FIRST Robotics Buckeye Regional Returns to Cleveland

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Mar 21, 2022, 10:56 ET

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty teams of high school students from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York will square off March 24 through 26 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center in the FIRST Robotics Buckeye Regional competition. The Buckeye Regional is supported by NASA's Glenn Research Center.

Media attending the competition should stop by the media table located on the first floor to pick up a badge for access to the playing field.

NASA-sponsored students work on their robots during the 2019 competition at the Wolstein Center. Credit: NASA

Glenn engineer Calvin Robinson (center) mentors a group of students from the Parma City School District during the 2019 competition at the Wolstein Center. Credit: NASA

Practice matches will be held on Thursday, March 24, from noon to 6:30 p.m. Competitions take place Friday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tournament is free and open to the public. To watch live online, visit twitch.tv/firstinspires1 or twitch.tv/firstinspires2.

Students have been working with their mentors for six weeks to design a robot using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules. At the regional competition, teams will compete in a new robotics game, RAPID REACT, inspired by the future of high-speed transportation. Top teams will earn a spot to compete in the international FIRST Championships in April.

Glenn's Office of STEM Engagement recently awarded grants totaling $25 thousand to nine Ohio teams:

Team 6355, Patriots, Erie County community team
Team 6181, Cryptic Cyborgs, Northwest State Community College
Team 128, Botcats, Grandview Heights High School
Team 8243, AstroCircuits, John Marshall School of Information Technology
Team 8222, Davis A&M Robotics, Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School
Team 8140, RoboManiacs, MC2 STEM High School
Team 6916, Iron Thunder, North Woods Career Prep
Team 4085, Technical Difficulties, Reynoldsburg High School
Team 3324, The Metrobots, Metro Early College High School

Dozens of Glenn employees and contractors serve as mentors and volunteers, including a team of engineers and technicians who run a machine shop to replace and repair robot parts.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18.

SOURCE NASA