Team 540 started nearly eight years ago as a research project for two students in the Math, Science, and Technology Specialty Center of Godwin High School. Physics teacher Mr. Jim Lehman agreed to sponsor the program, under the condition that the students ran the organization.
Today, TALON 540 consists of over 60 members. The team’s composition is entirely different from what the original eight members formed; however, the same principle of student management still governs the team – and not just for building the robots.
Spreading the message of FIRST and giving back to the community is just as important to the students as building robots. Students have reached out through demonstrations and presentations from the Greater Richmond Technology Council TechSummit and Legislative Reception, to Engineering Explorers and the Big Brother, Big Sister Duck Race.
The team’s goal this year is Focus, Respect, and Commitment (FRC). The team believes that focus on each other, respect to others and the environment, and commitment to the team and community will not only bring success as a team but also as individuals as each grows and develop into better citizens.
TALON 540 is essentially a student-run corporation; every aspect from public relations to recruitment and rookie training programs is designed and implemented by team members with the encouragement and guidance of adult mentors and parents.
The goals of these dedicated students are not simply to be successful in competition, but to spread the FIRST ideals to those within the team and outside of the team.
Between seasons, students challenge themselves by prototyping various drive trains, as well as other projects, which include building t-shirt launching robots for school football games and building miniature PIKSSSAC robots to compete against seniors in the Engineering program at Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, the team commits to various activities through community service with middle schools, community activities, and school activities.