The San Francisco FIRST Robotics Competition Regional, held at St. Ignatius High School, was a fantastic event! The venue buzzed with excitement and welcomed VIPs including Patti and Eric Poppe from PG&E/DreamMaker Foundation, Matt Hayes, VP of Safety at PG&E, and Senator Scott Weiner. Their presence underscored the importance of community and corporate support in nurturing the next generation of engineers and scientists.

PG&E was very involved in the event with a screening of their “Unlock the Future” social impact film about FIRST Team Project 212, providing safety glasses and discussing internship opportunities at their booth. 

At the mentor luncheon, Eric Schoenman of PG&E shared mentorship insights and at the Women in STEM event, Norma Grubb, PG&E Director of Data Science, provided a dynamic forum for encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM fields.

We’d like to extend an immense THANK YOU to all the sponsors, mentors and volunteers who contributed to this very successful Regional.

AWARDS

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.

• Team 1700, Gatorbotics from Palo Alto, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)

This team creates an expanding curriculum for youth STEM education, spearheads engineering programs at their school, and bridges communities across the peninsula and the world. With a robust commitment to supporting Women in STEM, they leverage their position in their community to ensure strong fundamentals in their pond. This team gears up local underserved communities making truly accessible programs for all. Leaving their shallow waters, they’re spreading their STEM curriculum across oceans to help alleviate poverty and empower women. These green chompers are unstoppable.

Engineering Inspiration

The Engineering Inspiration Award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.  This team will advance to the Championships and receive a $5000 NASA grant toward registration.

• Team 2854, The Prototypes from San Jose, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)

This team stood out for their ability to measure the results of their outreach programs. In addition to mentoring or assisting over 40 FIRST teams, they targeted female representation through SWE Next and girls clubs. As a result their team went from just 2 girls to over 20 in a year. This team really puts their ideas to the test.

Regional Winners

• Team 114, Eaglestrike from Los Altos, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)
• Team 5940, BREAD from Redwood City, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)
• Team 5507, Robotic Eagles from San Francisco, CA (Championship Qualifying Award – wildcard)

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.

• Sophia D from Team 6962, Antares
• Mikayla M from Team 4186, Alameda Aztechs

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.

• Alexis Tuason from Team 6418, The Missfits

Additional Awards

Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the San Francisco Regional! See the list here.

The 2023 San Francisco Regional is in the books! Congratulations to all 42 teams that participated in the San Francisco FIRST Robotics Regional Competition from March 16-19, 2023! 

Putting a working robot on the field is a feat in and of itself! A big thank you to all of the mentors, volunteers, and sponsors that helped make this regional a favorite of so many participants. Your work is appreciated.

SFR began with an inspiring set of remarks by California State Senator Scott Wiener (CA SD-11). The Senator then watched the opening match and visited with teams in their pits. Later that day, SFR would award its 2023 Woodie Flowers Finalist Award to Jenny Stevens of team 9143. Additionally, long time CA FIRST volunteer Laura Hall was named SFR Volunteer of the Year.

Despite the rain on our final day, the teams came in ready for action. After a quick end to qualification matches, our top eight ranked teams picked their alliances, and an exciting playoff round commenced. The final best-of-three series was played between the second seeded alliance (teams 971, 972, and 8016) and the fourth seeded alliance (teams 1351. 115, and 9143), with the former taking the crown as the winner of the 2023 San Francisco Regional. After an exciting final set of matches, SFR announced the winners of the FIRST Impact Award (Team 115), Engineering Inspiration Award (Team 1700), and the Rookie All Star award (Team 9038).

LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!

The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the San Francisco Regional and earned their way to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston, April 19-22, 2023

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.

• Team is 115, MVRT from Cupertino, CA

Engineering Inspiration

The Engineering Inspiration Award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.  This team will advance to the Championships and receive a $5000 NASA grant toward registration.

• Team 1700, Gatorbotics from Palo Alto, CA

Regional Winners

• Team 971, Spartan Robotics from Mountain View, CA
• Team 972, Iron Claw from Los Gatos, CA
• Team 8016, Eco Robotics from Rohnert Park, CA

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.

• Cameron Nguyen from Team 649, MSET Fish
• Priyanka Karunakaran from Team 2854, Prototypes

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.

• Jenny Stevens from Team 9143, Armor Robotics

Additional Awards

Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the San Francisco Regional! See the list here.

Congratulations to the 41 Teams PLUS all the Mentors, Volunteers, Sponsors, Friends and Family members who participated in the San Francisco FIRST Robotics Regional Competition from March 17-20, 2022.

TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!

The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the San Francisco Regional and earned their way to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston, April 20-23, 2022.

Regional Chairman’s

The Chairman’s Award represents the true spirit of FIRST.  It honors the team that best serves as a model for other teams to emulate and that embodies the goals of FIRST.  It remains FIRST’s most prestigious team award.  The Chairman’s Award is presented to the team judged to have the most significant measurable impact of its partnerships among its participants, school, and community over a sustained period, not just a single build season or school year. The winner is able to demonstrate progress towards FIRST’s mission of transforming our culture.  The recipient will be invited to the FIRST Championship where it will compete for the Chairman’s Award against the winners from all the other qualifying events.

• Team 649, MSET Fish from Saratoga, CA

Engineering Inspiration

The Engineering Inspiration Award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.  This team will advance to the Championships and receive a $5000 NASA grant toward registration.

• Team 8159, Goldern Horn from Istanbul, Turkey 

Regional Winners

• Team 604, Quixilver from San Jose, CA
• Team 846, The Funky Monkeys from San Jose, CA

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.

• Druthi Palle from Team 649
• Bruno Zomignani Perciani from Team 7563

Woodie Flowers

• Rafael Capovila from Team 7563

Additional Awards

Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the San Francisco Regional! See the list here.

Support

An immense THANK YOU to all the sponsors, mentors and volunteers who contributed to this very successful Regional.

We hope you too had a memorable experience at the San Francisco Regional!