In 2005, Eastlake’s robotics team was invited by the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to help rebuild a house in St. Petersburg. The home was owned by the James Dolan, a victim in a shooting at an electronics store. James survived a shot to the head, but lost his eyesight.
Team 79 helped to design a robotic arm for James’ son, Charlie. We were mentioned in the paper and other articles, like the one below.
For Charlie, his oldest son, a robotic arm designed by East Lake High School students reflects the boy’s interest in science.
Outside, the back yard was molded into an oasis. Fountains and chimes create an environment Dolan could hear and feel. A putting green in the yard would allow him to learn to golf all over again.
At the Varsity Club restaurant in East Lake, the school robotics team that designed the robotic arm gathered with family and friends to watch and cheer the show.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. The nation just saw me on television,” said East Lake senior Jim Hoskins, 18, one of the team members shown during the broadcast.
(Squires, Chase. “Tampabay: TV Land Reveals Extreme Kindness.” Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/02/Tampabay/TV_land_reveals_extre.shtml>.)