Remembering #KendrickCastillo One Year Later

Today, we remember the tragic loss of FIRST Robotics Competition Team 4418’s Kendrick Castillo one year ago. Kendrick was killed after blocking a shooter at his Colorado high school, STEM School Highlands Ranch, on May 7, 2019. He quickly emerged in global media as an incredibly brave and selfless hero – one who was passionate about robotics and mentoring others and had a bright future ahead of him.

As a community, we all share in mourning his team’s heartbreaking loss. Notes of condolences expressing support and solidarity, heartfelt messages on social media, and donations to the team and family poured in from FIRST teams, alumni, mentors, volunteers, staff, parents, and other supporters, a powerful testament to the close-knit nature of the FIRST community and the impact of Kendrick’s life.

Last fall, Kendrick’s parents, mentors, friends, and teammates shared his story to help FIRST honor his memory in a moving video tribute.

This week, STEM School Highlands Ranch is asking people to give back to their communities in observation of the anniversary and share it on social media using #STEMShares to show what it truly means to be #STEMStrong.

Read more about Kendrick’s robotics passion on NBC News.