Our Mission Statement
We will collaborate as a team to shape the future of our students and inspire others by providing opportunities to learn, create, and compete while guided by the principles of Gracious Professionalism.
Who Are We?
FIRST Team 525, The ‘Swartdogs’, is a FIRST Robotics Team founded in 1999. The Swartdogs consist of students from the Cedar Falls Schools and mentors from the Cedar Valley Area. Our goal is to inspire students’ interest in science and technology. We strive to be competitive each year, while living out the values of Gracious Professionalism that are so important in FIRST Robotics.
FIRST Team 525 has been built following the principles that are at the core of FIRST. FIRST Team 525 even has added their own rule – the “Grandma Rule”. The “Grandma Rule” tells us not to do or say anything we wouldn’t in front of our grandmothers. It has been one of the guiding rules for the team. We believe in Gracious Professionalism and are known to frequently help other teams. We have helped FRC, FTC and FLL teams.
It all began when high school physics teacher Kenton Swartley was trying to find another way to show applications of physics. He showed a video of a FIRST competition as an example. After class, Mr. Swartley was approached by several excited students who wanted to start a robotics team.
What is FIRST?
FIRST was founded in 1992 by Dean Kamen. Dean recognized a growing problem with students – a lack of interest and excitement about science and technology. FIRST was created as an activity that would show students that science, technology, math, and engineering can be exciting and interesting. The FIRST Robotics Competition started out in 1992 with one small regional competition in New Hampshire, hosting 28 teams.