FIRST Robotics Competition (ages 14-18)
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To learn more about the FIRST Robotics Competition Virginia Regional on March 16th and 17th, click here. For information on lodging at the FRC Virginia Regional, click here.
FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is recognized as the premier high school engineering challenge. Teams of students, working closely with teachers and volunteer mentors, have six weeks to conceptualize, design, build, program, modify and test a robot to participate in a competition that changes each year.
Every January, FIRST unveils the competition or “game” at an annual kick-off event that is simulcast to locations around the world. Virginia teams can share the excitement at remote kickoff locations in Richmond, Hampton, and in Washington, DC.
Teams receive a “kit” of common parts that are used to build the core systems of their robots, but they won’t find an instruction manual, and no two will be built or operated in exactly the same way! Students work with hundreds of components, including engineering mainstays such as programmable radio controllers, motors, electrical circuitry, pneumatic components and mechanical parts. Each team has to decide its own game strategy, and has to design and fabricate a machine within tight specifications on size, weight and materials.
Following the six-week design and build phase, teams enter one of 48 regional competitions, including the Virginia Regional, held in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Stuart C. Siegel Center. In Richmond more than 60 teams test their skills for a chance to advance to the world championship. The competition is free and open to the public.
In 2012, nearly 2500 teams will participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition. To find out how to "get into the game" by starting a team, sponsoring a team, or volunteering with a team or for an event, please contact Dee Tomczak .
Learn more at FIRST Robotics Competition.