FIRST Tech Challenge teams compete on a standardized field with robots they create and program. (Courtesy FIRST Robotics)
The public is invited to a FIRST Technical Challenge Meet & FIRST Robotics Competition Kick-Off Event on January 7, 2023
Start the New Year with a day of robots, competition, and fun at the FIRST Technical Challenge (FTC) Meet and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Kick-off on January 7 at the FSU-FAMU College of Engineering.
Young engineers from the Panhandle and Big Bend will begin competing at 10:00 AM. They have been working since September designing and building robots to meet the challenges of POWER PLAYSM by Raytheon Technologies—an energy-themed game.
FIRST Technical Challenge is way more than building robots. Teams (up to 15 team members, grades 7-12) are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
Three Tallahassee teams will participate in the FTC Meet. The Purple Axolotls from Lincoln High School will be joined by The Imposters and Legacy, a part of Tally Robotics, a local non-profit promoting STEAM education through FIRST Robotics programs. A total of 10-12 teams from the AeroCoast League will be competing.
“Watching the confidence that my daughter has developed as part of her team, The Imposters, has been one of my greatest joys as a mom. She’s learning, not only about engineering but important skills like teamwork and perseverance,” said Katrina McMillan, parent and FTC coach.
The day will also feature the FIRST Robotics Competition 2023 Season Kick-Off. At 12:00PM FRC teams will gather for the Kickoff Stream. Kickoff sparks the start of the 2023 FIRST® Robotics Competition season, CHARGED UPSM presented by Haas. Join FIRST® faves from around the world, Founder Dean Kamen, CEO Chris Moore, and special guests via Livestream as we reveal the CHARGED UP game animation and other game and season details.
Under strict rules, with limited time and resources, FIRST® Robotics Competition teams use sophisticated technology to build and program industrial-sized robots to play an action-packed, alliance-based game on a themed field. With professional mentors and sponsors, students learn engineering and problem-solving skills that they can apply to real-world situations today and in the future. Each team creates a team identity, raises funds to meet its goals, and works to promote STEM in its community.
From the machines that move us to the food that sustains us to the wireless technologies that connect us, energy plays an essential role in keeping our world running. During our 2022-2023 robotics season, FIRST ENERGIZE℠ presented by Qualcomm, FIRST teams across our programs will reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward.
To empower young people to be leaders and innovators, this year’s energy theme addresses global challenges related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7: focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Tally Robotics was founded in 2013 with one LEGO Robotics team in the dining room of founders, Scott & Laura Leonard. Now, a 501 (c)(3) organization, they sponsor five LEGO teams, two FIRST Technical Challenge teams (7th-12th grade), and one FIRST Robotics Competition team (9th-12th grade). TallyRobotics provides and promotes educational and competitive opportunities for children and teens in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.
“The FIRST LEGO League robotics program is a fun way for our local students to get exposure to technology fields and understand what it’s like to solve real-world problems,” states Laura Leonard. “From engineering and building their LEGO robot, to programming it, to explaining their ideas to the judges, this program is an amazing opportunity for our local students!”
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Laura Leonard at Tally Robotics or email info@tallyrobotics.org.