One of the fundamental principles of FIRST Robotics is that the students benefit from their interaction with mentors from their industries. Texas Torque is fortunate to have mentors willing to give so much of their valuable time and expertise to support the team. They help guide the students through an educational journey and are critical to the team’s success. The members of Texas Torque greatly thank our mentors and appreciate all they have done for the team. Listed below are brief bios for all of the mentors who have helped to support Texas Torque throughout the years.
Mr. Rip is the lead mentor of Team 1477 and has mentored Texas Torque since 2008. He spent over 30 years in the classroom teaching physics and robotics to high school students. After his retirement, Mr. Rip was awarded the position of District Robotics Coach by our school district, and now fully commits his time cultivating the growth of robotics in our area. During his time on Texas Torque, he has molded the team into the powerhouse of engineering and learning that it is today. He also personally impacts every student he encounters. Because of his character and dedication, Mr. Rip challenges students to develop themselves as mature individuals and the leaders of tomorrow.
Ms. Bauer is a mentor for Texas Torque and helps students on the team with all levels of mathematics. Outside of the team, she is a Geometry and Dual-Credit PreCalculus teacher for the Academy of Science and Technology at College Park High School.
Mr. Dunbar is one of our essential parent mentors who has helped a lot of our students in the mechanical sub-team. With his knowledge of several machines and power tools used in the lab, he provides lots of tips and information to help members reach their highest potential. Mr. Dunbar joined this team in 2019.
Mr. Wolf is a CISD mentor for Texas Torque and helps the students with coding. Outside the team, he is a Computer Science teacher for the Academy of Science of Technology at College Park High School.
Mr. Rapacki is a mentor
Ms. Musale is the Business mentor for Texas Torque since joining in the 2023-2024 season. In her experience with graphic design & marketing, she has helped students create a variety of digital content for Texas Torque.
Mr. Belforti is a mentor