South Eugene Robotics Team (FRC 2521)

The South Eugene Robotics Team (SERT) was founded in 2007 by Leighton Barnes (SEHS Class of 2009), and is the only FRC team in the Eugene/Springfield area. Over the years, we’ve offered hundreds of students the wonderful opportunity to learn STEM skills to take forward into an increasingly technology-oriented future. Most high schools don’t offer shop, mechanics, or engineering classes, so SERT is one of the few places for students to learn these hands-on skills. In a world where technology is everywhere, the skills we acquire through the robotics team are invaluable. We’ve worked hard to create a team that is inclusive and welcoming to people with identities underrepresented in STEM, specifically girls and LGBTQ+ youth. We also develop recruitment materials, fundraising presentations, and business plans, and create videos and social media posts to share our activities and creations! These aspects of SERT help us gain skills in graphic design, financial planning, community outreach, and interpersonal “Gracious Professionalism” - a FIRST value.