FIRST Inspires
A Force for Change
Over the past 10 years, Tennessee Robotics Club (TRC) has become a force for change as an educational non-profit inspiring students interested in learning technology, robotics, and coding. My son, Ben came up with the idea to start a robotics team. Ben's dream was ignited when we joined FIRST Robotics and built a robotics lab in my garage for students to meet with other like-minded team members who were just as passionate about pursuing a career or education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Aerospace, & Mathematics). Today, we are continuing the mission and growing our organizational impact beyond my garage to impact even more students in the years to come through our 5 year strategic plan.
TRC continues to find innovative ways for students to learn 21st century work-life skills such as creative thinking, innovation, communication, teamwork, and self-leadership. Our team members have consistently demonstrated a commitment to our four core values of Respect, Inclusion, Service, and Excellence. These are the values I am most proud of because these are the values that build effective teams. Together, we RISE!
More important than any competition success or awards TRC may earn, our team members RISE together by growing academically, intellectually, and socially building lifelong friendships. They gain a better understanding, respect, and appreciation for the rigors and benefits of participating in a quality robotics and STEAM education program. During their time in the Tennessee Robotics Club, students are inspired and motivated to pursue their dreams and achieve their long-term educational and career goals.
Coaching and mentoring TRC has become an adventure of a lifetime and one of the most meaningful investments of my life by helping build America's future technology leaders and engineers by building robots.
Together, we RISE!
Michael Puckett
More Than Robotics
TRC encourages innovation, creative thinking and self-leadership. Not only do my student team members acquire technical skills, but they also learn 21st-century work-life skills such as project management, teamwork, communication, marketing, and presentation skills. It's truly more than robotics.
TRC team members are encouraged to work together to solve real-world engineering challenges using 21st-century work-life skills while having a lot of fun competing and learning together. Robotics is sport for the mind and the competitive spirit is fostered within the FIRST environment of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition.
FIRST Leadership Challenge
2018 USAF FIRST Leadership Experience
On July 16, 2018, I traveled to Eglin AFB, Florida to participate in the USAF/FIRSTLeadership Experience which was an amazing 3-day leadership training program covering leadership principles, leading oneself, leadership development and professionalism, the Air Force way.
During our graduation ceremony, Major Ross McKnight shared his leadership experiences at the Air Force Academy and his time playing quarterback for the AFA Falcons. Quoting excerpts from the book Outliers: The Story of Success written by Malcolm Gladwell, Major McKnight challenged us to take the leadership concepts we learned that week and become a “competitive advantage" for our students and team members because no one becomes successful in life by themselves.
In a military tradition dating back to World War I, Major McKnight presented everyone in the class with a USAF Recruiting Challenge Coin (pictured left) that I will always treasure. To me, the challenge coin represents: a leadership challenge to become something greater than I and maybe others believe is possible. To step out of my comfort zone and to serve others. To aim at something and become greater at something meaningful. It marked the beginning of my goal to become a "competitive advantage" for others.
The Art of Leading Oneself
The lessons I learned that week in the art of leading oneself and professionalism will carry with me forever. I look forward to sharing these lessons with my FIRST Tech Challenge team members, my cyber students, and fellow mentors through this website and future leadership development courses in the years to come.
Click on the presentation to the left which shares my key takeaways from the training which was instrumental in helping me create the vision for Valiant Leadership & Learning.
Challenge Accepted!
Michael Puckett
Learning is a journey,
not a destination.
Quick Links
Contact Me
Learning Beyond Boundaries
TRC Education makes giants leaps possible by providing Technology, Robotics, and Computer Science Education for students to build 21st-century digital age skills empowering them to learn beyond boundaries and pursue education and technical careers. Our mission is to provide opportunities for students of all backgrounds and interests to learn, grow, and explore 21st-century career paths and learning opportunities.
