Kirkpatrick filling Team 525 shoes of Swartley

The Cedar Falls Robotics Team, 525 Swartdogs, has recently undergone a change in leadership. With Kenton Swartley stepping back, Julie Kirkpatrick is stepping into the lead. Kirkpatrick is a math teacher. Swartley had been trying to get Kirkpatrick on the team for a while. She said, “Basically ever since we connected over computer science, he was the STEM coordinator, so we talked a lot about the computer science program, and then he saw like, ‘Oh you know what you’re doing. You should join robotics.” 

Kirkpatrick refused the offer at first because she was working on a degree while trying to balance being a teacher as well. Once she had finished with her degree, she had more time to take interest in the robotics team. “I think the decision was made public in July, after all the paperwork and stuff had gone through,” she said. “I am stepping into a role that is very well established. I think Swartley did a great job building this team from nothing, and I am completely new.”

The Swartdogs plan on attending the Cow Town Throw Down, and this would be Kirkpatrick’s first event as leader of the team.

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