Kudos to the 48 teams, along with their mentors, volunteers, sponsors, friends, and family members from across California, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Hawaii, Singapore, The Netherlands and China for their outstanding participation in the Ventura County Regional of the FIRST Robotics Competition, held from March 7-10, 2024.

A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to all the sponsors, mentors, and volunteers who played a crucial role in making this Regional a tremendous success.

We trust that your time at the Ventura County Regional was truly unforgettable!

LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!

The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the Ventura County Regional and earned their way to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston, April 17-20, 2024.

FIRST Impact Award

The FIRST Impact 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 FIRST Impact 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 FIRST Impact Award against the winners from all the other qualifying events.

• Team 8, Paly Robotics from Palo Alto, CA

This team exhibits steam with creative strategies and art in the mind’s eye. Persistence and passion for others ensures this team’s impact story is a page-turner. Close your eyes and imagine mapping the environment to ability and beyond!

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 589, Falcon Robotics from La Crescenta, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)

These birds of prey SOARED to success to include everyone playing a part. This team migrated from a tank drive to a swerve drive this year. Their successful Engineering Expo was inspirational and brought communities together.

Regional Winners

• Team 4414, High Tide from Ventura, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)
• Team 4481, Rembrandts from the Netherlands (Championship Qualifying Award)
• Team 4276, Surf City Vikings from Huntington Beach, CA (Championship Qualifying Award – wildcard)
• Team 3863, Pantherbotics from Newbury Park, CA

Rookie All Star

• Team 9421, Carmel Robotics from Hong Kong, China (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.

• Ethan L with Team 589, Falcon Robotics
• Daniela S with Team 687, The Nerd Herd

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.

• Paul Booth from Team 4817, One Degree North

Volunteer of the Year

 The Volunteer of the Year Award celebrates the dedication and service of truly outstanding volunteers. The phenomenal success of the FIRST Robotics Competition is a reflection of the commitment and enthusiasm displayed by our volunteers. We are truly humbled by the passion and commitment of our volunteers.

• Ken Foulks
  

Additional Awards

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

Congratulations to the 46 Teams PLUS all the Mentors, Volunteers, Sponsors, Friends and Family members from all over California, Hawai, Idaho, Nevada, the Netherlands, Mexico and Chinese Taipei who participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition Ventura County Regional from March 9-12, 2023.

Week 2 at the Ventura County Regional was full of excitement! Weather was upon us so we had leaks in the roof and a flooded pit (no damage to the robot or equipment), but nothing can keep FIRST students from competition.

The bar was high from Week 1, but this week did not disappoint.  High Tide, Team 4414, raced to the front with Hawaiian Kids, Team 359 on their heels.  They formed two alliances and ended head to head in the finals with Alliance #1 coming out ahead.  But, several wildcards were now available, so both the first and second alliance are headed to Worlds in Houston.  Team 1836, The Miliken Knights, Team 5274, Wolverines, and rookie team 9084, Octobots are on their way to Houston.

The Rembrandts, Team 4481 from The Netherlands won the Impact Award and students from Team 599, Robodocs and Team 4481, Team Rembrandts won the FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Awards.

The Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Angel Zamarron, the STEM Outreach Director from the Navy command, NAVAIR from Pt Mugu, and the Regional Inspiration Award was awarded to Team 1138, Eagle Engineering.

Kathy Looman from the Gene Haas Foundation was our guest speaker along with several speakers from the Naval commands.

We’d like to extend 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 Ventura County Regional!

We’ve capture some of those great moments from the Regional for you. Feel free to find your team and download pics in the gallery below and tag @firstroboticscalifornia on Instagram is you share them.

LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!

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

FIRST Impact Award

The FIRST Impact 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 FIRST Impact 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 FIRST Impact Award against the winners from all the other qualifying events.

• Team 4481, Team Rembrandts from Eindhoven, Netherlands

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 1138, Eagle Engineering from West Hills, CA

Regional Winners

• Team 4414, High Tide from Ventura, CA
• Team 4481, Team Rembrandts from Eindhoven, Netherlands
• Team 4, Team 4 Element from Van Nuys, CA

Regional Finalists

• Team 9084, Octobots from Goleta, CA (wildcard)
• Team 5274, Wolverines from Sacramento, CA (wildcard)
• Team 1836, MilkenKnights from Los Angeles, CA (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.

• Merle Leurs from Team 4481, Team Rembrandts
• Angel Eunisse Yanga from Team 599, The Robodox

Woodie Flowers Finalist Award

• Stephen des Jardins from Team 2102, Team Paradox

Additional Awards

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

Congratulations to the 44 Teams PLUS all the Mentors, Volunteers, Sponsors, Friends and Family members who participated in the Ventura County FIRST Robotics Regional Competition from March 9-12, 2022.

TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!

The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the Ventura County 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 359, Hawaiian Kids from Waialua, HI

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 3256, WarriorBorgs from San Jose

Regional Winners

• Team 4414, HighTide from Ventura
• Team 359, Hawaiian Kids from Waialua, HI
• Team 5089, Robo-Nerds from Los Angeles (wildcard)

Regional Finalists

• Team 2135, Presentation Invasion from San Jose (wildcard)
• Team 3512, Spartatroniks from Orcutt (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.

• Mason Kramer from Team 2637
• Sara Milesi from Team 3925

Woodie Flowers Finalist Award

• Lori Kahn from Team 2813

Additional Awards

Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the Venura County 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 Ventura County Regional!