ABOUT THE FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION
FIRST Robotics Competition | SBPLI-LI FIRST Long Island Regional
Schedule of Events | Participating High Schools | Sponsors | Award Winners
FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION
The FIRST Robotics Competition is a national program that challenges teams of students and their mentors to design and build a 130 pound robot in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in a series of robotics competitions designed by Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers. The International Competition has grown to more than 1,303 teams competing in 37 Regional Events, including Israel and Brazil.
FIRST redefines winning for these students. Based upon developing team workskills, teams are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.
For more information, visit the FIRST web site (www.usfirst.org).
SBPLI, Inc. LONG ISLAND FIRST REGIONAL
School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) was founded in 1984 by Fred Breithut with the goal of developing partnerships between local high schools and businesses that would provide students with practical experience and curriculum development, while helping the business community develop its future workforce. Over 100 partnerships have been formed. In 1999, SBPLI brought the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition to Long Island, in which eight high school teams participated. Since then, the Long Island Regional FIRST Robotics Competition has grown to 50 teams competing each year. SBPLI also hosts Long Island’s annual FIRST LEGO League Qualifying and Championship Tournaments and the Junior FIRST LEGO League Expo, in which approximately 1,000 elementary and middle school students from Nassau and Suffolk Counties take part each year. For more information, visit www.sbpli.org.
On April 5-6, 2013, over 10,000 spectators gathered at Hofstra University in Hempstead to watch over 50 teams of high school students compete at the Long Island Regional robotics competition to earn a spot at the FIRST USA Championship to be held April 24-27, 2013 in St. Louis. Several teams received honors and recognition that reward design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship and high-impact partnerships between schools, business and communities.
See the results of the 2013 LI Regional FIRST Robotics Competition