minor in Dance at Dickinson College. Some of his best memories include winning the Kleiner-Perkins Caufield and Byers Award at Nationals.
Adam Nedorezov is currently attending Penn State and pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. His favorite memory is of all the laughs shared while working on the robot with teammates. Robotics influenced what he wants to become in the future as he found his love for electrical engineering.
Trevor Walsh graduated from Wissahickon in 2006 and is currently pursuing an Industrial Design degree at Philadelphia University. During his four years on the team he worked on building and operating the robot. Robotics helped Trevor find something he wanted to do with the rest of his life. His fondest memories include the long bus rides and the rush he got from fixing a machine seconds before a playoff match started.
Jason Chen graduated from Wissahickon in 2005. He spent four years on Team 341, working on CAD and Animation. After Wissahickon, he went on to study Premedicine, Biobehavioral Health, Journalism, Graphic Design, Information Science, and Technology at Penn State.
Dave Isaac is currently attending Temple University and finishing up his degree in broadcast journalism. After spending four years on the team, he graduated in 2005. While on the team he worked on Media and Team in a Box.
Melissa Slobodzian is currently an accounting major at Penn State University and has already accepted a job to work with KMPG doing forensic accounting. She graduated in 2005 and spent one year on the team doing the business plan. Her time on the team showed her that she wants to pursue a career in business.
Jared Russell spent two years as a student on the team and another six as a coach. He graduated in 2003 from Wissahickon. While on the team he first worked on media and the website, then programming, and then design. After graduation he went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology and has a Bachelor and Masters in Computer Engineering. He is currently working as an engineer at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories. Robotics helped him with his career because it opened his eyes to what he could do with his lifelong fascination with science and technology. He also cultivated communication skills that have helped him get through college and as a professional.
Greg Walter spent three years on the team and two years as a mentor. He graduated in 2003 and went on to study Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Engineering Mechanics at Penn State. He is currently working for General Dynamics Electric Boat. His company designs, builds, and maintains nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy. While in high school he worked on the build and design team and was also a human player. FIRST taught him the skills and importance of scheduling, multi-tasking, and testing.
Orion Pullman graduated with the class of 2002 and spent his senior year on the team. After graduation he went on to study Chemical Engineering at Drexel University. Upon graduation from college he worked as a chemical engineer in the Virgin Islands. Orion then went back to school and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Brian Chiou was a senior when he joined Team 341. His role on the team was Animation. After graduation in 2001, he went on to study Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is now a Project Manager at a web development firm.
