CHARLOTTE, NC: Time for a big announcement! Queen City Robotics Alliance (QCRA) has a new name for Charlotte’s newest Place of Possibilities. Introducing: The Zone! QCRA, the organization that supports 24 area FIRST® Robotics teams with over 300 year-around students, has moved to a new, larger location in Charlotte’s West Ayrsley neighborhood, but with a larger space comes larger maintenance, utility, and construction costs so QCRA could use a little help from area businesses. The new space is located at 2102 Cambridge Beltway Dr., Suite B, near the Whitehall Tech Center on South Tryon.
The Zone was chosen during an online naming contest and fundraising campaign back in October. Camille Kanofsky, President of RS Diversified and Lead Mentor of Team 17346 The Taco Terminators, provided the winning name.
“It has proven extremely beneficial over the years to have a central location where ideas can be exchanged,” said Kanofsky of QCRA’s facility. “Housing multiple age and experience levels under one roof allows these exchanges to happen across all levels of participants … The support system created by QCRA is invaluable as you embark on your robotics journey.”
QCRA President Kaiwen Cheng is also excited about the new space and the possibilities it will provide not only to Charlotte-area FIRST® Robotics teams, but the community.
“I’m thrilled to share that our new location offers not only a fantastic site for our students to meet and build their robots,” said Cheng, “but also has proper spaces for collaboration and brainstorming. What’s even more exciting is that our generous sponsors can also have access to this space for activities such as off-site meetings or team building when our teams are not utilizing it. It’s a win-win for everyone and will help in fostering innovation and strengthening our community partnerships.”
ADOPT-A-ROOM SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: QCRA supports Charlotte area FIRST® robotics programs where students build robots to compete in team events. Often called a sport “where everyone can turn pro,” each team runs like a business and is designed to inspire, equip, and prepare students for a life beyond robots. QCRA has a mission of “nurturing the future workforce by providing practical hands-on STEM experiences for local youth and bringing STEM opportunities to all students in the greater Charlotte area.”
MHI – The Industry that Makes Supply Chains Work – and CIMTEC Automation are two Adopt-a-Room sponsors. MHI sponsors the FIRST® Lego® League (FLL) room, the area where young students start their robotics journey and gain confidence working with Lego robots. CIMTEC sponsors the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) field, where students get hands on experience building and programming robots while being part of a team.
" I am immensely proud of our decision to sponsor the Queen City Robotics Alliance (QCRA),” said Christian Dow, EVP Industry Leadership at MHI. “This sponsorship is not just a commitment to a remarkable organization; it's an investment in the future of our industry. Robotics and automation are pivotal elements of modern supply chain and logistics operations, and by supporting QCRA, we are nurturing the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.”
The Adopt-a-Room program will help corporations to embrace the spirit of innovation while supporting area students. Corporate room sponsorships will not only cover a part of the operating costs but also empower QCRA to maximize its valuable resources in pursuit of its mission.
All Sponsorships Include:
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Honor of naming of the room
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Signage/banner in adopted room
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Website recognition as a sponsor
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Sponsor recognition in the visitor hall
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Sponsorship mentions in QCRA social media and newsletter
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Opportunity to use facility classrooms for off-site meetings and team building events
SUPPORT QCRA ON #GIVINGTUESDAYCLT: Tuesday, November 28, is Giving Tuesday CLT, a day devoted to philanthropy and fundraising for Charlotte area nonprofits. Hosted by SHARECharlotte and sponsored by Hendrick Automotive Group and Lowe’s, anyone looking for a nonprofit to support can use QCRA’s landing page to make their donations. Use this link to donate:
sharecharlotte.org/nonprofit/queen-city-robotics-alliance
As part of #GivingTuesdayCLT, QCRA will be featured on WBTV’s On Your Side with Jamie Boll in December. Look for the air date announcement soon.
About QCRA
What began with a single robotics team in 2010, Queen City Robotics Alliance has grown into a non-profit organization that supports students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area through participation in FIRST® Robotics events and competitions. QCRA leverages Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to help youth learn life lessons and workplace skills through teamwork, technology, business, and communication. QCRA provides a common place for 24 (and growing) Charlotte area FIRST® Robotics teams to meet, use tools and equipment, learn STEM skills, work on projects, meet a diversified student body, and have fun while building and working with robots.
Contacts
Carrie Dow
QCRA media volunteer
303-523-3758
Iaiela Dumitrescu, B.S.
QCRA business administrator
704-778-7589