More than 18,000 students from around the globe traveled to St. Louis, Mo., to put their engineering skills to the test at the annual FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship.

The four-day event came down to a heart-pounding conclusion Saturday night in front of a roaring crowd of more than 40,000 when four teams from League City, Texas, and Davis, Clovis, and Palmdale, California of the Newton Subdivision won the coveted FIRST® Robotics Competition Championship Winning Alliance.

In all, over 18,000 students, ages 6 to 18, participated in the Championship events. Among the participants, many U.S. and international FIRST student robotics teams earned honors for design excellence, competitive play, research, business plans, website design, teamwork, and partnerships.

In St. Louis, more than 900 teams from 40 countries competed in the four FIRST programs: FIRST® LEGO® League; FIRST® Tech Challenge; and FIRST® Robotics Competition. In addition to the high-energy robotics matches, 60 teams of 6 to 9-year-olds participated in the Junior FIRST® LEGO® League World Festival Expo.


Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. 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. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org. 

The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of RoboticsTomorrow

Featured Product

Knight Optical - Unlocking Precision for the Robotics and Automation Revolution

In the era of Industry 4.0, automation and machine learning drive the future. Knight Optical stands at the forefront, collaborating globally to supply precision optical components that power the robotics and automation sector. From UAVs, drones, and robotics to machine vision, LiDAR-driven car sensors, and renewable energy, our optics empower innovation. Optical components play an important role within the industry, including: Optical windows and domes safeguard systems in unmanned vehicles while preserving the field of view for cameras. Infrared lenses with aspheric surfaces elevate thermal imaging. Optical filters excel in machine vision, with colour glass, interference, and dichroic filters in our stock. Knight Optical provides stock components and custom solutions made to your exact specs. With every component undergoing rigorous metrology and QA checks before shipment, you are sure to experience true precision, innovation, and assurance.

More Products

Feature Your Product