FIRST

OK, so the company I work for is sponsoring a bunch of teams for a robotics competition.

I and several of my colleagues have volunteered and helped sponsor high school kids from across the country.

What is First?
FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high-school-aged young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of engineers and researchers can be.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of young people and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week time frame using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in competitions designed by Dean Kamen, Dr. Woodie Flowers, and a committee of engineers and other professionals.

FIRST redefines winning for these students because they are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.

FIRST is one of many brilliant ideas founded by Dean Kamen - President, DEKA Research and Development

Be sure to check out all the really cool projects they are working on.

So, to all the teams competing this week...
Congratulations and Good Luck !

If you want to check out some of the action, there are some web cast links here...