PRESS ROOM & NEWS

FIRST Hosts Global Virtual Event to Recognize Robotics Community Achievements From the FIRST RISE, powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, Season

Viewers from Around the World Look Back at 2019-20 Season, Cheer on Student Innovation, Robotics Team COVID-19 Solutions, During the FIRST Virtual Showcase presented by Qualcomm

FIRST Announces Return of Disney and Lucasfilm as Sponsor of 2020-21 Season With FIRST® GAME CHANGERSSM That Will Celebrate the Evolution of Sports
 

MANCHESTER, NH, May 2, 2020 – On May 2, 2020, thousands of FIRST® students, parents, mentors, coaches, volunteers, and community members from all over the world tuned in to FIRSTtv to watch the FIRST Virtual Showcase presented by Qualcomm. The FIRST Virtual Showcase served as an online gathering for the FIRST community to recognize achievements of FIRST teams, mentors, and volunteers from the FIRST® RISESM, powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, season. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and with the health and safety of its community top of mind, FIRST suspended its 2019-20 competition season in March and canceled its international FIRST Championship events.

Larry Cohen, president of FIRST, addressed the FIRST community during the broadcast about these difficult times: “We've been challenged in ways we never imagined, exploring what it truly means to be creative problem solvers and innovators. We will come out of this stronger than ever before thanks to all of you and your dedication to the FIRST Core Values,” he said. “The global pandemic stopped our season, but the mission of FIRST continues — our community will make sure of that. The past weeks have demonstrated that you are all innovators who can impact your communities and change the world… and that FIRST really is more than robots.”

This season, 645,000 students participated on more than 77,400 FIRST teams in 110+ countries this season.  

During the FIRST Virtual Showcase, many members of the FIRST community were honored:

  • The FIRST Community was the recipient of the Founder’s Award. This award is presented each year by FIRST founder Dean Kamen, typically to one organization or individual for exceptional service in advancing the ideals and mission of FIRST. This year, Kamen honored the FIRST Community for their many innovative contributions to the “extremely challenging and life-altering science problem” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Woodie Flowers Award was founded by Dr. William P. Murphy Jr. and named in honor of the late Dr. Woodie Flowers to recognize an outstanding engineer or teacher who best demonstrates teaching excellence in science, math, and creative design. It was awarded to Lucien Junkin, mentor for FIRST® Robotics Competition Team 118, Robonauts, from Houston, Texas.
  • The Volunteer of the Year Award was awarded to event volunteers for each FIRST program: Sarah Plemmons from Orlando, Fla., and Laurie Shimizu from Minneapolis, Minn. (FIRST Robotics Competition); Phil Malone from McHenry, Md., and Kevin Thorp from North Charleston, S.C. (FIRST® Tech Challenge); Desh Bagley from Riverview, Fla., and Sam Last from Cary, N.C. (FIRST® LEGO® League); Brian Boyer from Chichester, N.H., and Cindy Nader from Milford, Mich. (FIRST® LEGO® League Jr.)
  • The Compass Award for excellence in coaching/mentoring FIRST Tech Challenge was awarded to Dr. Richard “Dick” Gilson. He was nominated for this award by Team 7477, Super 7, from Oviedo, Fla.

The following student and team award winners were announced during the 2020 FIRST Virtual Showcase:

Dean’s List Award – This award celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary.

From FIRST Robotics Competition:

  • Anastasia Cook, Team 7435, CYBERTRONICS, Saint Charles, Mo.
  • Ashley Farrell, Team 6821, Rogue Techs, San Bernardino, Calif.
  • Tim Gubski, Team 7799, Phat Cache, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Shiv Kampani, Team 7539, Elev8, Mumbai, India
  • Kyna McGill, Team 624, CRyptonite, Katy, Texas
  • Madalyn Nguyen, Team 1622, Team Spyder, Poway, Calif.
  • Jack O’Leary, Team 1086, Blue Cheese, Glen Allen, Va.
  • Jose Ramirez, Team 2383, Ninjineers, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
  • Tiffany Toh, Team 1540, Flaming Chickens, Portland, Ore.
  • Jasmine Zhang, Team 3061, Huskie Robotics, Naperville, Ill.  

From FIRST Tech Challenge:

  • Laura Blacksher, Team 8651, Wait For It…, Brandon, Miss. 
  • Nathan Bosse, Team 6088, I-Bots, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
  • Garrek Chan, Team 15146, GarageBot, Solana Beach, Calif.
  • Maria Cortez, Team 11009, McHi Robodogs, McAllen, Texas
  • Gianna Deucher, Team 7105, SWIFT Intergalactic Space Squirrels, Vass, N.C.
  • Yavid Garcia, Team 11337, Robonauts, Compton, Calif.
  • Andrew Kinneer, Team 10435, Circuit Breakers, Waukee, Iowa
  • Sophie Maniscalco, Team 7547, JoeBotics, St. Louis, Mo.
  • Alonso Manzueta, Team 9773, Robocracy, Chappaqua, N.Y.
  • Brianna Williams, Team 11529, Navajo Code Writers, Saint Michaels, Ariz.

FIRST® Robotics Competition Awards– FIRST Robotics Competition combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fundraise, design a brand, exercise teamwork, and build and program robots to compete in an exciting game that includes autonomous and driver-operated periods. The 2020 game, INFINITE RECHARGESM, challenged two alliances to work to protect FIRST City from approaching asteroids caused by a distant space skirmish. Each alliance, along with their trusty droids, raced to overcome obstacles and collect renewable power cells to charge their city’s shield generator and switch it on.

The Chairman’s Award – This award is the highest honor given during the FIRST Robotics Competition season, recognizing the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. During the FIRST Virtual Showcase, Chairman’s Award-winning teams from competition events that took place before the season was suspended were honored:

  • Team 4265, Secret City Wildbots, Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Arkansas Regional)
  • Team 6014, ARC, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Bosphorus Regional)
  • Team 3008, Team Magma, Honolulu, Hawaii (Canadian Pacific Regional)
  • Team 1885, ILITE Robotics, Haymarket, Va. (Chesapeake District Bethesda, Md. Event)
  • Team 1111, Power Hawks Robotics, Edgewater, Md. (Chesapeake District Haymarket, Va. Event)
  • Team 1086, Blue Cheese, Glen Allen, Va. (Chesapeake District Richmond, Va. Event)
  • Team 1622, Team Spyder, Poway, Calif. (Del Mar Regional)
  • Team 3990, Tech for Kids, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Festival de Robotique a Sherbrooke Regional)
  • Team 1023, Bedford Express, Temperance, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Jackson Event)
  • Team 2337, EngiNERDs, Grand Blanc, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Kettering University Event #1)
  • Team 503, Frog Force, Novi, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Kettering University Event #2)
  • Team 3875, Red Storm Robotics, Kentwood, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Kingsford Event)
  • Team 1718, The Fighting Pi, Armada, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Macomb Community College Event)
  • Team 66, Grizzly Robotics, Ypsilanti, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Milford Event)
  • Team 1481, The Riveters, Farmington, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Southfield Event)
  • Team 4855, Ramageddon, South Haven, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District St. Joseph Event)
  • Team 3618, Petoskey Paladins, Petoskey, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Traverse City Event)
  • Team 5427, Steel Talons, Katy, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Channelview Event)
  • Team 1164, Project NEO, Las Cruces, N.M. (FIRST in Texas District Del Rio Event)
  • Team 1477, Texas Torque, Conroe, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Dripping Springs Event)
  • Team 2468, Team Appreciate, Austin, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Greenville Event)
  • Team 5431, Titan Robotics, Plano, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Plano Event)
  • Team 1403, Cougar Robotics, Skillman, N.J. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Hatboro-Horsham Event)
  • Team 3737, Roto Raptors, Goldsboro, N.C. (FIRST North Carolina District UNC Pembroke Event)
  • Team 4828, RoboEagles, Raleigh, N.C. (FIRST North Carolina District Wake County Event)
  • Team 1792, Round Table Robotics, Oak Creek, Wis. (Great Northern Regional)
  • Team 3284, Camdenton LASER, Camdenton, Mo. (Greater Kansas City Regional)
  • Team 1741, Red Alert, Greenwood, Ind. (FIRST Indiana District Bloomington Event)
  • Team 2212, The Spikes, Lod, HaMerkaz, Israel (FIRST Israel District Event #1)
  • Team 5951, Makers Assemble, Tel Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel (FIRST Israel District Event #2)
  • Team 6025, Adroit Androids, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Istanbul Regional)
  • Team 2526, Crimson Robotics, Osseo, Minn. (Lake Superior Regional)
  • Team 2429, La Canada Engineering Club, La Canada Flintridge, Calif. (Los Angeles North Regional)
  • Team 4400, PENOLES - CERBOTICS, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico (Los Angeles Regional)
  • Team 1511, Rolling Thunder, Penfield, N.Y. (Miami Valley Regional)
  • Team 4191, IMC, Kocaeli, Kocaeli, Turkey (Midwest Regional)
  • Team 467, The Colonials, Shrewsbury, Mass. (New England District Granite State Event)
  • Team 6328, Mechanical Advantage, Littleton, Mass. (New England District Northern Conn. Event)
  • Team 2168, Aluminum Falcons, Groton, Conn. (New England District SE Mass. Event)
  • Team 3654, TechTigers, Middletown, Conn. (New England District Waterbury Event)
  • Team 2202, BEAST Robotics, Brookfield, Wis. (Northern Lights Regional)
  • Team 4039, MakeShift Robotics, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Durham College Event)
  • Team 865, WARP7, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Georgian College Event)
  • Team 3683, Team DAVE, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Humber College Event)
  • Team 3824, HVA RoHAWKtics, Knoxville, Tenn. (Palmetto Regional)
  • Team 2974, Walton Robotics, Marietta, Ga. (Peachtree District Dalton Event)
  • Team 1648, G3 Robotics, Atlanta, Ga. (Peachtree District Gainesville Event)
  • Team 6831, A-05 Annex, Hood River, Ore. (Pacific Northwest District Clackamas Academy Event)
  • Team 4131, Iron Patriots, Renton, Wash. (Pacific Northwest District Glacier Peak Event)
  • Team 4125, Confidential, Umatilla, Ore. (Pacific Northwest District West Valley Event)
  • Team 3478, PrepaTec – LamBot, San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico (Regional Monterrey)
  • Team 3374, Jackson Hole RoboBroncs, Jackson, Wyo. (Utah Regional)

The following Chairman’s Award-winning teams from suspended competition events were honored:

  • Team 3925, Circuit of Life, Ventura, Calif. (Aerospace Valley Regional)
  • Team 6352, LAUNCH TEAM, Surprise, Ariz. (Arizona North Regional)
  • Team 4146, Sabercats, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Arizona West Regional)
  • Team 3616, Team Phenomena, Lafayette, La. (Bayou Regional)
  • Team 6909, SAKURA Tempesta, Chiba, Chiba, Japan (Beijing Cultural Exchange Event #1)
  • Team 6304, EAGLE, Zhenijang, Jiangsu, China (Beijing Cultural Exchange Event #2)
  • Team 931, Perpetual Chaos, St. Louis, Mo. (Buckeye Regional)
  • Team 7277, Mandela United Squadron, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Canadian Rockies Regional)
  • Team 2341, Sprockets, Shawnee, Okla. (Central Illinois Regional)
  • Team 5437, Rocky Balboabots, Booneville, Ark. (Central Missouri Regional)
  • Team 3794, Tecmilenio WinT, Metepec, Mexico, Mexico (Central New York Regional)
  • Team 254, The Cheesy Poofs, San Jose, Calif. (Central Valley Regional)
  • Team 422, Mech Tech Dragons, Richmond, Va. (Chesapeake District Blacksburg, Va. Event)
  • Team 4541, CAV-ineers, Severn, Md. (Chesapeake District Edgewater, Md. Event)
  • Team 1629, Garrett Coalition (GaCo), Accident, Md. (Chesapeake District Owings Mills, Md. Event)
  • Team 2068, Metal Jackets, Manassas, Va. (Chesapeake District Portsmouth, Va. Event)
  • Team 4944, The Hi Fives, Grand Junction, Colo. (Colorado Regional)
  • Team 6823, USM Robotics – Wildcats, Milwaukee, Wis. (Festival de Robotique a Montreal Regional)
  • Team 107, Team R.O.B.O.T.I.C.S., Holland, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Alpena Event #1)
  • Team 3536, Electro Eagles, Hartland, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Alpena Event #2)
  • Team 3641, The Flying Toasters, South Lyon, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Belleville Event)
  • Team 201, The FEDS, Rochester, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Center Line Event)
  • Team 2960, Automation Nation, Birmingham, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Detroit Event)
  • Team 2771, Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs, Grandville, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District East Kentwood Event)
  • Team 3617, Cold Logic, Marquette, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Escanaba Event)
  • Team 141, WOBOT, Holland, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan Ferris State Event)
  • Team 4381, Twisted Devils, Richland, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Gull Lake Event)
  • Team 4327, Q Brand, Battle Creek, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Lakeview Event)
  • Team 1684, The Chimera, Lapeer, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Lansing Event)
  • Team 4776, S.C.O.T.S. Bots, Howell, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Lincoln Event)
  • Team 548, Robostangs, Northville, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Livonia Event)
  • Team 1322, Genesee Robotics Area Youth Team (GRAYT), Fenton, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Marysville Event)
  • Team 5216, E-Ville Empire, Essexville, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Midland Event)
  • Team 2405, Techno Trojans, Fruitport, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Muskegon Event)
  • Team 2959, Robotarians, Coloma, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Shepherd Event)
  • Team 226, Hammerheads, Troy, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Troy Event)
  • Team 5980, East Grand Rapid Robotics, Grand Rapids, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District West Michigan Event)
  • Team 862, Lightning Robotics, Canton, Mich. (FIRST in Michigan District Woodhaven Event)
  • Team 1156, Under Control, Novo Hamurgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Finger Lakes Regional Event)
  • Team 3310, Black Hawk Robotics, Heath, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Amarillo Event)
  • Team 6800, ViperBots Valor, Austin, Texas, (FIRST in Texas District Austin Event)
  • Team 4192, Flower Mound Tech Club Jaguar Robotics, Flower Mound, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Dallas Event)
  • Team 4063, TriKzR4Kidz, Del Rio, Texas (FIRST in Texas District El Paso Event)
  • Team 2583, RoboWarries, Austin, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Fort Worth Event)
  • Team 3847, Spectrum -△◅, Houston, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Houston Event)
  • Team 7621, Iron Rangers, Spring Branch, Texas (FIRST in Texas District New Braunfels Event)
  • Team 5414, Pearadox, Pearland, Texas (FIRST in Texas District Pasadena Event)
  • Team 272, Cyber-Crusaders, Lansdale, Pa. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Bensalem Event)
  • Team 1923, The MidKnight Inventors, Plainsboro, N.J. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Bridgewater-Raritan Event)
  • Team 293, SPIKE, Pennington, N.J. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Montgomery Event)
  • Team 1676, The Pascack PI-oneers, Montvale, N.J. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Mount Olive Event)
  • Team 3637, The Daleks, Flemington, N.J. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Robbinsville Event)
  • Team 433, Firebirds, Flourtown. Pa. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Seneca Event)
  • Team 1640, Sab-BOT-age, Downingtown, Pa. (FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Event)
  • Team 2642, Pitt Pirates, Greenville, N.C. (FIRST North Carolina District ECU Event)
  • Team 6004, f(x) Robotics, Smithfield, N.C. (FIRST North Carolina District Guilford County Event)
  • Team 5854, GLITCH, Asheville, N.C. (FIRST North Carolina District UNC Asheville Event)
  • Team 5740, Trojanators, Cranberry Township, Pa. (Greater Pittsburgh Regional)
  • Team 6424, Stealth Panther Robotics, Knob Noster, Mo. (Green Country Regional)
  • Team 2438, ‘lobotics, Honolulu, Hawaii (Hawaii Regional)
  • Team 2220, Blue Twilight, Eagan, Minn. (Heartland Regional)
  • Team 5943, The Bad News Gears, Carmel, N.Y. (Hudson Valley Regional)
  • Team 3309, Friarbots, Anaheim, Calif. (Idaho Regional)
  • Team 234, Cyber Blue, Indianapolis, Ind. (FIRST Indiana District Columbus Event)
  • Team 2197, Las Pumas, New Carlisle, Ind. (FIRST Indiana District Perry Meridian Event)
  • Team 135, Penn Robotics, Mishawaka, Ind. (FIRST Indiana District St. Joseph Event)
  • Team 5837, Unity4Tech, Waterloo, Iowa (Iowa Regional Event)
  • Team 2096, RoboActive, Dimona, HaDarom, Israel (FIRST Israel District Event #3)
  • Team 3211, The Y Team, Yeruham, HaDarom, Israel (FIRST Israel District Event #4)
  • Team 2486, CocoNuts, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Las Vegas Regional)
  • Team 4013, Clockwork Mania, Orlando, Fla. (Memphis Regional)
  • Team 3792, The Army Ants, Columbia, Mo. (Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional)
  • Team 2500, Herobotics, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota North Star Regional)
  • Team 1671, Buchanan Bird Brains, Clovis, Calif. (Monterey Bay Regional)
  • Team 2877, LigerBots, Newton, Mass. (New England District Greater Boston Event)
  • Team 558, Elm City Robo Squad, New Haven, Conn. (New England District Hartford Event)
  • Team 125, Nutrons, Boston, Mass. (New England District North Shore Event)
  • Team 4041, Iron Tigers, Gardiner, Maine (New England District Pine Tree Event)
  • Team 4905, Andromeda One, Ayer, Mass. (New England District Southern N.H. Event)
  • Team 195, CyberKnights, Southington, Conn. (New England District Western NE Event)
  • Team 1100, The T-Hawks, Northboro, Mass. (New England District WPI Event)
  • Team 2601, Steel Hawks, Flushing, N.Y. (New York City Regional)
  • Team 3044, Team 0xBE4, Ballston Spa, N.Y. (New York Tech Valley Regional)
  • Team 2723, Team Rocket, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oklahoma Regional)
  • Team 1305, Ice Cubed, North Bay, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Carleton University Event)
  • Team 1334, Red Devils, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District McMaster University Event)
  • Team 4476, W.A.F.F.L.E.S., Kingston, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District North Bay Event)
  • Team 2056, OP Robotics, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Ryerson University Event)
  • Team 771, SWAT, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District University of Waterloo Event)
  • Team 4814, WE MARS Incubator, London, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District Western University Engineering Event)
  • Team 772, Sabre Bytes Robotics, LaSalle, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District York University Event)
  • Team 1360, Orbit Robotics, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Ontario District York University Event)
  • Team 5810, X-Bots Robotics, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. (Orange County Regional)
  • Team 180, S.P.A.M., Stuart, Fla. (Orlando Regional)
  • Team 1002, The CircuitRunners, Marietta, Ga. (Peachtree District Albany Event)
  • Team 4910, East Cobb Robotics 4910, Marietta, Ga. (Peachtree District Carrollton Event)
  • Team 4188, Columbus Space Program, Columbus, Ga. (Peachtree District Columbus Event)
  • Team 1318, Issaquah Robotics Society, Issaquah, Wash. (Pacific Northwest District Auburn Event)
  • Team 2980, The Whidbey Island Wild Cats, Oak Harbor, Wash. (Pacific Northwest District Auburn Mountainview Event)
  • Team 488, Team XBot, Seattle, Wash. (Pacific Northwest District Bellingham Event)
  • Team 2635, Lake Monsters, Lake Oswego, Ore. (Pacific Northwest District Oregon State Fairgrounds Event)
  • Team 2557, SOTAbots, Tacoma, Wash. (Pacific Northwest District SunDome Event)
  • Team 568, Nerds of the North, Anchorage, Alaska (Pacific Northwest District Wilsonville Event)
  • Team 6606, Tecmilenio PINK HAWKS, Metepec, Mexico, Mexico (Laguna Regional)
  • Team 5816, Gra-V Robotics, Orlando, Fla. (Rocket City Regional)
  • Team 1197, TorBots, Torrance, Calif. (Sacramento Regional)
  • Team 498, The Cobra Commanders, Glendale, Ariz. (San Diego Regional)
  • Team 4904, Bot-Provoking, San Mateo, Calif. (San Francisco Regional)
  • Team 2638, Rebel Robotics, Great Neck, N.Y. (SBPLI Long Island Regional #1)
  • Team 2869, Regal Eagles, Bethpage, N.Y. (SBPLI Long Island Regional #2)
  • Team 4253, Raid Zero, Taipei, Taipei, Chinese Taipei (Science Park Taichung Regional)
  • Team 2451, PWNAGE, Saint Charles, Ill. (Seven Rivers Regional)
  • Team 604, Quixilver, San Jose, Calif. (Silicon Valley Regional)
  • Team 1466, Webb Robotics, Knoxville, Tenn. (Smoky Mountains Regional)
  • Team 2383, Ninjineers, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (South Florida Regional)
  • Team 4613, Barker Robotics, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (South Pacific Regional)
  • Team 5985, Project Bucephalus, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Southern Cross Regional)
  • Team 1678, Citrus Circuits, Davis, Calif. (St. Louis Regional)
  • Team 2584, Flame of the West, Calabasas, Calif. (Ventura Regional)
  • Team 1306, BadgerBOTS, Middleton, Wisc. (Wisconsin Regional)

FIRST® Tech Challenge Awards – FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams build robots from a reusable kit of parts, develop strategies, document their progress, and compete head to head. In the 2019-20 game, SKYSTONESM presented by Qualcomm, humans and droid allies worked together to create a structure that pushed into the skies to represent their alliance. As part of the mission, teams overcame obstacles that stand in the path to build a superstructure of the future, topping it off with a final capstone to symbolize their reach into the sky.

FIRST Tech Challenge sponsors during the 2019-20 season include Season Presenting Sponsor Qualcomm, Official Program Sponsor Collins Aerospace, and Official 3D Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Sponsor PTC.

The Promote Award - The FIRST Tech Challenge Promote Award is given to the team that is most successful in creating a compelling video message for the public designed to change culture and celebrate STEM. This year, teams submitted a one-minute long public service announcement (PSA) video based on the PSA subject “How has FIRST changed you?” Teams honored during the broadcast were:

  • Second runner up: Team 365, MOE (The Miracle Workerz), Wilmington, Del.
  • First runner up: Team 3939, Bolts of Steel, University, Fla.
  • Winner: Team 17009, Steel Magnolias, Riverdale, N.J.

FIRST® LEGO® League Awards– FIRST LEGO League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by inviting them to conduct research projects and build LEGO-based autonomous robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. FIRST LEGO League teams, guided by their imaginations, discover exciting career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society. This season, CITY SHAPERSM challenged teams to identify a problem with a building or public space in their community and design a solution.

Global Innovation Award Semi-Finalists – This year, Disney has teamed up with FIRST to inspire and celebrate the next generation of innovators who will change the future through the FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award. During the showcase, 20 semi-finalist teams were announced. During a virtual ceremony on June 27 at 11 a.m. ET, one team will receive the 10th Annual FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award and $20,000 to further their invention.

The 20 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award Semi-Finalist teams are:

  • 8 To Automate, Dublin, Ohio (REST: Roof Evaluating Strain Tool)
  • Absolute Zero, Martinsville, Va. (The Wheel2Ski) 
  • Aldeatrón Robotix, Canary Islands, Spain (E=Wall) 
  • Astro Jelly Dogs Woodbine, Md. (Grow Homes)
  • The Conyngham Code Crackers, Brobots, Sugarloaf, Pa. (The Conyngham Catcher)
  • Electric Eagles, Emek Hefe, Israel (Great Leg Lock)
  • The Fidgety Pokémon, Phoenix, Ariz. (The Dust Collar)
  • THE F.O.U.R., Clinton, Wis. (Rodent Repelling Housewrap)
  • Golden Pandas, Westfield, Ind. (Sporalizer)
  • The Greenscapers, Canton, Mich. (The Greenscaper)
  • Hældagerskolen, Kolding, Denmark (The IllumiLegInator)
  • Hardhat Hackers, Portland, Ore. (Biometric Hardhats for Construction Site Safety)
  • North 40, Oakland, Md. (Bird Buddies Window Spray)
  • QuickBots, Dayton, Ohio (Polar Play)
  • Rebel Robotics, Norfolk, Neb. (The SafeStep)
  • The Ruling Robot Falcons, Newport News, Va. (The Bee Byway)
  • SESI Biotech, Barra Bonita, Sao Paulo, Brazil (ECOPAVI – (Cold-applied ecological asphalt sealant))
  • TITANS L.J., Goiânia, Brazil (Sustainable Solvent Liquid (SSL))
  • Wizarding 8, Fuquay Varina, N.C. (The VOICE (Verbal Operational Inclusion Communication and Equity) Board)
  • X-LANDERS 10.0, Kruisland, The Netherlands (The Mudmaster)

Learn more about the semi-finalist teams and their inventions.

Also this season, FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. teams participated in BOOMTOWN BUILDSM, helping to imagine and create a building that solves a problem and makes life easier, happier, or more connected for the people that use it. FIRST LEGO League Jr. introduces children ages 6 to 9 to the exciting world of science and technology through a real-world challenge, to be explored through research, critical thinking, and imagination.

LEGO Education is a founding partner of FIRST LEGO League Jr. and FIRST LEGO League. FIRST LEGO League Jr. receives global support from LEGO Education. FIRST LEGO League is delivered annually through the support of global sponsors, and this year, John Deere joined 3M, NI, Rockwell Automation and LEGO Education.

During the broadcast, FIRST announced the upcoming 2020-21 season, which will be sponsored by Disney and Lucasfilm for the second year in a row. During this first glimpse, FIRST unveiled a season reveal video for FIRST® GAME CHANGERSSM, powered by Star Wars: Force for Change. More details about the season and each FIRST program game will be announced later this year.

Watch the archived FIRST Virtual Showcase on the FIRST YouTube channel..

2020 FIRST Championship Sponsors

Qualcomm is the 2020 FIRST Championship Presenting Sponsor.

2020 FIRST Championship Lead Sponsors include: Google Inc. and Magna International Inc.

2020 FIRST Championship Event Sponsors include: ABB; The Abbott Fund; Bechtel Corporation; Collins Aerospace, Delta Air Lines; Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau; DoDSTEM; Dow; DTE Energy; FCA Foundation; FedEx; Ford Motor Company; Houston First; Kettering University; Keysight Technologies; Lockheed Martin Corporation; National Instruments; Nokia Bell Labs; Phillips 66; PlayStation; Pratt & Whitney; PwC; Raytheon Technologies; Rockwell Automation; Science Channel; Sony Corporation; TE Connectivity; Two Sigma; the U.S. Air Force; and Waymo

2020 FIRST Championship Key Sponsors include: ARMI | BiofabUSA; Autodesk; BAE Systems; BOSCH; Gene Haas Foundation; Mouser Electronics; United Therapeutics Corporation; and Walt Disney Imagineering

Other 2020 FIRST Championship Supporters include: Hilton; J.R. Automation; and S&P Global Foundation

Leading up to the FIRST Virtual Showcase, FIRST asked its community members to share how they have been a Force for Change this season and reflect upon their favorite moments. On the FIRST RISE Rewind page, there are thousands of social media posts from teams sharing their achievements, contributions, and fond memories. Many teams highlighted their efforts to help and protect others during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 3D-printing thousands of pieces of PPE to using their robot to deliver groceries to people within their community. In an open letter to its community, FIRST commended teams for coming together virtually and exemplifying that the skills and values they learned through FIRST programs have prepared them to innovate right now – and long into the future.

Save the date! The 2021 FIRST Championship is scheduled to be held in Houston April 21-24 and Detroit April 28-May 1*. FIRST Championship is the world’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for students.

* As of now, FIRST is planning for FIRST Championship 2021 but will continue to evaluate and will adjust as needed to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. 

Updated on September 8, 2020​: The 2021 FIRST Championship has been rescheduled to be held in Houston in mid-July 2021 and Detroit in early August 2021 . Hosted by global nonprofit FIRST, FIRST Championship is a culminating event for our youth robotics competition season and an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for our community as we prepare young people for the future.

As always, we’re keeping the safety and wellbeing of our community as our top priority and will continue to evaluate the scale and viability of FIRST Championship events in the months ahead.  As a result, we may need to make further adjustments to FIRST Championship, including adjusting invitation and attendance criteria to allow for event scaling. Read more about the 2021 FIRST Championship.
 

About FIRST® 
FIRST® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. An international not-for-profit organization founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Boosted by a global support system of mentors, coaches, volunteers, alumni, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, and build robots, then compete and celebrate at local, regional, and international events. High school students are eligible for more than $80 million in college scholarships. Learn more at firstinspires.org.