Present Activities

RUMBLE IN THE ROADS (VOLUNTEERS)

The Rumble in the Roads is an annual one-day off-season FIRST Robotics Competition hosted in Newport News, Virginia. The off-season event grows and strengthens the FIRST community in Hampton Roads by exposing new students, mentors, volunteers and sponsors to the excitement of a real FIRST competition.  The Rumble in the Roads is proudly presented by FRC teams 1610 Blackwater Robotics, Triple Helix Team 2363, and 5957 CAT 5 CyberCanes.

Date: November 3, 2018

Place: Heritage High School

5800 Marshall Avenue

Newport News, VA 23605

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges high school students to raise funds, hone teamwork skills, and design, build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks in competition with an international field of competitors.  Technical and non-technical mentors from industry partner with FIRST teams as a way of promoting STEM education, inspiring the next generation of scientists and technologists, and exposing students to various career options.  Through FIRST, students build not only STEM skills, but life skills such as leadership, communication, and self-confidence.

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ANNUAL TENNIS OPEN AND SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER

The chapter engages in several fundraising activities throughout the year. The NTA Hampton Roads Tennis Open is vital to funding our Scholarship Program. This tennis tournament engages the local community, NTA members and supporters in an enjoyable partnership that integrates fun, recreation, and community awareness of the financial needs of our youth. Held in the Fall of each year, the tennis tournament is open to the public. Sponsors and supporters are welcome.

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SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Each year the chapter presents several scholarship awards to local high school seniors who will be entering an accredited college or university to pursue a bachelor's degree in a science or technology based curriculum. Scholarship winners are recognized each spring at the chapter's annual Awards Ceremony. Funding for the scholarships is generated from fundraising activities such as the Annual NTA Tennis Open / Fundraiser, corporate donations, and NTA member contributions. Applications are normally due June 30, 2018 of each year.

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OTHER PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

The chapter engages in several fundraising activities throughout the year. The NTA Hampton Roads Tennis Open is vital to funding our Scholarship Program. This tennis tournament engages the local community, NTA members and supporters in an enjoyable partnership that integrates fun, recreation, and community awareness of the financial needs of our youth. Held in the Fall of each year, the tennis tournament is open to the public. Sponsors and supporters are welcome. The chapter is a long supporter of the CHROME program. The chapter sponsors a CHROME Picnic annually with financial support and volunteer support. The chapter members volunteer as judges for local Science Fairs and Robotics Competitions and other activities that need professional judges or mentors.

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Past Activities

MATH CONTEST

The Mathematics Contest was conceived to meet the needs of females and minority students, grades 7 through 12, who are traditionally under-represented in engineering and the sciences fields as adults. The contest and accompanying mathematics tests are specifically designed to challenge the mind and alleviate the fears and frustrations involved in taking mathematics examinations. Technical tours of the research laboratories/facilities of the host site, coupled with career guidance lectures from featured black scientists and engineers, provide the participating youth with the knowledge that hard work and perseverance can result in promising math, science and engineering careers. The culminating activity is an awards ceremony, featuring a dynamic speaker who bolsters student confidence while emphasizing everyday applications of mathematics. Every student receives a Certificate of Participation before a full audience of their peers and their parents.

The top winners receive monetary prizes, gifts, and scholarship awards. A trophy is awarded to the school with the highest scores. The top winners are also sponsored to the NTA Regional Mathematics Contest – a mathematics championship between the winners of the local contests held by the NTA Hampton Roads, NTA Washington DC, and the NTA Goddard chapters.

The chapter has successfully implemented its annual Mathematics Contest at the following locations (partner organizations): NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton University, The Virginia Air and Space Museum, the College of William and Mary, Norfolk State University, and Thomas Nelson Community College.

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SAT TUTORIALS

Because SATs are a necessary part of every student's college preparatory experience, the NTA Hampton Roads Chapter conducts "free of charge" SAT tutorials for junior and senior high school students in the Fall and Spring of each year. The SAT tutorials are designed to remove the apprehension and anxiety from the SAT examinations. The tutorials are conducted over a 4 or 5 week period, beginning and ending with actual SAT tests (taken by the students) to measure performance improvements. Chapter members provide test taking tips (approach), help students with establishing good study skills, and conduct problem solving sessions that not only boost the student's familiarity with SAT questions, but provide guidance on how to maximize their scores. Both mathematics and verbal subjects are covered.

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TECHNICAL STUDENT SYMPOSIUM

Each year the Hampton Roads chapter hosts or co-hosts a student symposium for college/university students in the technical fields. Depending on funding, the symposium involves science, technology, and engineering students from HBCU and other schools located in the states in VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, and MD. Students are invited without charge to the host site (usually NASA Langley Research Center or Norfolk State University) to present technical papers, in a professional/scientific forum, on their research or other pre professional work experience. Students interact with other students in the same or related disciplines to share experiences and/or expand their knowledge of curriculum, graduate study, and career opportunities. The experience gained in the preparation and presentation of the technical papers provides excellent training for the participating students, promoting confidence in their abilities and enhancement of their resumes. The symposium includes two to three days of high technology tours, workshops, lectures, career guidance, and employment awareness opportunity at no cost to the student (room and board paid for by the NTA and its sponsors) for the students who participate each year.

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