27 Mar 2017 FIVE AREA HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS QUALIFY FOR GLOBAL ROBOTICS CHAMPIONSHIP
Students advanced from FIRST Robotics Competition putting custom-built robots to the test; others win honors for design, sportsmanship, partnerships
Kansas City, MO–Five local high school robotics teams earned slots at the international FIRST Championship, April 26-29 in St. Louis, during the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition Kansas City Regional on March 17-18 at the Metropolitan Community College-Business & Technology Campus.
Attended by about 2,500 fans, families, educators and industry leaders, the competition also awarded several teams with honors for design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship and partnerships between schools, businesses and communities. With the hope of winning one of the several coveted awards, high school students worked with professional mentors to design and build a robot over a six-week period using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules.
The five advancing teams include Team Driven from Lee’s Summit High School, Ravonics Revolution from Olathe Northwest High School, CTC Inspire from Fort Osage Career and Tech Center, Broncobots from Lee’s Summit North High School and the Millenium Falcons from Staley High School.
In FIRST STEAMWORKS, two adventure clubs from an era in which technology relied on steam power must prepare their airships for the ultimate long distance race. Each three-team alliance scores points and prepares to take flight by building steam pressure, gathering materials to start the rotors, and boarding robots onto their airships. The adventurer club with the highest score at the end of the match is the best prepared for the race and wins.
Students participating in FIRST are eligible to apply for over $50 million dollars in scholarships from leading universities, colleges and companies. Since its beginning, FIRST has significantly improved students’ attitudes towards math, science and teamwork. Students who participate show increased interest in pursuing internship and employment opportunities in science and engineering, especially with companies that are involved with FIRST.
Winners of the FIRST Robotics Competition 2017 Kansas City Regional Awards include:
Regional Chairman’s Award** (highest award of the competition): 1730 Team Driven, Lee’s Summit High School
Engineering Inspiration Award** (second highest award of competition) 1710 Olathe Northwest High School
Regional Winning Alliance:
- Team 1987 Lee’s Summit North High School
- Team 624 Cinco Ranch High (Katy TX)
- Team 5801 Fort Osage Career & Tech Center
Regional Finalist Alliance:
- Team 4959 Staley High School
- Team 1710 Olathe Northwest High School
- Team 935 Newton, Kansas
Team Spirit Award: Team 2357 Raymore-Peculiar High School
Industrial Design Award: Team 1775 Lincoln Prep Academy, Kansas City Public Schools
Gracious Professionalism Award: Team 1982 Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Entrepreneurship Award: Team 5119, Lawrence, Kansas
Quality Award: Team 935 Newton High School, Newton, Kan.
Creativity Award: Team 1763 Paseo Academy, Kansas City Public Schools
Excellence in Engineering Award: Team 1987 Lee’s Summit North
Highest Rookie Seed Award: Team 6542 Pittsburg, Kansas
Imagery Award: Team 1980 Mill Valley High School
Industrial Safety Award: Team 624, Katy, Texas
Innovation in Control Award: Team 3528, Up Next, Kansas City, MO
Judges Award: Team 1764 Liberty Robotics
