If you asked the 16,000-plus people who attended SkillsUSA last week in Kansas City what their favorite moment was, you would probably get a lot of different answers. You might get replies that include the Army Band that performed outside all week, or the competitions that took place and the medals won, or the exhibitors and their giveaways, or some might say the delicious food and the smells that filled the air from the street vendors. But if you asked the four-year-old little girl from Alabama, she would tell you her favorite was Mr. Robot.
Mr. Robot is the life-size robot that a couple of Pitsco employees built for FIRST® in St. Louis that danced with Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas back in April. Mr. Robot met a new friend at SkillsUSA last week. She was half his size and not nearly as popular as the Black Eyed Peas, but she was just as cool, in my opinion, and could draw a crowd that would impress Will.i.am, I bet.
This adorable little girl was with her grandpa visiting SkillsUSA and came across a robot that was walking in the hallway of the convention center. He was big and shiny and had blue flashing lights and probably intimidated most other kids her age, but not her. She wanted to talk to Mr. Robot and be his friend. So she stopped him and they danced together and she asked him to do things and he did. She asked him questions and he answered her by shaking his head for no and his right hand for yes. She asked Mr. Robot if he wanted to be her friend, and Mr. Robot shook his right hand and she smiled a great big smile.
People gathered around to watch the two interact. Between her sweet southern accent and her complete innocent belief that she was actually talking to a robot, you couldn't help being mesmerized by this charismatic little girl. After two days of playing with Mr. Robot, she didn't want to say goodbye to him, but he had to take a nap and recharge. She eventually gave him a hug and told him, "I'll be right back, okay Mr. Robot?" and then said, "We're still friends, okay Mr. Robot?"
So if you were to ask me what my favorite moment at SkillsUSA was, I would tell you it wasn't the Army Band or the competitions or the exhibitors or the food. It wasn't even Mr. Robot. I would say that my favorite moment was becoming friends with the four-year-old little girl from Alabama, and when I think of her, I smile.
Thank you Ms. Cheyenne for being my friend!
Watch a video of Mr. Robot and Cheyenne here.