Team Accomplishments
FIRST® Team 79 Krunch has earned numerous awards and recognitions at our competitions throughout the years for which we are proud; however, our greatest accomplishment is when the perception about STEM is changed in our society.
In November 2005, FIRST® Team 79 Krunch was awarded the Hunter’s Humanitarian Award by Lexington Homes, Inc. and the AmeriLex Foundation for our work in the design and construction of a robotics-themed bedroom.
Team 79 Krunch was contacted by ABC-TV to participate in an episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” featuring the Dolan family in Seminole, FL. Team 79 Krunch’s assignment was to transform a 12- by 14-foot bedroom into a cyber-wonderland for 12-year-old Charlie Dolan whose father was shot and blinded in a shooting rampage at a local RadioShack.
With only one week to complete, FIRST® Team 79 Krunch feverishly worked to create its designs for Charlie's room, which featured a 5-foot remote-controlled robotic arm mounted from the ceiling. It hung over a 10-foot L-shaped clear acrylic desk. Under the desk's hinged top is a playing field with several miniature robots FIRST® Team 79 Krunch’s students built.
Watch Team 79 Krunch in action and Charlie’s bedroom on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” Season 2, Episode 21 (Part 1 & 2)
In 2012, FIRST® Team 79 Krunch members were honored by the governments of Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties for being an inspiration to young people and promoting STEM education. These proclamations established a special "Robotic and STEM Education" week. Later in 2013, we were proclaimed by Pasco County for our outstanding summer internship program through our corporate sponsors and community partners. These recognitions from 3 counties reached over 2.6 million people in our community.
In 2015, partnering with MITRE Corporation, FIRST® Robotics, Kettering University, and the Career Technical Education Foundation (“CTEF”), several Team 79 Krunch members participated in an 8-month internship program faced with the challenge of designing, building, and programming an underwater unmanned vehicle capable of exploring sub-aquatic environments up to 100 foot depths. After 3 months, it performed before an audience of college professors, heads of engineering companies, and government sponsors. Upon completion, FIRST® Team 79 Krunch members travelled to MacDill Air Force Base and presented their work to Army and Navy officials along with other FIRST® teams from around the state.
Due to the success of underwater vehicle project, CTEF and MITRE joined with the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to work with more FIRST® Team 79 Krunch members on a Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS). This time, our students, along with 5 other FRC teams in Florida, were asked to research, design, and prototype parts of an "Iron Man" suit to reduce human exposure in hazardous situations.
2022-2023 – Charged Up
Rotary International
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Interact Club of the Year Finalist
2020-2021 – Infinite Recharge
Orlando Florida Regional
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Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
2019 – Destination Deep Space
Orlando Florida Regional
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FCA Foundation Team Spirit Award
2018 – FIRST Power Up
Orlando Florida Regional
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FCA Foundation Team Spirit Award
2017 – FIRST Steamworks
Rocket City Regional
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Regional Finalists
2016 – FIRST Stronghold
Orlando Florida Regional
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FCA Foundation Team Spirit Award
2015 – Recycle Rush
Chesapeake Regional
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General Motors Industrial Design Award
2014 – Aerial Assist
Orlando Florida Regional
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Regional Winner
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Dean’s List Finalist Award
Peachtree Atlanta Regional
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Engineering Inspiration Award
2013 – Ultimate Ascent
Orlando Florida Regional
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Regional Winner
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Dean’s List Finalist Award
Washington DC Regional
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Regional Finalist Winner
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Chrysler Team Spirit Award
2012 – Rebound Rumble
Orlando Florida Regional
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KPC&B Entrepreneurship Award
South Florida Regional
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Regional Finalist
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Regional Chairman’s Award
2011 – Logo Motion
Florida Regional
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Judges Award
Smoky Mountain Regional
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Regional Chairman’s Award
2010 - Breakaway
Florida Regional
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Engineering Inspiration Award
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Dean’s List Finalist Award
North Carolina Regional
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Chrysler Team Spirit Award
2009 - Lunacy
Florida Regional
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Motorola Quality Award
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Regional Finalist
Minnesota North Star Regional
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Regional Winner
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KPC&B Entrepreneurship Award
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Motorola Quality Award
2008 – FIRST Overdrive
Florida Regional
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Motorola Quality Award
2007 – Rack “N’ Roll
Florida Regional
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Regional Chairman’s Award
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Governor’s Award
Las Vegas Regional
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Johnson & Johnson Sportsmanship Award
FIRST Championship
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Galileo Division Championship Finalist
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Xerox Creativity Award
2006 – AIM High
Florida Regional
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Florida Regional Champions
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Hunter Humanitarian Award
Las Vegas Regional
Regional Chairman’s Award
2005 – Triple Play
Florida Regional
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Regional Chairman’s Award
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Governor’s Award
FIRST Championship
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Judge’s Award
2004 – FIRST Frenzy
Florida Regional
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DaimlerChrysler Team Spirit Award
Colorado Regional
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Regional Chairman’s Award
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GM Industrial Design Award
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DaimlerChrysler Team Spirit Award
2003 – Stack Attack
Florida Regional
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Regional Chairman’s Award
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Regional Finalist
Granite State Regional
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KPC&B Entrepreneurship Award
2002 – Zone Zeal
Motorola Midwest Regional
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Judge’s Award
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Regional Finalist
2000 – Coopertition FIRST
Florida Regional
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Johnson & Johnson Sportsmanship Award
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Imagery Award
1999 – Double Trouble
Florida Regional
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Outstanding Defense Award
1998 – Ladder Logic
Houston Texas Regional
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Rookie All Star Award