Heroes Program
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Heroes
At For The Win Robotics, we see heroes not only in storybooks or on the silver screen, but also in classrooms. That's why we're excited to introduce The Heroes Program as a part of our Build Fly Code Give initiative, an award cycle dedicated to celebrating educators who go above and beyond to inspire the next generation of innovators. We're calling on our community to nominate these everyday heroes who are tackling real-world problems in their classrooms. And, in return, we’re offering these heroes a chance to receive a high-touch installation of the Build Fly Code Platform in their classroom, including our latest innovation, the Hopper drone, and access to professional development opportunities.
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Identifying Your Hero
To be considered a hero, it's not about what you teach, but how you bolster lifelong curiosity in students. Regardless of region, demographics, or socioeconomic standing, many classrooms are led by heroes who deserve both the recognition and resources to support their efforts. We're looking for educators who demonstrate creativity, dedication, and a commitment to empowering students to make a difference in the world. We want to hear about their impactful work happening in STEM classrooms across the nation.
We’d also like to know how this education champion would use this opportunity to raise awareness for and address some of the world’s biggest challenges—would they structure lesson plans based on environmental, city planning, or supply chain pain points? Would this hero prompt their students to use drones to explore new, experiential frontiers in agriculture, emergency response, construction, or film and media? Would drones be used to inspire creativity and an innovation mindset among students?
Nomination Process
Submitting a nomination is simple. Just tell us about your hero by completing and submitting the form linked below by 11:59pm on September 8, 2024. Consider how your hero is driving positive change, and how access to technology and learning tools like the Hopper drone could bolster their pedagogy and heighten impact.
Nominations for the 2024/25 school year will be accepted until May 31, 2025, so don’t miss the chance to shine a spotlight on an educator who is helping shape the future of learning. Join us in honoring these educational heroes, and let’s build, fly, and code for a better tomorrow! Recipients will be awarded on or about June 27, 2025.
No purchase necessary. Nominator may nominate themselves or a third-party. Nominee must be (i) a STEM educator who teaches in an educational institution or other formal business entity located in the US that may accept the award under applicable laws, rules and regulations (“Company”); (ii) 18+ (or local age of majority where participant resides); and (iii) a legal resident of the 50 United States or DC. Nominations must be received by 11:59 PM PT on 5/31/2025. Three award recipients will be chosen on or about June 27, 2025 to receive One (1) Hopper 12 Classroom Bundle (“ARV”): $5,450) . Award will be received by award recipient for their Company and sent to their Company. Award recipient is responsible for confirming that they and their Company are eligible and able to receive award under applicable laws, rules and regulations. If receipt of the award would violate applicable laws, rules or regulations, award recipient will be deemed ineligible and forfeit all rights to the award. Nominator may only nominate one nominee. For Official Rules, including judging criteria, visit https://www.ftw-robotics.com/heroes-program-official-rules
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Whether you are bringing Hopper into your classroom, after school drone club or summer camp, Build Fly Code has the resources and community connections to help you succeed.
Access the platform through any device and engage students with the platform or download and localize materials for use in your own systems.
The opportunity to build early interest and mastery of STEM and computer science programming should be universally available to all students. But its not. At every stage of K-12 education, students who attend the most underserved schools as well as those with special needs are the least likely to have access to STEM resources, experiences and classes.
Build Fly Code Give is our solution to help close the gap in access.
Empowering Future Innovators with Build Fly Code Give
The opportunity to build early interest in—and mastery of—STEM and computer science should be universally available to all students. However, many students, especially those in underrepresented schools, communities or programs, often lack access to essential STEM resources.
For The Win Robotics' Build Fly Code Give program bridges this gap by empowering students and educators with cutting-edge, assemble-and-disassemble drone technology, enriching STEM curriculum with immersive, hands-on learning experiences. This case study explores the program's impact in the Philomath School District in Oregon, where drones became gateways to future careers and the development of essential life skills.
Build Fly Code Give provided Philomath High School and Kings Valley Charter School with access to the Build Fly Code platform including the Hopper drone, enabling students to engage directly with advanced technology. The donation initiated the schools' STEAM For the Win program, which introduces STEAM activities to special education, life skills, and youth transition programs within the district.
Initiating the Program: Taking Off
The implementation of the program involved several key activities around the building, flying, and coding of Hopper. Students learned to construct Hopper from basic components, fostering their attention to detail and mechanical skills, while hands-on control exercises improved their coordination and understanding of aerodynamics. Through diagnosing and fixing issues with their Hoppers, students also developed critical problem-solving abilities. Altogether, these activities instilled a sense of responsibility and safety awareness, essential in any technical field.
Building and Programming Drones for Hands-On Learning
The Build Fly Code platform enhances both hard and soft skills, nurturing technical mastery in flight mechanics, coding languages, and advanced sensor technologies, while also strengthening students’ capacity for problem-solving, collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, teamwork, and attention to detail. Students discover practical applications of classroom knowledge, seeing firsthand how their skills translate into real-world scenarios. This hands-on learning lays the groundwork for future success, opening up potential career pathways in fields like aerial content capture, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. Whether pursuing higher education, career technical education, or entry into the workforce, students are equipped for continued learning in drone-applicable industries and beyond.
"The introduction of drones to our special education students brought forth a dynamic approach to teaching an array of employability and social-emotional skills.” - Chris Singer, Program Coordinator at Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub.
Real-World Applications: The Broader Impact
Expanding Build Fly Code Give’s Reach
To expand the impact of the Build Fly Code Give program, For the Win Robotics has introduced the Build Fly Code Give Heroes Program. This initiative nominates and celebrates educators who inspire innovation by addressing real-world problems in their classrooms. Awardees receive a high-touch installation of the Build Fly Code platform in their classroom, including our latest innovation, the Hopper drone, and access to professional development opportunities. Celebrating and providing for these educators underscores the importance of their work in driving innovation, sparking curiosity, and enriching the educational experience for all learners.