One of the most prestigious awards at the 2010 FIRST championships in Atlanta, Ga. goes to the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team that represents the best role model. This year, the winner of the Inspire Award, the Rock N Roll Robots, have a pretty good role model themselves.
Read more here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/robots/rocknroll-robots-FIRST-robotics
Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) talks about his vision of the future with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. Kamen discusses the important role technology does and should play in the education of youth and briefly discusses how FIRST competitions are assisting in this effort.
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/06/video-dean-kamen-makes-predictions-for-the-future/
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The Texas Workforce Commission along with Texas Governor Rick Perry, announced recently a $1 million investment from the Texas Workforce Commission to expand statewide student participation in robotics education programs.
Read more here: http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/13937/
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has announced that their World Championship held in April each year will be moving after this competition season!
The 2011, 2012, and 2013 Championships will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, according to recent reports from FIRST.
To learn more about the move and the FIRST organization, check out this press release. http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/content.aspx?id=15777
The 2009-2010 FIRST Tech Challenge competition has been announced! Check out the competition video and download team materials here... http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/content.aspx?id=962.
With most of this year's robotics season behind them, some of the members of the Oregon City Robotics team are looking toward the future.
At a recent competition, one of the team's Senior members was presented with a scholarship from Seattle Pacific University to study business. Two additional Senior members have announced they are going to Harvey Mudd to study computer science, and one will be attending the University of Oregon to focus on marketing.
Other high education campuses receiving Senior team members include BYU, Gonzaga, and Oregon State. One team member is even going to Scotland to study artificial intelligence at Harriott Watt!
Every one of the team's Seniors are going to college, three-quarters on scholarships! What a great way to end the season!
Way to go team! Congratulations on your achievements, both on the robotics playing field and off!