D’Penguineers have won multiple awards at the regional and international levels of the FIRST Robotics Competition,[2] and participate regularly in outreach programs for junior high and elementary schools.
During the months leading up to the competition, students begin to specialize, in areas such as computer programming, CAD, electronics, and machining working with mentors from the surrounding community.
The process of the actual creation of a robot, from initial brainstorms to paper planning to physical building, is a concept foreign to most high school students, and the pre-build season is devoted to developing the skills and team unity necessary to have a successful build season.
Once the Team 1717's bot has been shipped, D’Penguineers attend regional FIRST Robotics Competitions and compete for their chance to go to the international FIRST Championship.
[7] The movie rights have been acquired by Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, who are developing the book into a screenplay.