Variety KC Build at Barstow with FIRST Robotics Teams

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The Barstow School’s Robotics Team in Kansas City is on a mission this holiday season to launch a global effort to give every child the chance at self-directed mobility through GoBabyGo! Their solution? Teach thousands of high school robotics students all over the world how to “hack” Power Wheels 4x4s into motorized wheelchairs, and partner them with GoBabyGo chapters and families in need. To do this, the team created GoBabyGo Connect – www.gbgconnect.com – a free, online forum where GoBabyGo chapters and families in need across the world can share how-to manuals, connect with other FIRST Robotics teams, and share their success stories. The team celebrated the launch of GoBabyGo Connect by hosting ten FIRST Robotics Teams for a Variety KC GoBabyGo! community build. Together, they built and gave away 20 Frozen cars and one joystick-modified WildThing to children in need in a heartwarming event filled with smiles, tears, and even Buddy the Elf! It was the first of what the team hopes is many partnerships between FIRST Robotics teams and GoBabyGo chapters world-wide. “It’s our mission that every child be given the opportunity to move on their own,” said Natalie Beyer, the Team’s Business Captain. “We really feel we can do this. There are thousands of high school students who participate in FIRST Robotics, who are all eager like we are to make an impact, and thousands of children in need. We are just creating a way for these groups to all get together, and giving them the tools to make it happen.”

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We are starting a GoBabyGo chapter in mid-Michigan at Saginaw Valley State University. We are building our first car, but would like to apply for grants to build more. How do we “register” as a chapter, so that eventually, we could act as a “hub” to help area high school robotics teams also?

Thank you so much!

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Hi Janel,

Congratulations on starting your GoBabyGo adventure. If you don’t mind me
asking, what made you decide to give it a shot? As for starting a chapter,
it is a pretty loose process.

My understanding is that you just start calling yourself a chapter and
using the logo. But, for places that want to do it right, I would say:

  • Apply for 501c3 Status for a non-profit OR partner with a local
    non-profit for help managing donations. For example GoBabyGo Kansas City
    partners with a charity called Variety KC.
  • Here is a link to Variety - Detroit http://variety-detroit.com/ so
    maybe they could be of assistance
  • Develop partnerships with area charities and companies for fundraising
  • Develop partnerships with PT/OT and Engineering students/professionals
  • Use the GoBabyGo logo from here: https://sites.udel.edu/gobabygo/logos/
  • Make sure you follow their terms of service, but you can modify it
    slightly for your own organization with permission
  • Cole Galloway - who is on GBGConnect is the Founder of the
    organization. You can always message him with questions if you get really
    stuck.
  • Build a bunch of cars

I hope that helps. I’m not sure it is a totally comprehensive list, but it
should get you well under way.

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Awesome! Thank you!

Janel Caverly
Elementary Technology Teacher
Bangor Township Schools

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Also find your nearest ATP (assistive technology provider) … particularly in the field of Seating and Mobility. You can research this via RESNA website (www.resna.org). In theory, they are the people that are the “professionals” at what we’re trying to do as amateurs. If you can get those folks on your side, there is great potential for a successful team approach to what GBG is striving to do :wink: