Pic of the Week - "Parents of Hawai`i Robotics" Honored
Art and Rene Kimura accept the Regional Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award.
During the NASA/BAE Systems FIRST in Hawai`i Regional Robotics Competition, Art and Rene Kimura were recognized with the Regional Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award.
They were honored for mentoring countless robotics students and their teachers, and showing the ability of robotics to build self-confidence and motivate students to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math, long before the FIRST Regional came to Hawai`i.
Art Kimura is referred to as "the father of robotics" in Hawai`i because of the strong foundation for robotics education that he created in Hawaii. The fact that the Hawai`i Regional had an unprecedented level of participation for a first-year competition was a credit to the years of work the Kimuras put into robotics.
In a commendation that Governor Lingle and Lt. Governor Aiona presented, they said "Mahalo for serving as a positive role model for our students and inspiring them to great heights. The life skills and “gracious professionalism” they are learning through their experiences with robotics will prepare them – and our state – for success in the 21st century."
