FIRST Tech Challenge - Scheduled for Feb 21

 

After hosting the regional FIRST LEGO League tournament for middle school aged children in grades 4-8 for several years, the Seidenberg School has repositioned itself to host the Hudson Valley FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) event for high school students.

 

In this program, teams design, build and program robots employing sound engineering principles using the LEGO Mindstorms NXT system. Each year the challenge is new, but the base robot set can be reused and reconfigured endlessly. This year’s challenge is a game called HotShot! Teams typically compete in one or more regional tournaments, and the best teams are invited to the world championship held in Atlanta in April of each year.

 

The FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – organization was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, an entrepreneur and inventor who is best-known for inventing the Segway Scooter. The organization was established “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership” with the hope that they will be motivated to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

 

FTC is the newest and fastest-growing FIRST tournament. Last year, more than 1,000 teams participated nationwide. Participation is expected to be even greater this year.

 

Students participating in FTC are highly sought after by many colleges and universities because of the knowledge and technical and collaborative skills acquired as an FTC team member. Numerous scholarship opportunities are available, including one offered by Pace for students interested in studying computing in the Seidenberg School.

 

If you would like to help out on February 21, please contact either Bernice Houle, associate dean at bhoule@pace.edu or Richard Kline, associate dean, at rkline@pace.edu.

 

For additional information regarding FIRST, FTC, and scholarship opportunities, visit:
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/
http://seidenberg.pace.edu/FIRST/