Pittsburgh FIRST news

FRC Kickoff Information

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:54:52 -0500

Details on the FRC Events page.

Looking for 'FIRST Families'

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:42:43 -0500

As part of our PR outreach efforts for 2010 for all programs…we are searching for ‘FIRST families’… to contact.

If you know of a family where FIRST is an important part of the fiber of their life…maybe a 'robo Mom' (or Dad), maybe several siblings/cousins in one program, maybe there are generations involved in FIRST, maybe the older brothers and sisters started and FLL or JrFLL team, maybe a family has one child in each program, maybe all the adults are mentors…..

Please send along your information to:

marketing@usfirst.org

And please include:
- Name of the family (or person):
- Contact info: (whichever you suggest is best for us to use)
    - Phone Number
    - Email
    - Website/photo page/Facebook etc if they have one

One or two sentences about how this family is ‘really, really’ involved in FIRST:

Thanks for your assistance with this ongoing media story angle for FIRST.

JCPenny Broadcast

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:47:15 -0500

JCPenney will be conducting a broadcast on Monday, Jan. 11 from 11am-12pm CST. JCPenney has asked all store/district managers to extend invitations to team coach/mentors to come to the stores to view the broadcast with them. The broadcast will simply introduce JCP stores/districts to FIRST and present them with an overview of the upcoming season and their role with local teams. The training will follow closely the newly-developed FIRST playbook which contains introduction videos by Dean and Mike Ullman, the CEO and Chairman of JCP as well as basic information on FIRST and FIRST Programs..

What JCPenny asks of team coach/mentors is to attend if at all possible and following this broadcast discuss volunteer opportunities with the store/district managers and provide the latter with some ideas as to how they and their store associates can most effectively support their local teams. General ideas will be provided via the broadcast, but since each team’s needs are unique, we know that the coaches will be most helpful in pinpointing specific ways in which associates can get to know the kids on the teams and help support them in the upcoming season.

Kickoff Winter Weather Contingency Plan

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:52:22 -0500

From Patricia DePra:

Here is our Kickoff snow plan -- just in case the snow/ice doesn't magically disappear at 6 AM Saturday (when the Winter Weather Advisory / Allegheny Co. is supposed to end). While I'd really love to have everyone there, I also want everyone to be safe. And I also know that Pittsburgh's weather is very quirky in that one part of town can be nasty and the other can be fine... and then there's Erie and WV --

SO - please use your own best judgment for Saturday morning. If you will be delayed more than 30 minutes, or if you will not be able to attend, CALL ME. or text me. ** (412) 512-4302 **

If you cannot attend, you can view the NASA broadcast (live, 10 AM - 11:30 AM) on any computer with a high speed internet connection. Here is the link that you will need to view the broadcast: http://robotics.nasa.gov/

From Robin Shoop: Norm and I will be here regardless and so mentors can pick up their kits on Saturday morning even if we don’t have kids, or they can pick them up all day on Monday because I will be here.
Thank you Robin!

Kits which are not picked up on Saturday will be kept secure until Monday, when they can be picked up at NREC. [Note: This year there is a slightly different procedure - the blue tote must be opened in the presence of a witness, and both must sign the receipt that the items specified were present.] Please also be in contact regarding the possibility of rescheduling the talks, or of scheduling specific training needed.

Please note, too, that we cannot give a KOP to someone who is not authorized from that team without a "surrogate letter". For special situations, please contact me.

Thank you!
Patricia

Mentor Consultancy Program

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:46:37 -0500

Our Chairman of Team Development and Support, David Dujmic, is launching a new program that aims to make sure teams can have access to the mentorship they need. He would like to invite mentors and professionals to sign up to be available over webconference or similar if any of the area teams require help in an area they are knowledgable in. Read more about the program, or contact David to get involved.

15% Discount for Teams at Fastenal

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:56:58 -0500

Fastenal has graciously offered teams a 15% discount off their order. Teams can contact
Mike Cuttingham (Fastenal Sales Rep) @ 1-412-443-8975 with their team number
to get the discount. This flier has more details.

Regional Schedule Released

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:38:10 -0500

Download the schedule (pdf).

2010 Pittsburgh FIRST Regional Event

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:17:27 -0500

Announcing the Pittsburgh Regional FIRST Robotics Competition
Friday March 12 - Saturday March 13, 2010
Petersen Events Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus
Opening ceremonies: 11:10AM on Friday 3/12 and 8:15AM on Saturday 3/13
Robotics Workshops: 9AM-4PM, both Friday and Saturday
All events are free and open to the public.

On March 12-13, over 625 high school students in 31 FIRST Robotics teams will compete in BREAKAWAY, the 2010 FIRST original game using 120-lb robots they constructed and programmed in just 6 weeks.

Our ten local teams (listed below) will be joined by teams from across the state as well as those from Ohio, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Canada.

This year’s game, BREAKAWAY, presents unique challenges that have posed some real learning opportunities for students as they designed, programmed, and built their robots to navigate around the field and over steep humps, "kick" a ball into a goal beneath a target that is detected by the robot, and even to hang from an elevated bar.

Speakers at the opening ceremonies will include John Bares, Director of the National Robotics Engineering Center, on Friday, and Audrey Russo, CEO and President of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, on Saturday.

What’s unique about FIRST robotics competitions? For the final rounds, three teams form an alliance to compete against an alliance of three other teams. So, while competition is fierce, teams are watching out for each other, too. Teams help each other do their own personal best, and even help fix each other’s robots when things go wrong. During the game, the focus is on achieving goals while keeping each other’s robots together. FIRST has new terms to help describe this: “Gracious Professionalism” and “Coopertition” (see http://usfirst.org/aboutus/content.aspx?id=36). Winning teams qualify to compete in the world championship in Atlanta (April 15-17).

In addition to the excitement of the competition, the Petersen Events Center Lobby will showcase great demos and hands-on robotics activities.

Robotics workshops will include two working robots that students can drive, plus a
“Please Touch Museum” for elementary, middle, and high school students to learn about many parts (such as pistons, motors and switches) used to build robots. Created and run by The Firebirds, an all-girls robotics team from Flourtown, PA, the workshops will run from 9AM-4PM on both Fri & Sat.

Data Science Automation is sponsoring and running “5th Gear”, an interactive computer simulation of the same BREAKAWAY game that’s being played by the robots in the arena. Sounds cool? Give it a shot! Lockheed-Martin developed the software, and is providing tools to be awarded as prizes for this tournament.

Wonder what it’s like to ride a Segway? Segway of Western PA will have a demo for people to ride.

Interested in joining or starting a FIRST robotics team at your school? Many enthusiastic team members, leaders, mentors, and volunteers will be on hand and happy to talk with you. Just ask any of the 100 or so folks wearing a “FIRST Volunteer” shirt.

The Pittsburgh Regional competition will be streamed live at the Pittsburgh FIRST Web site, www.pittsburghfirst.org, and the Steel City Robotics Alliance, www.steelcityrobotics.org.

Please pass along this info to anyone, especially those with school-aged children who might be interested in seeing some robots up-close-and-personal!

About FIRST and FRC

FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization devoted to helping young people discover and develop a passion for science, engineering, technology, and math.

Dubbed a “varsity sport for the mind,” the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program a robot to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. It’s as close to “real world” engineering that a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team.

“…It’s like life. There's never enough information. Never enough time. There's always competition and you need a strategy. We’ve created a microcosm of the real engineering experience.” -- Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor

High-school students get to:
- Learn from professional engineers
- Build and compete with a robot of their own design
- Learn and use sophisticated hardware and software
- Be exposed to design, project management, programming, teamwork, strategic thinking, and Coopertition(TM)
- Earn a place in the Championship
- Qualify for close to $10 million in college scholarships

“FIRST isn’t about robots, it’s about developing life skills. The partnership between academia, community and industry…will build future employees and future citizens.”
-- Steve Sanghi, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Microchip Technology Inc. and Member of FIRST Board of Directors

Supported by a strong network of sponsors and volunteers, participants win recognition, gain self-confidence, develop people and life skills, make new friends, and perhaps discover an unforeseen career path.

"To create a world where science and technology are celebrated…where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes." -- Dean Kamen, Founder

For more information on FIRST, please visit www.usfirst.org, or www.pittsburghfirst.org.

Pittsburgh region's ten local teams:

Team 117 Allderdice High School
Team 1708 McKeesport Area High School and Technology Center
Team 1743 City Charter High School
Team 2051 A.W. Beattie Career Center
Team 2279 Butler County Area Vo-Tech School
Team 2618 Shady Side Academy
Team 2641 Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School
Team 2656 Gateway High School
Team 3062 St. Joseph High School (Natrona Heights)
Team 3260 Sarah Heinz House

Pittsburgh Regional FIRST Robotics Competition
Schedule

Friday, March 12, 2010
8:00 AM: Practice Matches
11:10 AM: Opening Ceremonies
11:30 AM: Competition Begins
5:15 PM: Awards Ceremony

Saturday, March 13, 2010
8:15 AM: Opening Ceremonies
8:45 AM: Competition Resumes
12:00 PM: Alliance Selections
1:15 PM: Finals Tournament
4:30 PM: Awards Ceremony

See more event details

Pittsburgh Regional event flier

Workshop Flier

Pittsburgh Regional Info updated

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:54:42 -0500

The information on the 2010 Pittsburgh Regional event page has been updated, including info on load-in procedure and additional opportunities that will be available at the regional.

Submit feedback on the 2010 Pittsburgh FIRST Regional

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:38:10 -0400

2010 Regional Press Release

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:02:40 -0500

A press release is available for the 2010 Pittsburgh FIRST Regional Competition.

Pittsburgh Regional webcast

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:53:56 -0500

The regional webcast will be live starting shortly after 7:30am on Friday, March 12. Thanks to the teams that made this possible.

Regional Webcast archives posted

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:35:39 -0400

Video archives of the 2010 FIRST Pittsburgh Regional have been posted in the Media Gallery.

2010 FRC Regional Photos Posted

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:42:57 -0400

Photos from the 2010 Pittsburgh FIRST Robotics Competition have been posted in the gallery.