2020-2021
Together even when the pandemic forces us apart.
"To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders." -Dean Kamen
Elka B.
I'm in my senior year of high school and onto my second year on Team 6282. This year, I oversee the operations subteam which has taught me valuable lessons like time-management, the importance of editing, and the precision that goes into managing the logistics of a team. Being a part of this awesome group not only fuels my interest in STEM but has also given me treasured friendships. When I’m not hanging around Team 6282, I am usually reading, participating in Civil Air Patrol, making educational raps, or playing tennis on the courts of Simi High.
Martin L.
My name is Martin and I am 17 years old. I am a senior at Simi Valley High School and this is my second year participating in FIRST Robotics competition with the Simi Valley High School Robotics Team. I enjoy programming the robots and learning about coding in general. When I am not in robotics, I enjoy playing sports like taekwondo and basketball, playing the piano, and spending time with friends and family. I hope to be able to use the lessons I learn here in college and in my future career in computer science.
Samantha B.
I am 18 years old and this is my third year competing in FIRST Tech Challenge on Team 6282. I am the president of the club, a mechanical engineer, programmer, CAD designer, and driver of the robot base. I’m also the president of the Curly Brackets Coding Club, a club at Simi Valley High School. I enjoy robotics because it gives me a chance to learn new things, apply things I have learned, make new friends, work on life skills, and give me experience for my future career in engineering or computer science.
Ananya P.
I am 16 years old and this is my second year on the robotics team at Simi Valley High School. As a mechanical engineer, I am able to help aid in designing and building the robot. Being a part of robotics has helped me deepen my interest in engineering, while also learning the importance of teamwork. Robotics has also allowed me to make new friends, and interact with different people. When I’m not in robotics, you might find me practicing my violin or piano, watching a movie or hanging out with my twin sister.
Ankita P.
Hello! My name is Ankita and I’m 16 years old. I’m a junior and a second year member on Team 6282. I learned about this club through outreach events, and so glad that I did! I currently help with scouting and other outreach events for the team. This team has helped me open my mind to new ideas and learning new things. When I’m not in Robotics, you can usually find me hanging out with my friends or watching a movie.
Robert B.
My name is Robert and I am 16 years old. I am a junior at Simi Valley High School. This is my second year competing in FIRST Robotics and I am loving it. I am a mechanical engineer and CAD designer. I am the drive coach for my team and I enjoy making plans with other teams in competitions before matches. When I am not in robotics, I enjoy playing basketball and going camping with my boy scout troop.
Vickie B.
My name is Vickie and I’m 16 years old. I am a junior at Simi Valley High School and a first year member on Team 6282. I am part of the operations division of the team and I have helped build different parts on the robot. I really enjoy working with the rest of the team to construct the robot. When I am not in robotics, I am playing tennis on the courts of Simi High, camping, hiking, or playing video games with my friends.
Nicholas R.
I am 15 years old. I am a sophomore at Simi Valley High School and am in the robotics club. This is the second year I have been in the FIRST Tech Competition. I am on the mechanical engineering subteam and I have also been learning how to code robots. I like to go on hikes and I enjoy spending time with my family.
Upaush S.
I’m a 15-year-old sophomore at Simi Valley High School. This is my first year competing in FIRST Tech Challenge. I have taken 2 robotics classes prior so I have some experience with building a robot and how to code robots. I also have experience with coding in languages such as python and javascript. As a member of the engineering subteam, I work on creating parts using 3D printing and have modeled parts in CAD for our competitive robot. I enjoy playing video games in my free time and traveling with my family.
Christopher N.
I'm 14 years old and a freshman. This is my first year on Team 6282. I've helped build a few different parts on the robot and I really enjoy working with the others as a team. This is my first competition and it is really fun for me. I can't wait to compete again. In my free time I like to camp or travel with my family, skateboard at the park, play soccer, build legos, and play video games.
We Are Recruiting!
Our Mentors
Mrs. Giacalone
I teach computer science and ROP Robotics at Simi Valley High. This is my fifth year volunteering as a mentor for Team 6282. Everything I know about FIRST, I've learned from my son and daughter, who have competed for years with FIRST Robotics Competition. Our team has benefited greatly from their after-school visits and from dinner conversations about drive trains, intake systems, sensors and programming. I particularly enjoy grant writing, as it brings attention to all the great work that our talented young students are doing. I love to see their faces light up when they realize how much they have accomplished.
Brandon "Blue" Bussjaeger
I'm Blue, a coach for the Simi Valley Robotics team. This is my fifth year heavily involved in mentoring and coaching an FTC team, and my thirteenth year volunteering for FIRST. I work as a Software Engineer for inVia Robotics in Westlake Village, which focuses on mobile robotics solutions for warehouse automation. You can find me at most FIRST events volunteering as the emcee, cheering on teams as they demonstrate their robots on the competition field. I'm extremely grateful to be working with such a dedicated group of students this year who are quick to learn and eager to improve their skills.
Jessica Bussjaeger
I’m Jessica, a Mechanical Coach for the FTC Team 6282, Simi Valley Robotics. Although my mechanical skills are on point, I made my talented and loving husband Blue write my bio for me. I’m a Design Engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne working in propulsion systems, such as the AR1 and RS-25 rocket engines. This is my fifth season working with a robotics team. I love the opportunity FIRST provides for me to teach other motivated students tangible engineering career skills such as CAD, professional design processes, manufacturing, project management, presentation skills, and communication.