Local high school student named "Dean's List" finalist in international robotics competition

Madeleine Schwitters

FIRST Robotics (FRC) Team 4911 CyberKnights, a robotics team from King’s High School, is proud to announce that Madeleine Schwitters has been named a FIRST Dean’s List Finalist at the PNW District Championships in Cheney, WA.

Madeleine will now represent the team and the Pacific Northwest Region at the World Championships in Houston, TX. Winners will be announced on April 21, 2017 during a luncheon with Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST Robotics, and namesake of this prestigious award.

The Dean’s List Award began in 2010 to celebrate outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary. In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of the FIRST most outstanding FRC students, the Kamen family sponsors this award for the selected top students.

The FIRST Dean’s List Award is awarded to a current student leader who has led their FIRST Robotics Competition team and communities to increase awareness for FIRST and its mission while achieving personal technical expertise and accomplishment, and who will be great leaders of FIRST’s ever growing student alumni.

Madeleine was nominated by CyberKnights coach and King’s High School teacher Mike Thompson because of her natural ability and interest in building, leading groups, programming robots and passion for ensuring every student has the opportunity to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

She has held numerous leadership roles on her FRC and FTC teams including Drive Captain, Mill Lead and CAD Lead for Critical Systems. She coaches an FLL team, started a Special Olympics Unified Robotics team and mentors at robotics summer camps. She devotes about 30 hours per week to the team and outreach events, while maintaining a 3.96 GPA in mainly AP and college-prep courses.

“I was honored to be nominated for this award and be recognized first as a semi-finalist and now as a finalist,” said Madeleine. 

“FIRST has inspired me to pursue engineering, understand the importance of STEM and ensure everyone has access to STEM education. I look forward to representing my team and the PNW region at the FIRST Robotics World Championships.”