The Orange County FIRST Robotics Competition Regional, held February 26- March 1, 2025, was an exciting event filled with innovation, teamwork, and recognition of outstanding achievements! The exciting event featured 47 teams and 1,400+ students from California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Hawaii.
Alongside the thrilling competition, several key highlights made the event even more special:
- Special Visit: We were honored to welcome Kathy Looman from the Haas Foundation, a strong supporter of STEM education and FIRST.
- The Steve Stark Scholarship was awarded to Samuel P from Team 5199, recognizing their dedication and impact.
- Gracious Professionalism Recognition: Teams embodied the spirit of FIRST, with multiple GP pins awarded for outstanding sportsmanship, generosity and cooperation.
From intense matches to inspiring moments, the Orange County Regional was a true celebration of STEM, teamwork, and innovation. Thank you to all teams, mentors, volunteers, and sponsors for making this event a success!
Thank you to Joe Duncan for capturing these great moments!
Feel free to download and share any of these photos. You can tag FIRST California at @firstroboticscalifornia on Instagram and use hashtags #FIRSTinCA, #morethanrobots, #omgrobots, #REEFSCAPE and #FIRSTDIVE.
LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!
The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the San Diego Regional and earned their way to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston, April 16-19, 2025.
FIRST Impact Award
The FIRST Impact Award is the most prestigious award at FIRST, it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.
The FIRST Impact Award is presented to the team judged to have the most significant measurable impact of its partnerships among its participants and community over a sustained period, not just a single build season. The winner is able to demonstrate progress towards FIRST’s mission of transforming our culture. The recipient team will be invited to a FIRST Championship where it will compete for the FIRST Impact Award against winners from other qualifying events.
This team goes into their com; finding a space like gears in a working system. Each member is an integral part of this team’s mission to their communities, focusing on their impact on underrepresented students and those with disabilities. With their ability to spread addictive manufacturing to everyone they can.
- Team 3473, Team Sprocket from Diamond Bar, CA
Engineering Inspiration
The Engineering Inspiration Award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school or organization, and community. Inspiring others to respect science and technology requires passion, knowledge and commitment, and we recognize these qualities through this award. This team will advance to the Championships.
Supporting each team with passion and pride. Guiding young minds with knowledge and care. In a purple den, their passion runs deep, Lifting up others so dreams take a leap. They weave bright futures in The Loom they share, With vision and heard, they light the way, Inspiring the future – starting today!
- Team 8033, Highlander Robotics from Piedmont, CA
Regional Winners Qualifying for Championship
Dean’s List Finalist
In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of FIRST’s most outstanding FRC students, the Kamen family sponsors an award for selected top students known as the FIRST Dean’s List. This award celebrates a student’s outstanding leadership and effectiveness in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as their community. FIRST Dean’s List Finalists will compete at the championship for the FIRST Dean’s List.
- Jacob Q, from Team 7157, μBotics
- Lehka A, from Team 5199, Robot Dolphins from Outer Space
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
FIRST stands apart from other competitions in STEM and sports due to the FIRST Ethos of Gracious Professionalism, the concept of Coopertition, and the commitment to the FIRST Core Values. The guiding force behind these principles was Dr. Woodie Flowers. Dr. William Murphy, Jr., who was instrumental in creating the concept of FIRST with Dean Kamen, recognized the unique perspective, wisdom, and communication style that Woodie brought to the FIRST Robotics Competition.
In honor of Woodie, Dr. Murphy founded the Woodie Flowers Award in 1996. He recognized that the FIRST ethos would be carried forward by our FIRST mentors and sought to celebrate those mentors who demonstrate the leadership, ethical behavior, and communication skills exemplified by Woodie. Woodie believed “societies get the best of what they celebrate”.
Being recognized by students, through nomination essays, makes this honor very meaningful to mentors. It is truly an honor for a mentor to be nominated for this award.
This team’s mentor is described as passionate, empowering, compassionate, and ‘wise beyond years.’ For the last 15 years, this mentor could often be found working with FLL, FTC, and FRC teams has been instrumental or the organization of many FIRST events. He embodies the idea that FIRST is ‘so much more than just robots—it’s about the people, the lessons, and the journey’.
Please join us in congratulating the 2025 Orange County Regional Woodie Flowers FINALIST Award winner, Cody Eves, from Team 5199, The Robot Dolphins from Outer Space.
Additional Awards
Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the Orange County Regional! See the list here.