CLEVELAND — More than 1,400 high school students from across Ohio and the U.S. will compete in the 10th annual FIRST Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) combines science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills with extreme sports to inspire young people’s interest in STEM education.
This year’s event runs Thursday through Saturday, April 7-9, at Cleveland State University Wolstein Center. Practice rounds are April 7, and Friday and Saturday are competition days. Admission is free and open to the public throughout the event.
Fifty-eight high school teams will compete for honors and recognition in this year’s robotics game called LOGO MOTION. Teams will come from 43 high schools in Ohio, as well as Canada, Indiana, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania.
LOGO MOTION includes team alliances and three robots competing to hang inflated plastic triangle, circle and square shapes on grids during a 2 minute and 15 second match. The higher the game pieces are hung on the scoring grid, the more points the team receives.
Every student — regardless of his or her scientific, mathematic or technological expertise — teams up with engineers from NASA, businesses and universities to get a glimpse of what engineering is about through hands-on learning, teamwork, time management and problem solving.
The Buckeye Regional is sponsored by NASA’s Glenn Research Center along with corporations and academic and nonprofit organizations throughout Ohio. It is one of 59 regional competitions across the United States and Canada that lead up to the 2011 FIRST Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, April 27-30.
FIRST is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and communities. 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.
For more information about FIRST and event details, visit: http://www.firstbuckeye.org
To view the game animation, LOGO MOTION visit: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=18762
For more information about FIRST and NASA’s other educational programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/FIRST_Robotics.html
