About Us
The Coconino High School “CocoNuts” FIRST Robotics team is the “FIRST” of its kind in Flagstaff, Arizona. Our team was founded in 2007 by physics teachers David Thompson and Christine Sapio to encourage and help students pursue careers in science, engineering and technology. Our strengths as a team include the unique talents and skills of each member, LOTS of enthusiasm, fresh new perspectives for every challenge, allowing each member to have a voice in the team decision process, a strong relationship with our community, and a team commitment to perform both professionally and competitively at every event we attend.
Since that time, the CocoNuts have decided to not only focus on exciting themselves and their fellow high schoolers about STEM, but to focus on their younger peers as well. To that point, the CocoNuts decided to introduce the FIRST Lego League (FLL) program to Flagstaff in the Autumn of 2008, and in its first year it garnered 16 new teams—the largest expansion of FLL in a single year in one area ever recorded! (more)
The “CocoNuts” had an extremely successful rookie year during the 2008 FIRST FRC & FTC Season, and we had a great 2009 FIRST FRC & FTC Season, winning the most prestigious FIRST award, the Chairman’s Award, at the 2009 FRC Arizona Regional, only the second team from Arizona ever to win it, and one of the only second-year teams to ever do so. We are continuing to work on numerous off-season projects, including hosting both the 2nd Annual Northern AZ FLL Tournament, and for the first time, the AZ Regional FTC Competition as the “High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza” on December 5th, 2009. Currently the CocoNuts are engaged buildinga robot for the 2010 FIRST FRC game, “Breakaway”.
