After years of hard work and dedication, senior Vinisha Sisodia takes up the mantle as Farmington High School (FHS) ’s Robotics Team 178 captain, inspiring the next generation of engineers. She began her journey in eighth grade with a similar program, eventually working her way up the ladder through high school to become a pillar for the forty plus person team.
What initially drew Sisodia to robotics in eighth grade was the engineering aspect. She loved working with her hands whilst learning various mechanical programs. However, what kept her coming back for more were the bonds she made along the way.
“I’ve met some of my best friends on this team, it’s truly an amazing environment. […] Robotics really forces you to get to know other people and work with others,” stated Sisodia.
Sisodia has also built many life and leadership skills throughout the course of her robotics career. Robotics exposed her to several mentoring and leadership opportunities. These opportunities helped her get out of her comfort zone and overcome her shy nature.
“Now I’m just so used to talking to people and leadership. I never thought that when I entered high school I would be captain”, Sisodia said, when asked about her skills.
One of these aforementioned opportunities was FFL (FIRST Lego League) mentoring, which can be thought of as “junior robotics.” During her time there she mentored young aspiring engineers, giving speeches and helping them understand the inner workings of their projects.
During her sophomore and junior years, Sisodia was nominated as Head of Electrical for the team. With her new leadership role, Sisodia had to adapt to her new position. Having always been an independent worker, transitioning to an important leadership role made her rethink her habits.
“I was always the type of person that believed that doing things myself was usually the better route. However, I realized that such models of project management aren’t sustainable, because when I would graduate, there was no real transfer of knowledge. I worked with my team to develop General Education workshops, which ensure all new members get the important knowledge they need to, ensuring that I didn’t just work on projects, but allowed others to meaningfully contribute,”said Sisodia.
Equally important, during her junior year, Sisodia was nominated for the Dean’s List. It’s tradition for each FRC (First Robotics Competitions) team to grant this position to a student that exudes a passion for their team and exceptional leadership skills. With this being her last year, Sisodia is looking to amplify previous wins while ensuring a safe and constructive place for students to learn.
“As a team, we are all becoming an environment that strives for as much contribution as possible […] and really trying to foster a collaborative, safe environment for all!”
