STEAM TEAM UPDATE

This Week

• March 2 - TSA Fee Due!
• March 3 - Practice 3:00-5:15 pm
• March 5 - Practice 3:00-5:15 pm
• March 7 - Practice 9:00-11:00 am -- extended Greenpower practice until 1:00 pm
  

• March 10 - Practice 3:00-5:15 pm
  
• March 12 - Practice 3:00-5:15 pm
• March 14 - No practice - Spring Break (next practice March 24)

Spring is our big season for Greenpower this year!

• ***Please complete the Greenpower Google form to help us with planning. We need to know which students will be attending upcoming races. Click on link or complete form below: https://forms.gle/6LmvEfkGmySqpiN36

Practice

• Greenpower extended practice on Saturday, March 7, 9:00am-1:00pm. Drivers and Pit Crew need to be present for Saturday to make sure our car and drivers are ready before Spring Break.

March 28 Toyota Hub City Grand Prix in Jackson, TN.

• Toyota Hub City Grand Prix on Saturday, March 28 in Jackson, TN. Transportation and hotel will be up to families; race day starts at 7:00am, so Friday night travel and hotel stay is recommended, but not required. Check out this link to discounted hotels for race weekend (early reservation is recommended!) - https://secure2.bookonline.com/EventPage8503768
• Permission slip below - please complete and return to Ms. Snider before Spring Break, 3/13.
• See "What to Expect on Race Day" document below for race day info and suggestions
• Sign up below to donate snacks & drinks. Boosters will provide lunch for the team.

April 3 Toyota Classic in Huntsville, AL

• Toyota Classic on Friday, April 3 in Huntsville at Milton Frank Stadium.
• Permission slip below - please complete and return to Ms. Snider before Spring Break, 3/13.
• Sign up below to donate snacks & drinks. Boosters will provide lunch for the team.

May 14-16 Greenpower Championships at Talladega Superspeedway

• Talladega Championships are scheduled for May 14-16. We anticipate one race heat on the 15th and one on the 16th, but the schedule has not been published.
• Student rooms will be available. Transportation arranged by families. Families wanting to attend will provide their own housing. Travel arrangements and info will be available closer to the event.
• Planning Committee for Greenpower Talladega Race: adults (or students with adult involvement) are invited to participate in planning this year's Talladega National Championship race. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfPiXldoY3-vlFXaCalxZVTAPIzDTCvNjvZ4xGpQJ5P-_lwQ/viewform

Please check out the current info packet posted below, which includes permission forms, medical forms, travel schedule, and more. Complete and return signed forms to Ms. Snider.

TSA fee balance is due Monday, March 2nd. TSA Fees for STEAM Members who have paid their Booster Fee and fulfilled their fundraising obligation is $300 and for all other participants is $600.

• Many TSA portfolio submissions are due before Spring Break! These will be turned in through the students' TSA accounts. Please check with your child to see that they have gone through the full process to log into TSAweb.org (which requires parent approval through email the first time.) We will work on these submissions this week at practice. We have 12 events due early; please check yours at https://alabamatsa.rocks/events/conferences/
• We will begin uniform try-ons this week. Please be shopping for those gray pants and black shoes.
• Please join the TSA Remind: https://www.remind.com/join/kek7ck2
• Student hotel rooms have been assigned. We are traveling with NCTHS. They will ride our bus, but no student will share a room with a student from another school. We are so excited to be sharing this experience with 7 HCMS alumni!
• Please COMPLETE PERMISSION PACKETS before Spring Break! If your student might need OTC or prescription medication during the trip, we need those forms completed early. Students are not permitted to self-carry (except for emergency inhalers and epi-pens with proper authorization).
• Adult volunteers needed for TSA. Parents who are coming to Montgomery are invited to apply to be room attendants or judges on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Well will also have a Booster signup to help with our team. https://alabamatsa.rocks/partner/

Flamma-Bulls had a fantastic time at FTC State Championship with 23 other teams, competing in 5 matches and effectively sharing their robot design journey with judges. It was a treat to have Ms. Parker and Mr. Whitaker drop in to see us compete, and Tropic-Bulls member Ethan stay to support us all day! We brought home the Gracious Professionalism Award and the 2nd Place Innovate Award for our creative catapulting robot, Ember. Congratulations Flamma-Bulls!!

Thanks to all who participated in the Domino's Fundraiser! Many contributors donated their Domino's cards directly to the STEAM Team, so we have many cards left we can still sell! If your student is interested in helping sell our surplus of cards, please contact Ms. Snider. All funds go directly to our team!

• STEAM Officers are organizing a Red Cross Service Project to fulfill our TSA Community Service requirement. They plan a first-aid kit collection drive paired with an opportunity to donate funds. Details coming next week.
• STEAM and JS2S plan to partner up for an in-school community service project this Spring
• Planning Committee for Greenpower Talladega Race: adults (or students with adult involvement) are invited to participate in planning this year's Talladega National Championship race. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfPiXldoY3-vlFXaCalxZVTAPIzDTCvNjvZ4xGpQJ5P-_lwQ/viewform
• Non-TSA STEAM Team and parents are encouraged to sign up to help the Greenpower Goblin Cup (elementary team) as flag wavers and grid assistants: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA9AD2FA4F5C34-61264268-goblin#/
• Non-TSA Robotics volunteers are needed on April 8-11 at the Von Braiun Center for a variety of roles for both FLL Explore (come see HCES' first-ever team) and FIRST Robotics (the BIG bots; several HCMS alumni are competing): https://www.firstinspires.org/community/volunteers
• Volunteers needed for TSA, April 14 and 15: Parents who are coming to Montgomery are invited to apply to be room attendants or judges on either Tuesday or Wednesday, (in addition to signing up for a shift helping the team) https://alabamatsa.rocks/partner/
• We are looking for ideas for a spring or summer community outreach STEM event (offering a fun STEAM activity at a library, street festival, etc). Ideas are welcome! Please email Ms. Snider.

We could use more volunteers to help with Snacks for Team Practice. The next few months are looking bare! The kids are ravenous after school and healthy snacks are a big help to get them through STEAM Practice. This is a great way to support our team!

Newsletter - Weekly updates about upcoming events, event information, and celebration of team experiences.

Remind - Remind is the primary method of communication between Mrs. Snider, the boosters and the parents. To join the new 2025-26 HCMS STEAM Remind click here https://www.remind.com/join/f23e6ab. Be sure you are signed into link to make sure you are receiving up to date information.

Website - https://member.hamptoncovesteam.com

Currently under construction, but will soon include calendar for all events and helpful information regarding events and fundraising. (If you have skills in updating and maintaining a website we would love your help! Please contact Mrs. Snider, Jennie Maestri or Beth Wright.)

Are you a member of the HCMS Steam Team group on Facebook? This page is

where we celebrate team accomplishments, share the newsletter and share community opportunities.

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DF8dubLKw/