Briefly, I wanted to thank everyone, again, for a fantastic robotics season.  We have built such an outstanding foundation this year for success, that we can only exceed all expectations in the 2005-2006 school year.  I have said many times this year, our seniors set a standard for everyone to follow and I know they have left a legacy of success for the next group to achieve.  Congratulations, to the Class of 2005 and thank you for your hard work and dedication.

I want to thank all the hard working Robowranglers who helped me through those last few days of school.  We got through it and I'm feeling 100% better.  I couldn't have done it without those who stayed late and helped me.

We have already had try-outs and our new members will join us this summer in our activities and our preparations for the next school year.  We had seven seniors graduate and we have added seven members to fill the void, they have some big shoes to fill!

Over the summer, I want to encourage everyone to get a head start on fundraising for the next competition season.  I had one dad tell me his way of getting ahead this summer and I think it bears repeating.  He and his son have contacted several businesses and asked them to save their ink cartridges and laser jets.  On a regular basis, they "run their route" and pick up the items.  They also mention each time to remember to bring old cell phones to work and they will pick those up next time.  This has been great and I can count on this team member to always contribute at least twenty dollars in recyclables once a month.  Now just think if 18 people were doing this!!  Historically, the summer is the busiest time for the cell phone stores.  Why don't you find a store in Hunt County or on your way to Dallas and drop by on a regular basis.  Please contact some of the Greenville or Hunt County businesses and ask them to save cartridges or laser toner cartridges for you.  We already see Crumpton's Cellular on a regular basis and the hospital is a great contributor to our program.  I will be at GHS every Monday from 1:00 to 4:00 through the summer and you can stop by and bring your collection items during that time.  I should start this schedule on Monday, June 6th.  If I deviate from this, I will let you know by e-mail.

We have a wonderful opportunity to promote the team in July and I will be contacting all team members and parents about this activity.  I will get all the details worked out and then I will mail a letter to each family asking for help in our project.  We are going to be able to be a part of the Hunt County Rodeo in July and we are going to be able to do fundraising during this time.  Tony Norman and Bob Mimlitch of Innovation First have given us a booth to man during this rodeo and their generosity will go a long way for us.

This is a very general corner, but I wanted the website to have something from the coaches over the summer months.  I am sure we will be updating in the next few weeks, but until then, rest – you are going to need it to keep up with me!!

During athletic competition, we hear so much about Lion Power and Lion Pride and how it represents the hard work of our school athletes.  Due to the nature of our competition, we didn't use the Lion as our team symbol, but rather chose the name Robowranglers.  We are always blazoned in our Texas shirts, carrying the Texas flags, using our state colors as team colors, we represent not only our school but our state at all our events.  However, during the Lone Star Regional, Team 148 exemplified what is best about Lion Pride and Lion Power, the ability to compete with class and dignity.

First of all, a great big Yee-Haw to Matt Mahrer our website designer and his winning ways with http://www.robowranglers.com, he will surely take home a national trophy for this year's design.  We couldn't have asked for a more enthusiastic team reception when we all went down to pick up that trophy and Matthew is always so gracious in sharing his win with the entire team.  It may just be biased opinion, but we do have the best looking, most useful website out there on the great big world wide web.  Matthew is a perfect example for being a tem member, he found his niche on the team, put it to great use and has been honored twice now for his dedication.

Our drivers and players were just amazing in the heat of competition.  This has to be the calmest group of competitors to ever take the field.  While those of us in the stands try to will those tetras off the robot and onto the goal, our drivers and players systematically follow the course and deliver the goods.  Our team's ability to score and maneuver is fantastic.  Everyone has taken great pride in this machine, as it exemplifies the ideas of team from brainstorming to crating.

How about our engineers!  It seems as though everyone had so much fun this year, taking the ride to Houston together as a team.  The camaraderie of our students and engineers is so beneficial to the general temperament of the team.  Our engineers are dedicated to the absolute ideas of FIRST, to inspire and recognize.  Whether it was driving a suburban full of students, helping keep activity going in the pit, meeting with other teams, even program other robots, our engineers were right there with us through the entire regional.  Another big Yee Haw to Adam Davies for his leadership on the field, he always seems to keep everyone on course and steady throughout those three very long days.  Our engineers really took the team concept to a whole new level this year and their hard work as not gone unnoticed.

Now, our parents really made us shine this year.  During the Lone Star Regional, Team 148 has the largest group of parents, friends and family that has ever attended any competition.  Our noise, our cheers and our support came from the heart of those who were there to help us on and off the field.  We could not have competed as well as we did if we had not had our "auxiliary team".  Thank you to the parents, family members and friends who took the trip to Houston to be with us.  Of course, always being the coaches, we did work at recruiting some team members.

A very special thank you to our team alumni who took time out of very busy schedules to be a part of the Lone Star Regional and cheer on the Robowranglers.  Shaunna Torrance, Brian Deuell, Mark Moseley, Ryan Jenkins, and Andy McClellen really went the extra mile by attending competition.  We know those busy college schedules are hard to flex, but being true to this team is something our alumni exemplify.

While Atlanta competition is just a few days away, Team 148 is ready to take its place in national competition.  The Georgia Dome is such an awesome setting for national competition and we are so privileged to be a part of it.  On any given day, at any given time, a winner is just one heart beat away.  We have the hearts of champions, we have the pride of Lions, we are Texans, we are Team 148, the Robowranglers!

Brief moments are sometimes the greatest of teachers,
When long hours creep into waning weeks of education.
Just a word or phrase turned in a certain tone,
Let's a student know they don't walk alone.

How often we hear, in ten years it will not matter, but,
A decade has passed and still students remember.
The time they picked up a saw, they milled on the lathe,
You were there with them every step of the way.

Long nights and weekends, does anyone understand
How many hours you've been going for weeks on end.
Does the robot reflect what the child's eye once saw?
In the match will it matter, if its win, lose or draw?

It's not about winning or losing... we hear people say,
But it's about knowing the strength needed to play.
Robots and children, men and their time,
Learning a lesson, volunteers sublime!

Tonight as you put your head on your pillow,
Think of yourself as the strong standing willow.
Ready to bend in the slightest of breezes,
Roots holding strong, giving young lives new leases.

Thank you dear friend for the time you have given
You have made a difference in the lives we are living.
It's not just six weeks but a life time you have invested
To insure that young minds are at work when tested.

Tonight as you stand as a giant among men,
It is an honor to call you our friend.
A handshake, a hug, a pat on the back.
Thank you in words you may never head
We are proud to know you - our engineers.

Halfway through the building season and life is busy for this team.  I want to thank Beth McClellen on taking a leadership role in our fundraising activities.  I know under her guidance and with everyone's hard work we are going to meet our financial responsibilities.  I am inspired by the camaraderie of the engineers and students during this building season.  We have really made great strides in developing the team and the building process has shown the strength of our team.  If there is one word that is symbolic of the team at this point it is respect.  The engineers have listened carefully to the design ideas of the students and the students have learned many lessons during the brainstorming process, the end result is the respect between the two groups.  We have a dedicated group of men helping us and their time is so appreciated.  Our engineers, Chris Follett, Monty Wineinger, Steve Maxwell, Adam Reppond, Brad Marcum, Adam Davies, Gabe Cook, Casey Welch, and John Hodapp are always ready to go the extra mile for the team.  They have been rock steady in being at L-3 every evening to work with the students.  Although the six weeks building time seems to go very fast for the team, it is six weeks of dedicating every evening away from their families for these engineers.  We have also had fantastic support from our parents.  Preparing a meal every night for the engineers makes their time at the plant in the evening very nice when a hot, warm meal is served before the work time.  Although it is a short break from their engineering duties, it is a break from the work day before the building time with the students.  The meals have been fantastic, real gourmet!  During the building process, the heart of the team is developed and the way Team 148 has banded together and worked, shows we have a big heart.  While we are not quite ready to put the robot in the crate, we are ready to be a competitive team.  We have quite a bit to do to be ready for competition, but we are ready to be in Houston and Atlanta representing our school, town, county, and state.  We have been well supported by area businesses as we prepare with their generous donations.  Very soon we will have the revealing of the new robotics community shirt that we will wear at competition.  Matthew has the website looking simply marvelous and I know the judges will definitely take notice of his hard work.  We are looking for a repeat of Best Website again this year.  Yee Haw Robowranglers, lets keep up the hard work and head out of the corral to the best robotics round-up ever!!

It is so hard to believe that the building season is finally here and we will begin the FIRST challenge!  We can not wait to see what the students and engineers will design for our 2005 entry.  We have quite a few new things planned for the team and we are also returning to some of our tried and true ways of doing things around the Robowrangler ranch.  We encourage everyone to get involved with the building process and let's see what collective thoughts we can use to design our best entry ever!  We already have a great web site designed by Matt Mahrer.  Brian Wight is working on our Autodesk entry.  Beth McClellen and Lizzy Wisdom are organizing our major fundraiser of the season.  Sarah Wright is going to be busy keeping the attendance and point system going.  Michael Risley has to get the "word" out with all the publicity and Ashley Owens will be visiting many of our community leaders as the team liaison.  We can't wait to see all of the ideas for spirit from Megan Wineinger.  The entire team will be busy with her innovative ways to make everyone an "official" Robowrangler.  Of course in class we are working on our trophies to award to other teams, cell phone recycling, our donation to the Northeast Texas Children's Museum, and our good luck tokens for all of the teams at regional and national competition.  If that isn't enough there are all the busy days ahead in making team reservations and of course, working on our Chairman's Award entry.  While the next six weeks will be busy, they are also some of the best weeks during the school year.  We have to keep our eyes on the stars and reach high for our goal this year.  We want all FIRST teams to know that team 148 represents all that is good and grounded in the FIRST competition, co-opertition!  As all this happens around us, we also need to be citizens of the world and find a way to help those so recently affected by the tragedy in Asia.  As a team we will be working on a way for everyone to make a contribution to the aid funds being established.  We will be making an announcement very soon concerning this project.  It doesn't do any good to learn how to build a bridge or create a machine unless you are willing to walk in the shoes of those who will benefit from our knowledge.  Lets show everyone how big our hearts are in TEXAS!  Here is a big Yee Haw from the coaches!  Let's round 'em up Robowranglers!!

If it is December, then we must be approaching the building season!  I hope everyone is as excited about building this year's entry as the coaches are, we can't wait to see what the field looks like and start planning the creation.  We had a successful two days at L-3, as we "Brought out the Bots".  We collected 47 cell phones and earned $98.00 in donations to the team.  We appreciate the outstanding support of the employees of L-3.  It was so much fun seeing the engineers.  They are excited about the robot.  Have you looked at the Recycling Roundup lately?  Our money we have earned from cell phones and ink cartridges is over $1,400.  That is absolutely amazing.  Just think how much we would earn if everyone started collecting phones from co-workers, family and friends, the sky is the limit!  Please make this a priority and start collecting today.  Matt Mahrer earned a letter of acceptance from Texas A&M University at College Station.  He plans to major in broadcast meteorology.  Gig 'Em Matt!!  Sarah Wright is headed to the University of North Texas, her acceptance letter came recently and she is making plans for the fall.  She is planning on a career in computer science.  All seniors on the team have their plans in place for college.  We will keep you posted as to their choices as they are accepted.

We are not even through the second six weeks and team members have had numerous accomplishments.  We are really proud of all our members but we want to recognize some very hard work by individuals.  Congratulations are in order to Michael Risley as he has earned the rank of Eagle Scout.  You have to go by the Greenville Public Library and admire his literary garden.  If you will click here, you can read a news story about his hard work.  When you finish reading the story about Michael take some time and look over www.lionledger.com.  Our webmaster, Matt Mahrer is the creator of this site, also.  Not one to rest, Matt has also designed www.playitagainantiques.com.  Beth McClellen and Liz Wisdom got their acceptance letters from the University of Texas at Arlington this month.  It's so nice to be a part of their excitement. Ashley Owens was once again a member of the GHS Homecoming Court.  Ashley was the robotics team nominee, and from the student body was voted to be on the Court.  Ashley has also been working very hard in our recycling program.  She keeps local business on their toes and visits them on a regular basis.  A special thanks to L-3 engineer, Ray Upp, for volunteering to be a mentor for Kevin Morris's independent study project.  Ray's help will ensure Kevin's project for the class will be top notch.  Kevin is independently working on another project for the team and will soon complete a display for the Northeast Texas Children's Museum.  New Robowrangler, Justin Griggs, is busy designing a mechanical display for a large window area at the school.  Griggs's Christmas window promises a tree that does the hula!  Thanks to everyone for their hard work with the bake sales.  We are successfully meeting the challenge of financing our competition season.

The first six weeks has really been great.  The team has pulled together and we are really looking good.  Everyone is doing the job they need to do and its all being done in a professional manner.  Peter Chung and Jason Maxwell deserve a big thanks for their first six weeks tutoring program for Mrs. McNellis.  This is the type of leadership we need from the entire team.  We all need to be tutoring students and working with teachers.  Megan Wineinger and Amanda Isham thrilled the students at the Wesley United Methodist Church Pre-School with their special lessons.  V-Pope and G-Way are really pleased with the hard work of Megan and Amanda getting out into the community and working to spread the "math and science bug".  Beth McClellen and Lizzy Wisdom are girls on the go with their effort to get the BEST field donated and the organization of the team shirt fundraiser.  Kevin Morris, thumbs up dude for getting our BEST entry ready and keeping everyone on task.  This is going to be a fun competition.  Justin Griggs, Ashley Owens, and Kevin Morris are making sure no phone goes unturned!  They have done a great job this first six weeks getting the recycling program off the ground.  Jason Maxwell deserves a great big Yee Haw for all of his hard work on the recent bake sale.  It was so nice to have a team fundraiser and not have to worry about any of the work or details that were involved.  I appreciate everything Jason did for us.  The bake sale was very successful due to everyone's effort in baking the goodies and then selling them at school.  Thanks to everyone for your dedication.

Congratulations to our graduating seniors Casey Collier, Zack Corley, Justin Duncan, Seth Garcia, Cory Griffiths, Ryan Jenkins, Mark Moseley, Lydia Shook, Cameron Thatcher, and Daniel Webb.  A special note of congratulations to Zack Corley for earning two scholarships, the Wilson Grimes Memorial Scholarship and the Texas Sesquicentennial Scholarship.  Way to go to Justin Duncan for his full scholarship to Austin College.  Watch Justin this fall season as he suits up to be an Austin College Kangaroo!  Cameron Thatcher has earned the Native American Scholarship from GHS as he heads off to college in Idaho.  Congratulations to Mark Moseley and his scholarship at the University of North Texas (UNT).  Mark has "landed" a part on the UNT television soap opera and is giving his time to the radio and television department.

Mrs. Pope and Miss Galloway would like to congratulate Matt Mahrer on his winning website design during the 2004 competition season.  We are especially pleased that his work was noticed by the Greenville Herald Banner.