The team formed in 2008, and introduced FIRST to St. Clair County. We see participation in FIRST as a scholastically meaningful alternative to non-academic extra-curricular opportunities. Over the past 15 years we've developed a reputation as a strongly driven team. Metal and Soul has earned many awards, yet our greatest accomplishment has been that nearly all of our 45 graduated seniors continued
on to college or a trade, 43 of them for STEM careers. One even earned a robotics engineering degree. While FIRST is about inspiring students with technology and science, Capac's FIRST program enjoys valuable partnerships with the school district, legislators, and industry. To give back, each student is required to earn 30 service hours. The team also volunteer's time cleaning the roadside leading into Capac via our county's Adopt a Road program and donating “Courage Bears” to FIRST Responders and the county courts . The team annually participates in Capac's Relay for Life, Maker Faire Detroit and the MACUL Technology Showcase in Lansing. We participated in the very first U.S. Be Very Afraid eXtra event. A website and podcasts, of the "BVA eXtra", documenting the student projects and use of technology, are still being used by Dr. Heppell so that many thousands around the world can be inspired. We continue our relationship with Dr. Heppell through emails and Skype, helping to take FIRST to the UK's schools. Our partnership with Dr. Heppell made us one of the central features at the BETT Shows in London, putting FIRST and our mission to promote STEM education and careers on the minds of over 30,000 educators and policy makers in attendance. At home, Metal and Soul worked with administrators and obtained grants to move the FIRST Lego League (FLL) Discover and Explore into the daily STEAM Curriculum. Growing the program from 4 to 34 trams, we mentor and financially support all of these teams and organize their EXPOs. Due to our efforts, 42% of students in the Capac District participate in a FIRST program. Team 2604, has always understood that FIRST is about more than just building robots, it's about building people, encouraging higher education in the STEM fields and, as a team, having a crucial role in our community's education and development. Team 2604 continues to look to the future, while enjoying and learning from our past experiences. We are determined to remain a driving force in STEM education and FIRST.
