Each year, FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Teams are given the opportunity to nominate up to two sophomore or junior students for the FIRST Dean’s List. Dean’s List recognizes the leadership and dedication of FIRST's most outstanding secondary school students and is presented by the Kamen Family in honor of FIRST’s founder, Dean Kamen. Team nominees are considered Dean’s List Semi-Finalists and will interview with a panel of judges at a regional event for the opportunity to become one of two Dean’s List Finalists from that event. Finalists then go on to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston, Texas.
This year, the Ferradermis coaches were presented with a plethora of deserving candidates from the sophomore and junior class. After much deliberation, two candidates rose to the top based on their technical expertise and their heavy involvement in STEM outreach in the community and across the state. Juniors Erison Dreksler and Chacha Binagi will represent Whitewater as semi-finalists at the Phantom Lakes Regional to be held in Mukwonago over Spring Break. This event will feature 38 total teams from across Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri, and internationally from Mexico, Turkey, and India.
Coaches must submit a series of 6 short 800-character essays for each student based on specific prompts. Below are the submissions for each.
Chacha Binagi
Chacha spent time with us in middle-school for boot camp and an off-season event where within an hour, this little seventh grader was confidently headed off to other pits to talk match strategy. His passion for FIRST hasn’t slowed down since. Chacha is all about the team, making sure everyone is included and their ideas are heard. His Project Preserve initiative to recycle 3D printed waste from other teams is positively impacting our environment. Elementary students flock to Chacha when he referees their unofficial tournaments because they have so much fun engaging with him. Emceeing for the first time at our FLL Regional, Chacha’s personality (and matching hat and bow tie) simply shined. Chacha encourages team bonding and knowledge-sharing, creating a more cohesive, well-prepared team.
Chacha is the face of many presentations within our local community, the FIRST community, and the statewide educational community. As a spokesperson for the team at local events, a workshop presenter at kickoff, and a recruiter convincing other school districts to start FIRST teams, Chacha is always promoting FIRST and its values. Chacha has been engaged in a start-up meeting with one Wisconsin rookie team this year and did a presentation for potential coaches for another. He has been helping with FLL locally for the last two years, but this year he got a taste of the volunteer bug at regionals and sectionals, volunteering as a referee, emcee, and field resetter. Volunteering at events, as well as mentoring, are ways Chacha sees himself continuing to engage with FIRST in the future.
Chacha’s individual contributions foster collaboration, growth, and innovation. Chacha not only uses his CAD and 3D printing skills for the robot but also to complete projects for our schools and to retrofit virtual reality equipment for a quadriplegic’s prosthetics. He provides valuable guidance to new members, ensuring they feel supported and engaged, creating fun Kahoots! to help them learn. Chacha’s leadership in organizing workshops and volunteering at events like the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast has strengthened the team’s community presence. At competitions, you will most likely find him doing both qualitative and quantitative scouting to help prepare our pick lists. This year, he will be part of the Impact presentation team, having served as an understudy in the past.
A computer is Chacha’s goto multi-purpose tool. Some days, CAD and 3D printing are on the menu, designing both practical and fun items. Other days it’s analysis of data in a scouting spreadsheet that takes center stage. A talent for programming can’t be overlooked either. When not in front of the computer, Chacha can be found in the shop, stepping up to operate the lathe or the milling machine when the team needs an extra pair of hands. Last summer, Chacha spent a week at MSOE learning about all of the engineering careers available to him; with such diverse interests and skills, narrowing down his choices will be his only issue. His passions for design, figuring out how things work, and helping people will all come together through his chosen career in engineering.
As Outreach Subteam Lead, Chacha demonstrates leadership through his active mentorship and dedication to fostering a collaborative environment. He leads by example, whether through his work on the robot, volunteering, or organizing outreach events such as a summer workshop for migrant students, motivating others to step up as well. His leadership style is inclusive and supportive; he ensures every team member feels valued and equipped to succeed. Chacha encourages others by offering guidance, drive coaching the drive team, and by taking initiative, as seen in his leadership roles at Advocacy Day and representing FIRST Wisconsin at SLATE. His ability to connect with people, whether new members or the community, inspires those around him to contribute and take on leadership roles themselves.
Chacha carries a 3.75 GPA with a wide variety of course choices ranging from honors English and AP social sciences coursework to exploratory tech classes and engineering design coursework. Music is a huge part of his life as a performer in both high-powered vocal and instrumental ensembles (as well as national anthem choirs at FRC regionals). Chacha’s leading role as the Phil Davis character in White Christmas this past fall truly let his dynamic personality shine through.
Erison Dreksler
Erison is a kind soul who supports everyone, guiding each student to discover their passion. They are the first to welcome new members and get them hands-on with the robot, no matter their skill level. They often gather the team at the end of a meeting for a wrap-up so that each member has an opportunity to celebrate their individual contributions to the team. Erison fully embraces opportunities for fun team bonding, attending every activity. They presented specifically to our school’s multilingual learners to help them feel welcome and see team membership as a possibility. By offering presentations for other teams at FRC Training Day and kickoff and connecting our team members to fill in open spots on other teams’ all-girls drive teams at TWIST, they are making an impact on other teams.
Erison plans to study electrical engineering and will make an incredible mentor for any FIRST level, already mentoring FLL and FTC. This fall, after doing field reset for one FLL regional, they volunteered as an FLL referee for 1 regional and 2 sectionals, something they see themselves continuing long into the future. When a presentation or workshop is to be done for a sponsor or community group, Erison is the first to step up. Erison represented FIRST Wisconsin at the SLATE and WTEA conferences the last two years, making connections with other school districts and encouraging them to start FIRST teams. They have also represented our team eloquently on Behind the Bumpers, did a site visit with the Sun Prairie rookie team, and participated in robotics Advocacy Day at the State Capitol.
Erison joined robotics to work solely on business. When the electrical subteam lead unexpectedly moved before the 2023 season, Erison, a freshman, stepped up without hesitation. They quickly learned the skills necessary to ensure the robot’s electrical systems were ready for competition, demonstrating resilience, determination, and strong problem-solving abilities. Erison also took initiative in expanding the team’s community outreach by securing a booth at the City Market, creating a fundraising opportunity that contributes to the team’s sustainability. This allowed the team to build local connections, raise awareness, and engage with the community. Their efforts in outreach, fundraising, and team operations have been vital to the team’s growth, success, and long-term viability.
As a result of their freshman experience on the team, Erison enrolled in the Project Lead the Way Introduction to Engineering course as a sophomore and attended a week-long program at Milwaukee School of Engineering last summer to learn about the school’s various areas of study. Erison stepped into the role of Electro-Mechanical Subteam Lead as a sophomore, stretching out of their comfort zone to learn to operate the CNC milling machine and other shop equipment. Erison stepped up to learn to both drive and operate the 2023 and 2024 robots in the offseason so that they could do community demonstrations and operate the robot during competitions. Now, they are excelling in their study of Digital Electronics. They’ve also learned to use AutoCAD to document the electrical system on the robot.
Erison is a dedicated and reliable leader, always present, engaged, and determined. They take on any task, big or small, setting a high standard for fellow team members. Whether it’s designing and wiring the robot, replacing carpet, or representing the team in presentations, Erison is always in the middle of it. As Electrical Subteam Lead, they provide guidance and help foster skill development no matter the task. Erison oversees packing for every event, ensuring everything is ready and mentors don’t have to worry. They offer unwavering support to teammates without judgment and quietly arrange help when needed. Erison also includes younger members in presentations, helping them grow their speaking skills and empowering them to take on leadership roles.
Erison’s role in the school’s Diversity Alliance shows their commitment to making all feel welcome. Their 3.9 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale, while carrying a heavy load of honors, AP, and dual credit courses, shows their dedication to academics. Erison was inducted into the National Honor Society and has been honored by the National Center for Women and Information Technology as well. Youngsters in the community have come to know and love Erison, and are excited to engage with them at events.