KINGMAN — The fiber internet provider Optimum awarded $1,500 to Kingman High School’s Bionic Bulldogs as part of its sixth annual Innovator Awards. The robotics team was chosen as the runner-up in the Community Impact category, which recognizes a team’s community engagement.
According to an Optimum press release, the Bionic Bulldogs were chosen for this award because the team “prioritizes volunteering at local community events.” These events include local parades, Kids Day, Oktoberfest, and the Mohave County Fair.
The Bionic Bulldogs also support local organizations such as the Kingman Chamber of Commerce, the Kingman Regional Medical Center, and the Kingman Community Gardens. They also leverage their engineering skills to set up STEM booths and run LEGO engineering camps for children in the summer.
Bionic Bulldogs team members show off their FIRST robot
“This group of creative and impressive students not only enjoys innovating but also connecting and volunteering with their local community,” said Kathleen Preston, Vice President General Manger West-Pac, Optimum. “Their motto – give back to the community that gives to us – beautifully represents what these students do for Kingman, Arizona.”
The Optimum Innovator Awards distributes over $25,000 worth of grants to five winners, five runners-up, and 18 honorable mentions. The program recognizes robotics competition teams that compete in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Optimum has sponsored over 70 teams and six regional competitions altogether.
“This night was such a thrill for all of us,” said Jody Schanaman, a mentor for Kingman First Robotics Team 60. “We love the fact that we are partnered with such a phenomenal team such as Optimum. It’s a fantastic chapter in our story.”
