KSGC - National Activities - FIRST Robotics

FIRST Robotics Competition

FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

What is FIRST?

Organized annually by the FIRST Foundation (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the robotics competition began in 1992 with 28 teams in one region. The year 2001 FIRST competition fielded more than 650 teams in 17 regions. The Kansas Space Grant Consortium co-sponsored Kansas FIRST teams in 2002-2005.

In FIRST 2006, still using a standard kit of parts supplied by FIRST, more than 1,130 teams made up of 28,500 high school students worked with volunteer professionals to design, build and test a robot over a six-week period. Each team participated in one of 33 regional competitions held during March and April, and top performers from these trials qualified for the FIRST Championship, held in the Atlanta, home of The Coca Cola Company, which has entered a multi-year co-sponsorship of FIRST.

Founder’s definition

The founder of FIRST, Dean Kamen, inventor and entrepreneur formerly of St. Louis, states the nature of FIRST:

“Education is not in the name FIRST. Nor is FIRST a science fair,” Kamen tells FIRST students, teachers, and mentors when he speaks around the world. He says participants develop engineering skills and a greater appreciation for science and technology to “make a difference.”

How to join

“Everyone who participates wins,” Kamen tells his audiences. Middle school and high school students can join the fun; find out how on our National FIRST web page, http://www.usfirst.org.

Kansas Teams 2003

These Kansas high schools hosted the US FIRST program in 2003:

Central Heights High School

3521 Ellis Road Richmond, KS 66080 Frank Perbeck Principal 785-869-3555 fperbeck@usd288.k12.ks.us Donna Morgan Faculty Sponsor 785-869-3355 dmorgan@usd288.k12.ks.us

Osborne High School

219 North Second St Osborne, KS 67473 Tom Conway Principal 785-346-2143 ohsprin@ruraltel.net Carl Storer Faculty Team Leader 785-346-5704 voced@ruraltel.net

Washington High School

115 North D Street Washington, KS 66968 Phil Wilson Principal 785-325-2261 pwilson@usd222.org Murray Dague 785-325-2771 mudague@usd222.org

Shawnee Mission North High School

7401 Johnson Drive Shawnee Mission, KS 66202 Charles McLean Principal 913-993-6900 nomclean@smsd.org Bill Kirchner Team Leader 913-993-7146 nokirchn@smsd.org

Paola High School

401 N. Angela Paola, KS 66071 Jerry Henn Principal 913-294-4367 jerry_henn@usd368.k12.ks.us Mari Baird-Tetwiler Gifted Facilitator 913-294-4367 mari_tetwiler@usd368.k12.ks.us

Lawrence High School

1901 Louisiana St. Lawrence, KS 66046 Richard (Dick) Patterson 785-832-5050 Ext. 202 RPATTER@USD497.ORG Joseph Bradshaw Faculty Team Leader 785-832-5050 Ext. 251 JBRADSHA@USD497.ORG

Newton High School

900 West 12th Street Newton, KS 67114 Kathy Wilson Principal 316-284-6280 kwilson@newton.k12.ks.us Debra Regier Project Director 316-284-6280 dreggier@newton.k12.ks.us

Axtell High School

504 Pine Street Axtell, KS 66403 Troy Damman Principal and Team Leader 785-736-2237 dammant@usd488.k12.ks.us

FIRST 2002 Balls in play in the Family Arena near St. Louis, Missouri - J. Rowland photo

FIRST 2002 Lawrence, Kansas, High School poses Cinderella - S. Suhler photo

Lawrence High School at FIRST 2002 Regionals: Joe Bradshaw mentors from aside - S. Suhler photo

Busy in the pits at FIRST 2002 St. Louis Regional Robotics competitions - J. Rowland photo

FIRST 2002 Newton’s RaileRobotics reap rewards at Regionals - S. Suhler photo