In previous years, the Renton School District has faced significant budget cuts. In 2021, there was a $21 million reduction in their budget, and this year alone, there was a $10.5 million reduction. Due to significant reductions in their budget, the district wants our team to switch to FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge), following the path of other schools in the district.

While FTC is valuable, it is not equivalent to FRC in scope, impact, or opportunities. FRC provides high school students with large-scale engineering, programming, business, and leadership opportunities that mirror real-world STEM careers. The average cost difference between FTC and FRC is about $12,000 per year, but our team has shown that we can overcome this through grants. Last year, Team 3588 raised $18,000 on our own, without relying fully on district funds.

FIRST Team 3588, The Talon, was founded in 2008 and participated in its first competition in 2011, and has competed in all the following years, excluding 2020. From the beginning, our team has stood as a beacon of innovation, perseverance, and opportunity for students in the Renton School District.

The team won its first award in 2011 at the Seattle Olympic Regional, earning the Rookie All-Star Award. In 2011, the team also qualified for internationals in St. Louis, cementing its standing in the FIRST program despite being a new team. The team continued its streak throughout 2011-2019, winning various accolades, including the “Team Spirit Award” in 2012 and 2016, qualifying for internationals in 2014 and 2019, the “Creativity Award” in 2017, and many more.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major setback during 2021-23; we lost much of our documentation and previous knowledge in the process. Despite these hardships, the team has been rebuilding—hosting a free STEM event centered around K-12 students, aiming to re-establish our presence and inspire a new generation of builders and innovators.

We are asking the district to allow Team 3588 to continue as an FRC team. By signing this petition, you are standing with us to:

• Support a team that consistently raises its own funds and lessens the financial burden on the district
• Keep FRC alive in Renton, ensuring students have equal opportunities as peers in other districts
• Protect student access to advanced STEM opportunities