Established in 2022 with a foundational team of one mentor and 15 students, YAL Thunders is currently in a dynamic phase of growth and development, having expanded to 4 mentors and 35 students.
Today, we function as a growing family, built upon the synergy between our experienced mentors and dedicated, successful students. Our team is characterized by its inquisitive nature and a strong work ethic, driving us to achieve success on both national and international stages.
Every member, dedicated to the spirit of our team and united by the common objective of advancing our club, is pledged to walk in the light of science and knowledge.
How Our Story Began?
A group of students at our school initially decided to participate in Teknofest and began their work in the field of technology. However, due to various setbacks, they were unable to progress in this field. Despite this, they never lost their interest in technology and their desire to create.
During this process, our founding members learned about the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) from their circles, and with the inspiration they gained, they established our team and began their work. Before our first competition, the Haliç Regional 2022, they contacted active teams and gained experience. Thus, we stepped into our FRC journey by building a strong foundation in terms of both technical aspects and teamwork.
Our Mission
To bring together students and sponsors in our region with the STEM values emphasized by FIRST, nurturing them and creating successful, well-equipped generations for the sectors they are interested in for the future.
Our Vision
To provide students in our nation with worldwide success and experience in the STEM field, to achieve high levels of success representing both our school and our country internationally by participating in various competitions with our robotics team, and to leave behind a sustainable team for future generations.
Moments from Our Journey
Alumnies
METE YILMAZTÜRK
ITU - Landscape Architecture
HÜSEYİN YILDIZ
ITU - Molecular Biology
AZİZ METE ŞAHİN
ITU - Control and Automation Engineering
KIVANÇ YAVUZ
Istanbul University Capa Faculty of Medicine
KEREM TAŞKIN
Ataturk University - Faculty of Medicine
ELİF TAMAY BUDAK
University of Sussex, Brighton - Genetics
Our Achievements
Esenler Off-Season Success
At the Esenler Off-Season event, we were deemed worthy of receiving the Winner Award and the Rookie Inspiration Award, given to the most promising rookie for our performance.
Gracious Professionalism at Cezeri Off-Season
We participated in the Cezeri Robotics Tournament, one of the major Off-Season events in our country. Our respect for our surroundings and our understanding of gracious professionalism earned us the Gracious Professionalism Award.