Download Whitepaper
SHP Helps Sponsors FIRST Robotics Competition
March 26, 2014
Signal Hill Petroleum’s Communications Specialist, Stefanie Gillett with Valley Christian students
Long Beach, CA -March 24, 2014 – Signal Hill Petroleum sponsored the Epic Robotz, a team of students from Valley Christian High, in the 14th Annual FIRST Robotics Competition at the Long Beach Arena. The competition, which took place on March 21 & 22, featured 66 teams from around the country all vying for a chance to go to the National Championship in St. Louis later in the year. The Valley Christian High team featured 23 students on the team as well as 13 adult mentors that help the students with their experience. The students design and build their own robot in 6 weeks specifically to compete in this competition. This year’s competition featured robots that were built to throw large balls through a goal or over a scaffolding to score points. Valley Christian High finished 13 of 66 teams.
Signal Hill Petroleum sponsored the team and provided them a trailer as a mobile workshop and transportation for the robot to the competition. Signal Hill Petroleum’s Communications Specialist Stefanie Gillett who attended the event said, “One of Signal Hill Petroleum’s core values is STEM; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs, especially in our youth. By supporting an event like this we help more children become aware of STEM careers and open the door to more intelligent young minds joining the oil industry. A program like this encompasses so much of what Signal Hill Petroleum believes in.”
The most important goal of the competition to Valley Christian High isn’t winning, “It’s about being a gracious professional” says Epic Robotz business mentor Rob Dominik. Although the competition is a highlight, the robotics club is year round. This varsity sport for the mind is an after school project for the students. They run their club like a business, with a full business, administration and web development team, along with programming, electronics and program management. During the competition the teams also gain points for teamwork and build alliances on sharing tools, parts and ideas.
About Signal Hill Petroleum
Signal Hill Petroleum is a privately owned California-based energy company based in Signal Hill, California. A local producer of over one million barrels of crude oil annually, Signal Hill Petroleum owns and operates the majority of wells in the Long Beach oilfield. Through its decades of operating experience, SHP has developed a unique expertise not only in urban oil and gas production operations, but also in urban drilling and urban seismic exploration.