For Inspiration And Recognition Of Science And Technology First

TO INSPIRE YOUTH TO BECOME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERS AND INNOVATORS.

THE FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION (FRC) DIRECTLY SERVED APPROXIMATELY 70,800 YOUTHS ON 3,220 TEAMS. WORKING WITH MENTORS, EACH TEAM BUILDS A ROBOT FROM A KIT OF COMMON PARTS, DESIGNING IT TO MEET THIS YEAR'S GAME CHALLENGE "RAPID REACT." EACH TEAM PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE 2 TO 3-DAY EVENTS AT 177 LOCATIONS, COMPETING FOR AWARDS FOR GAME SCORES, SAFETY PRACTICES, TEAMWORK AND OTHER QUALITATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS, STRESSING THE VALUES OF COOPERATION AND INCLUSION. AWARD WINNING TEAMS PARTICIPATED IN AN ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN HOUSTON, TX. THE FRC PROGRAM PROVIDED STUDENTS WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF APPLYING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC CHALLENGE UNDER A TIME CONSTRAINT. (NARRATIVE CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O, PG. 114).THIS EXPERIENCE DEVELOPED STUDENTS' TECHNICAL SKILLS, TEAMWORK, AND THE ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THE SATISFACTIONS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS OF A REAL ENGINEERING PROJECT. PARTICIPATION IN FRC HAS INSPIRED MANY STUDENTS TO GO ON TO COLLEGE, PURSUING CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH. MANY FRC COACHES AND MENTORS WORK IN THESE FIELDS AND HELP THE STUDENTS DEVELOP BONDS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CONNECTIONS TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE. STUDENTS IN THE FRC PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE FIRST SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

THE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE (FLL), FOR WHICH THERE ARE THREE DIVISIONS, DISCOVER, EXPLORE AND CHALLENGE, REACHED APPROXIMATELY 303,300 STUDENTS AGED 9-16, ON 41,873 TEAMS IN 89 COUNTRIES. THE YEAR'S CHALLENGE WAS CALLED "CARGO CONNECT." TEAMS WORKED ON CORE VALUES, ROBOT DESIGN, AN INNOVATION PROJECT, AND A ROBOT GAME USING EITHER LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 OR LEGO EDUCATION SPIKE PRIME TECHNOLOGY, APPLYING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TO FIND WAYS TO MEET THE YEAR'S CHALLENGE. IN ADDITION TO PARTICIPATING IN LOCAL EVENTS, TEAMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD MET IN HOUSTON, TX IN APRIL 2022 FOR THE FLL WORLD FESTIVAL COMPETITION AND CELEBRATION. (NARRATIVE CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O, PG. 114).PARTICIPATION IN FLL DISCOVER, EXPLORE AND CHALLENGE HAS ENGAGED STUDENTS IN A COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO ADDRESS SERIOUS ISSUES, ENHANCING THEIR EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND MATH, AND EXPOSING THEM TO A STEM CAREER. BY PROGRESSING THROUGH EACH PROGRAM AND ULTIMATELY TO FRC, STUDENTS GAIN A FULL SUITE OF TECHNICAL SKILLS AND ONGOING ENCOURAGEMENT, MAKING IT MORE LIKELY THAT THEY WILL PURSUE CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH.

THE FIRST TECH CHALLENGE (FTC) SERVED APPROXIMATELY 64,500 YOUTHS FROM AGES 12-18 ON 6,450 TEAMS. LIKE THE FRC PROGRAM, FTC IS A DESIGN AND BUILD EXPERIENCE, BUT USES A SMALLER KIT AND LESS COMPLICATED GAME CHALLENGE. IN THIS YEAR'S GAME, "FREIGHT FRENZY," EACH TEAM BUILT A ROBOT AND PARTICIPATED IN LOCAL EVENTS. FTC PROVIDES AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT OF THE FRC PROGRAM BUT IS MORE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO A BROADER AUDIENCE OF EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS, IN PART BECAUSE OF ITS LOWER COST. THE FTC EXPERIENCE SIMULATES THE EXCITEMENT AS WELL AS THE PRESSURE OF A REAL-LIFE ENGINEERING PROJECT, DEVELOPING NOT ONLY THE STUDENTS' TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW, BUT ALSO LEADERSHIP, COOPERATION, ABILITY TO PLAN, PATIENCE, AND TEAMWORK. (NARRATIVE CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O, PG. 115).LIKE THE FRC PROGRAM, FTC ENRICHES THE PARTICIPATING STUDENTS' ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THE SATISFACTIONS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS OF A REAL ENGINEERING PROJECT. THE FTC EXPERIENCE EXPANDS STUDENTS' INTEREST IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH, AND INSPIRES MANY TO GO ON TO A HIGHER EDUCATION. LIKE THE FRC PARTICIPANTS, STUDENTS IN THE FTC PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE FIRST SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. BY PROGRESSING THROUGH EACH PROGRAM AND ULTIMATELY FRC, STUDENTS GAIN A FULL SUITE OF TECHNICAL SKILLS AND ONGOING ENCOURAGEMENT, MAKING IT MORE LIKELY THAT THEY WILL PURSUE CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.