Youth Robotics Teams Inspire Record Crowds at FIRST® Championship in Houston
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Youth Robotics Teams Inspire Record Crowds at FIRST® Championship in Houston

More than 15,000 Students from 40 Countries Competed with Team-Built Robots and Showcased Innovation Skills with Support from Presenting Sponsor Qualcomm and Other Global Brands

Two-Part Event Celebrates Conclusion of Space-Themed Robotics Season, Kicks Off 2020 Season FIRST® RISESM Powered by Star Wars: Force for Change

HOUSTON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — April 20, 2019 — This week, more than 15,000 students from around the world traveled to Houston, putting their innovation skills to the test at the annual FIRST Championship Presented by Qualcomm Incorporated, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Minute Maid Park and Discovery Green.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190420005006/en/

Students from the FIRST Robotics Competition Winning Alliance celebrate at Minute Maid Park during F ...

Students from the FIRST Robotics Competition Winning Alliance celebrate at Minute Maid Park during FIRST Championship in Houston. (Photo: Business Wire)

The four-day Houston event, attended by more than 33,000 people came down to a heart-pounding conclusion Saturday night in front of thousands of cheering fans at Minute Maid Park when teams competed in match finals for the FIRST® Robotics Competition and FIRST® Tech Challenge world championships. Four teams from California – Atascadero, Madera, Burlingame, and El Segundo – were the FIRST Robotics Competition Winning Alliance for this year’s game, DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE Presented by The Boeing Company. Teams from Palm Harbor, Fla.; Elon, N.C.; and Leawood, Kan., were the FIRST Tech Challenge Winning Alliance for ROVER RUCKUS Presented by Qualcomm.

Over 15,000 students, ages 6-18, participated in FIRST Championship Houston. FIRST Championship, the world’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for students, will continue next week with 15,000 more students in Detroit (April 24-27).

Selected Quotes:

Among the participants, many earned honors for design excellence, competitive play, research, business plans, website design, and teamwork. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) inspires innovation and leadership in young people through engaging, team-based robotics challenges.

In Houston, more than 700 robotics teams from 40 countries competed and exhibited in the four FIRST programs, including FIRST® LEGO® League (ages 9 to 16, varies by country); FIRST Tech Challenge (ages 12 to 18); and FIRST Robotics Competition (ages 14 to 18). In addition to the high-energy robotics matches, 60 teams participated in the FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. (grades K-4, ages 6 to 9) World Festival Expo.

FIRST Championship Houston honored significant supporters of the FIRST mission:

At Minute Maid Park, FIRST, unveiled FIRST® RISESM, a unified season theme for all four FIRST programs that is powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, a philanthropic initiative from Lucasfilm and parent company Disney. This 2019-2020 season, themed around building sustainable cities for our future, is setting out to inspire citizens of the galaxy to work together, strengthening and protecting the Force that binds us and creating a place where collaboration and collective wisdom can elevate new ideas and foster growth. The reveal video was narrated by Mark Hamill.

2019 FIRST Championship Winners

The 2019 winners of the competitions and awards announced in Houston are as follows:

Dean’s List Award – This award celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary.

From FIRST Robotics Competition:

From FIRST Tech Challenge:

1. FIRST® Robotics Competition ChampionshipFIRST Robotics Competition combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fundraise, design a brand, exercise teamwork, and build and program robots to compete in an exciting game that includes autonomous and driver-operated periods. In the 2019 challenge, DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE Presented by The Boeing Company, two competing alliances collect samples on planet Primus. With only two-and-a-half minutes until liftoff, the alliances must gather as much cargo as possible and prepare their spaceships for liftoff before the next sandstorm arrives.

More than 94,000 students on 3,800 teams competed during the 2019 season.

Other FIRST Robotics Competition Awards included:

Championship Finalists

Turing Subdivision

Subdivision Winners

Carver Subdivision

Galileo Subdivision

Hopper Subdivision

Newton Subdivision

Roebling Subdivision

Turing Subdivision

Subdivision Finalists

Carver Subdivision

Galileo Subdivision

Hopper Subdivision

Newton Subdivision

Roebling Subdivision

Turing Subdivision

Engineering Inspiration Award

Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford

Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox

Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Delphi

Gracious Professionalism® Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen

Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors

Safety Award sponsored by UL

Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation

Quality Award sponsored by Motorola

Team Spirit Award sponsored by FCA Foundation

Highest Rookie Seed

Rookie All-star Award

Rookie Inspiration Award

Judges’ Awards

2. FIRST® Tech Challenge World Championship FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams build robots from a reusable kit of parts, develop strategies, document their progress, and compete head to head. In the 2018-19 game, ROVER RUCKUS Presented by Qualcomm, robots descend from the lander, collect and sort minerals into cargo holds, and perform autonomous tasks to compete on the field during two-and-a-half-minutes of gameplay.

More than 70,000 students on 7,000 FIRST Tech Challenge teams competed during the 2018-2019 season. FIRST Tech Challenge sponsors include Season Presenting Sponsor Qualcomm, Official Program Sponsor Rockwell Collins, and IoT, CAD and Collaboration Sponsor PTC.

Other FIRST Tech Challenge awards included:

3. FIRST® LEGO® League World FestivalFIRST LEGO League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by inviting them to conduct research projects and build LEGO-based autonomous robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. FIRST LEGO League teams, guided by their imaginations, discover exciting career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society. This year’s challenge, INTO ORBIT, tasked more than 323,000 students on 40,000 teams representing 95+ countries with exploring how to solve the physical and social problems associated with long-duration space flight, and propose solutions for any issues they identify.

Top honors went to Champion’s Award winner, Team 44264, IDB TECH-NO-LOGIC, of Verona, Italy; Champion’s Award Finalist, Team 14938, Club Oreo, of Austin, Texas; and Champion’s Award Finalist, Team 44195, DYCI Blue Ocean’s 10, of Quezon City, Philippines.

Other FIRST® LEGO® League awards included:

4. FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. World Festival ExpoFIRST LEGO League Jr. introduces children ages 6 to 9 to the exciting world of science and technology. Teams of up to six children and two adult Coaches take on a real-world Challenge, to be explored through research, critical thinking, and imagination. In this year’s Challenge, MISSION MOON, students learn about the Earth’s moon and what is needed to live there.

FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. awards went to:

Watch highlights from FIRST Championship Houston on FIRSTtv and download select photos from the FIRST Facebook page.

The 2019 FIRST Championship will continue next week in Detroit, Michigan, happening from April 24 to 27 at the Cobo Center and Ford Field. Visit firstchampionship.org to learn more.

2019 FIRST Championship Sponsors

Qualcomm is the 2019 FIRST Championship Presenting Sponsor.

2019 FIRST Championship Lead Sponsors include: Google Inc. and Magna International Inc.

2019 FIRST Championship Event Sponsors include: ABB; The Abbott Fund; Bechtel Corporation; Delta Air Lines; Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau; The Dow Chemical Company; DTE Energy; FCA Foundation; FedEx; Ford Motor Company; Houston CVB; Keysight Technologies; Lockheed Martin Corporation; National Instruments; Nokia Bell Labs; Rockwell Automation; TE Connectivity; Toyota USA Foundation; Two Sigma Investments; U.S. Air Force; and United Technologies.

2019 FIRST Championship Key Sponsors include: ARMI | BiofabUSA; Autodesk; BAE Systems; BOSCH; Central Michigan University; The Coca-Cola Company; Consumers Energy; Gene Haas Foundation; Hilton; Kettering University; Mouser Electronics; PwC US; Quicken Loans; Southwest Airlines; Texas Instruments; United Therapeutics Corporation; Walt Disney Imagineering; and ZF North America, Inc.

Other 2019 FIRST Championship Supporters include: Alta Resources LLC; Arm; H-E-B; J.R. Automation; and Jacobs.

Save the date! The 2020 FIRST Championship will be held in Houston April 15-18 and Detroit April 29-May 2.

About FIRST®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $80 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org



Contact:

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Brooke Blew, FIRST®
603-206-2048
Email Contact

Haley Dunn, FIRST®
603-206-2494
Email Contact