California teams shine bright at FIRST Championship 2024

The FIRST Championship 2024 in Houston was a spectacular event that brought together approximately 50,000 people from around the globe, uniting over 1,000 student robotics teams from 58 countries. This remarkable gathering highlighted the culmination of the 2023-2024 robotics season, showcasing the innovative spirit and technical prowess of young engineers.

California Teams on the Global Stage

Among the standout achievements, several California teams made their mark with exceptional performances across various competitions. We are especially proud to celebrate California FTC Team 11212 being part of the winning alliance for the FIRST Tech Challenge, three California FRC teams—Team 254, Team 1323, and Team 294—making it to the finalist alliance in the FIRST Robotics Competition, and our two Dean’s List winners, Alisha Ali and Hannah Rehard! Here’s a recap of our California teams’ impressive accomplishments:

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)

• Championship Finalist Alliance: Congratulations to Team 254, Team 1323, and Team 294 for their stellar performance, securing the finalist alliance position.
• Dean’s List Winner: Kudos to Alisha Ali from Team 4414 for her outstanding contributions and earning the prestigious Dean’s List award.
• Championship Division Winners:
  • Archimedes: Team 1678
  • Milstein: Team 604
  • Newton: Team 254, Team 1323, Team 294
• Autonomous Award:
  • Archimedes: Team 1678
  • Milstein: Team 604
• Team Sustainability Award:
  • Johnson: Team 2429
  • Milstein: Team 2073
• Rookie Inspire Award:
  • Daly: Team 9400
• Team Spirit Award:
  • Daly: Team 1700
• Quality Award:
  • Galileo: Team 971
• Industrial Design Award:
  • Newton: Team 1323
• Excellence in Engineering:
  • Newton: Team 254

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)

• Championship Winning Alliance: The Clueless, Team 11212 from San Diego, took home the championship winning alliance title.
• Inspire Award Finalist: The Clueless, Team 11212, also secured the Inspire Award finalist position.
• Dean’s List Winner: Congratulations to Hannah Rehard from Team 14295, Operation T.A.C., for her remarkable achievements.
• Think Award:
  • Edison Division: Team 14496, Roboctopi
  • Ochoa: Team 11770, Curiosity
• Inspire Award:
  • Franklin Division: Team 11212, The Clueless

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge

• Motivate Award Winner: Code Breakers from Arcadia
• Core Values Finalist: LeXT Eat Yo Vegetables from Aroga Hills
• Innovate Project Award Finalist: Chronobots

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Explore

• Core Values Award: Team 24123, Starburst Engineers

A huge shout out to all 81 California FIRST teams who competed! Your hard work, creativity, and dedication truly shone through.

Looking Ahead: FIRST DIVE 2024-2025 Season

As the 2023-2024 season concluded, FIRST previewed its ocean-themed 2024-2025 season, FIRST DIVE presented by Qualcomm. The upcoming season promises to inspire students to explore beneath the surface and learn from our planet’s most complex ecosystems.

Registration is now open!

“Qualcomm has supported FIRST for the last two decades because we know passion for invention starts at a young age, and today we have many FIRST alumni driving innovation at our company,” said Angela Baker, vice president and chief sustainability officer of Qualcomm Incorporated. “As a company of inventors, Qualcomm is committed to nurturing the next generation of diverse innovators and technologists. Here at FIRST Championship, we have been excited to see the creative ways students designed and built robots to solve this season’s challenge.”

Join the Journey

FIRST Championship 2024 was a testament to the incredible talent and dedication of young minds passionate about STEM. The achievements of California teams and the broader community of participants are a source of immense pride and inspiration.

For those interested in joining the FIRST community, whether as a participant, mentor, volunteer or sponsor, now is the perfect time. Together, we can continue to drive innovation, foster creativity, and build a brighter future through the power of STEM.

Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we embark on the next exciting chapter with the FIRST DIVE 2024-2025 season. Let’s dive into new adventures and make waves in the world of robotics!

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Congratulations once again to all the teams and individuals who made the 2024 FIRST Championship an unforgettable experience. Your hard work and determination have set a new standard of excellence in the world of robotics.