National Robotics Competition Challenges High School Students to Have Fun with Math and Science

It’s known as the “Superbowl of Smarts.” As the nickname suggests, this competition involves more than brainpower. High school students competing in the 2006 FIRST Robotics Championship (FRC) had to build robots capable of scoring goals through the air and on the ground – when they were not avoiding potential collisions.

FIRST means “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” The competition was founded by successful inventor Dean Kamen to encourage young people to find the fun and adventure in math and science education.

It’s one of those competitions where everyone wins, even if they just take on the challenge of building a basic robot. For example, in 2006 FIRST handed out $8 million in college scholarships along with tournament trophies at the tournament finals in Atlanta, Georgia. The champions had to work hard for their victory, however. They built robots that could toss balls through hoops and guide balls into goals on the ground, with the ability to “see” their way around obstacles.

One of the winners this year wasn’t a robot or in high school. It was UTC, which won the Founder’s Award for sponsoring FRC events for eight years and providing $2.5 million in funding. On top of that, UTC employees have volunteered an average of 27,000 hours annually to mentor and inspire 24 FRC teams in seven U.S. states and Canada.

Accepting the award on behalf of UTC was Doug Shidler, vice president of Black Hawk helicopter programs at Sikorsky. In his remarks to the student competitors, he made it clear why UTC supports FIRST: “What is most important to UTC is you, the students, because you are the future scientists, technologists and engineers.”

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