Campbell University will host the top young engineers from 32 North Carolina high schools at the annual FIRST Robotics Competition this weekend at Gore Arena. This will be the second consecutive year Campbell has hosted the event where students and their mentors demonstrate their skill for science, mathematics and technology after six intense weeks of designing and building original robots.
More than 800 students will gather in Buies Creek for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics state competition, with the top team(s) vying for a spot at the world championships to be held April 19-22 in Houston.
“We in the Campbell School of Engineering are delighted to have this event here on our campus,” said Jenna Carpenter, founding dean of Campbell newest school, which launched last fall. “FIRST provides the opportunity for high school students to work on real, complex engineering design projects. It is a great preparation for pursuing an engineering degree in college.”
Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, who introduced the IBOT Mobility System and the Segway Human Transporter, FIRST was created to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and their communities.
Students this weekend will compete for honors and recognition that reward design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship and high-impact partnerships between schools, businesses and communities.
“This program is transforming lives and communities,” said Marie Hopper, President of FIRST North Carolina, adding, “Showing parents and students the enormous potential for well-paying jobs and meaningful careers is creating a ripple effect that will go far into the future.”
This season, participating FIRST students are eligible to apply for more than $50 million in scholarships being made available by nearly 200 scholarship providers.
Over a six-week timeframe, students work with professional engineering mentors to design a robot that solves a problem using a Kit of Parts and a standard set of rules. Once these young inventors create the robot, their teams participate in two district events that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.
FIRST North Carolina sponsors and volunteers come from some of the most highly regarded organizations in the state, including Qualcomm, TE Connectivity, Duke Energy, Cisco and United Technologies Aerospace Systems. Sponsors provide resources including time and talent from professional mentors, services, equipment financial contributions and volunteers.
More information: www.firstnorthcarolina.org, www.firstinspires.org