FIRST Robotics Kicks Off 2003 Competition
Hundreds of students, teachers, mentors and sponsors will gather at the Novi Expo Center in Novi, MI. on January 4, 2003, for the official kick off of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics 2003 National Competition. Teams in different regions across the country will attend similar kick off events where they receive details of the 2003 robotic challenge and their kit of parts for building the robot.
Teams compete in regional competitions around the country and in Canada. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Regional Competition for FIRST, will take place March 20-22 at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI.
Qualifiers at Regional Competitions will advance to the 2003 National Championship event, which is scheduled to take place April 10-12, 2003 at Reliant Park-- a state of the art, high-tech domed stadium in Houston, Texas.
FIRST was formed to encourage young people to explore careers in science and technology. Using a competition format similar to sporting events, students learn about the fun and excitement that be found in a technical career.
FIRST is not about winning or losing, or even building the best robot. It's about bringing together people with different backgrounds and working together to succeed as a team.
Each year, more than 20,000 high school boys and girls have their education enhanced by the program. In 2003, FIRST will grow to more than 800 teams engaging in one or more competitions across the U.S. and Canada.
