San Diego Regional, presented by Qualcomm – 2024

San Diego Regional, presented by Qualcomm – 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Blog, San Diego

The 18th Annual San Diego FIRST Robotics Competition presented by Qualcomm from March 21-24, 2024 once again proved to be a show stopper! This year’s competition welcomed 51 teams and over 1,500 students from high schools in San Diego, other California cities, Hawaii and Azerbaijan.

We were particularly fortunate to have FIRST CEO, Chris Moore, attend our event, offering an extraordinary chance for students, mentors, and alumni to engage directly with a pivotal leader in STEM education. 

Opening ceremonies on Saturday were highlighted by words from Qualcomm’s SVP & CIO, Cisco Sanchez who unveiled the $10,000 Qualcomm Innovation Grant, which was ultimately awarded to Rookie Team 9452, LHS Steel Stingers.

We also had the honor of presenting four distinguished proclamations, marking March 23, 2024, as a day of celebration across both the state and county for STEAM and STEM achievements. These proclamations recognized California STEAM Robotics Day, California Women in STEM Day, County of San Diego STEAM Robotics Day, and County of San Diego Women in STEM Day, highlighting the collective dedication to advancing STEM education and acknowledging the hard work of students and professionals in these fields. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to California Assemblymembers Brian Maienschein and Akilah Weber, San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson, and the SASA of California for their help in securing these honors.

In addition to the excitement of the competition, we also hosted additional engagement events:

  • Mentor Breakfast – mentor networking and a meet and greet with FIRST CEO, Chris Moore.
  • Women in STEM “Table Talks” – networking opportunities with STEM professionals from organizations like Qualcomm, General Atomics, Becton Dickinson, NIWC-Pacific, TYLin and the Society of Women Engineers. 
  • Alumni Event – alumni and FIRST seniors had a chance to network with and hear from Chris Moore, a Talent Representative from Qualcomm and NIWC-Pacific employee and FIRST Alumni.
  • Elementary School Field Trips – on Friday, in coordination with Team Nomad, 135 elementary school students took a field trip to the Regional to watch matches and go on a scavenger hunt through the pits.

New this year, we also honored our FIRST For All fellowship graduates and our Very Involved Person nominees.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all competing teams for their relentless effort and commendable achievements throughout the event. We are immensely proud of you.

Our deepest gratitude goes to the volunteers, mentors, and sponsors whose contributions were pivotal to the competition’s success. Your ongoing support and commitment are deeply valued. 

Gallery 1: Tom Lafleur
Gallery 2: Greg Quirin

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.

    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 2485, W.A.R Lords from San Diego, CA

      Regional Winners

      • Team 359, Hawaiian Kids from Waialua, HI (Championship Qualifying Award)
      • Team 3647, Millennium Falcons from San Diego, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)
      • Team 8891, Wild Raccoons from Oceanside, CA (Championship Qualifying Award – wildcard)

      Dean’s List Finalists

      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.

       

      • Noah S – Team 3749, Team Optix
      • Julia S – Team 3341, Option 16

      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 who 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.

         

        •  David Okana – Team 2543, TitanBot

           

          Rookie All-Star Award

          The Rookie All-Star Award celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as implementing the mission of FIRST to inspire students to learn more about science and technology.

          • Team 9452, LHS Steel Stingers from San Diego, CA (Championship Qualifying Award – wildcard)

           

          Volunteer of the Year

          The Rookie All-Star Award celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as implementing the mission of FIRST to inspire students to learn more about science and technology.

          • Chris Low

          Additional Awards

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

           

          Orange County Regional – 2024

          Orange County Regional – 2024

          by | Apr 9, 2024 | Blog, Orange County

          This year’s Orange County Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, held at the OC Fair & Event Center, was a great success! With 48 teams participating, the weekend went smoothly, despite a messy, rainy final day of competition.

          Marie Castelo, of longtime regional sponsor Parker Aerospace, kicked off the first day of competition with an inspiring welcome during Opening Ceremonies. That evening, the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award was presented to Jacob Poole, mentor for team 589, and the Volunteer of the Year was presented to longtime volunteers and members of the Regional Planning Committee, Marge Brannon and Kris Ponmalai.

          On the final day, new regional sponsor Altair’s Keshav Sundareth welcomed everyone, sharing ideas about how teams can make use of Altair’s software, as well as some well-received “dad jokes!”

          The playoffs were highly competitive, with well-matched alliances delivering thrilling matches, and a very excited team 8033 Highlander Robotrics received the FIRST Impact Award, making for an exciting end to a great Orange County Regional!

           

          2024 Photo Gallery

          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 8033, Highlander Robotics from Piedmont, CA

          Tackling community challenges head-on with innovative STEM solutions, this team rallies together from far and wide. They identified community needs-designing, soldering, and changing lives. Using their coding chops to support the FIRST community, they should feel proud to carry the banner of their purple lion mascot.

            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.

             

            This team runs STEM-focused summer programs, hosts FLL tournaments, showcases a high excellence in engineering design, and has established strong connections within its local community and sponsor network. Their presence was felt every corner at this event, helping whoever they could. This ORANGE team has truly cracked the CODE to fulfilling FIRST’s mission.

            Regional Winners

            • Team 7153, μBotics from Brea, CA  (Championship Qualifying Award)
            • Team 3476, Code Orange from Irvine, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)
            • Team 5285, Sea Kings Robotics from Palos Verde Estates, 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.

            • Ciel D – Team 5924, Golden Gate Robotics
            • Vaughn K – Team 8033, Highlander Robotics

            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.

            •  Jacob Poole – Team 589, Falkon Robotics

            Additional Awards

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

             

            Los Angeles Regional – 2024

            Los Angeles Regional – 2024

            by | Apr 9, 2024 | Blog, Los Angeles

            This year’s Los Angeles Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, held at Da Vinci High School in El Segundo, was a great success! The event was at full capacity with 44 teams participating.

            On Friday, team 4201 Vitruvian Bots held a panel on Careers in STEAM, sponsored by LA Regional sponsor RTX. Students and mentors gathered to hear from panelists discussing some of the challenges and triumphs they’ve experienced as students and professionals in STEAM. All the panelists were FIRST alumni and/or mentors, and work for RTX, so students had an opportunity to glimpse a possible path for their futures.

            Friday night, the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award was presented to team 597 Wolverines mentor Kevyn Arcudia. The Volunteer of the Year was presented to Kenneth Wah.

            Saturday morning after Opening Ceremonies, all mentors were invited up to the volunteer room in the skybox to enjoy coffee and pastries – and a little gratitude from the Regional Planning Committee.

            After an exciting playoffs, Team 368 Kika Mana, along with alliance partners rookie Team 9408 Warbots and Team 980 ThunderBots were the winning alliance. Team 687 The Nerd Herd won Engineering Inspiration, and 3473 Team Sprocket won Impact Award. Team Sprocket lead the charge giving away more than 500 3D printers this season, including to many teams participating in the LA Regional.

            Help from multiple local teams with setup, breakdown and everything in between made it possible for FIRST to hold another successful Los Angeles Regional!

             

            Photo Gallery 1 - Matt Beard Photography
            Photo Gallery 2 - Lily Chan Photograpy

            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 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 and community.  This team will advance to the Championships and receive a $5000 NASA grant toward registration.

              • Team 687, The Nerd Herd from Carson, CA

              Regional Winners

              • Team 368, Team Kika Mana from Honolulu, HI (Championship Qualifying Award)

              • Team 9408, Warbots from Downey, CA (Championship Qualifying Award)

              • Team 980, Thunderbots from Burbank, 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.

              • Natalie B – Team 1452, Omnicats
              • Deetya S – Team 2637, Phantom Cats

              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.

              •  Kevyn Arcudia from Team 587, The Wolverines

               

              Additional Awards

              Congratulations to the Teams and individuals that earned the remaining awards at the Los Angeles Regional! See the list here. https://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2024/CALA/awards

               

              San Francisco Regional – 2024

              San Francisco Regional – 2024

              by | Apr 6, 2024 | Blog, San Francisco

              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.

              Photo Gallery - Bowerbird Photography
              Award Photos

              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.

                 

                Ventura County Regional – 2024

                Ventura County Regional – 2024

                by | Apr 6, 2024 | Blog, Ventura

                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!

                View Photo Gallery

                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.

                  Silicon Valley Regional – 2024

                  Silicon Valley Regional – 2024

                  by | Apr 6, 2024 | Blog, Silicon Valley

                  From March 1st to 3rd, 2024, the excitement was palpable at the Silicon Valley Regional, which debuted at its new location, the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. The event attracted a competitive gathering of 42 teams from across California, Nevada, Hawaii, Idaho, and Mexico. For mentor networking and appreciation, a special lunch was provided for mentors got to mingle, enjoy a meal, and participate in a Q&A session with Lonny Weissman, FIRST Senior Mentor, and Luan Heimlich, Regional Director. Additionally, the event celebrated Women in STEM with a cozy gathering where attendees enjoyed desserts and the chance to connect with fellow women in the field.

                  The competition itself did not disappoint, boasting a high level of challenge and excitement, especially impressive for a week 1 event.  With Team 1678 on the winning alliance and also winning the Impact Award, this generated a Wildcard for Team 8048.  And fun fact – Team 8048 mentor is the father of Team 1678 mentor!  FIRST is definitely a family affair.

                  The event was also host to several VIPs, including those from Intuitive and Altair. We’d like to extend an immense THANK YOU to all the sponsors, mentors and volunteers who contributed to this very successful Regional. 

                  LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!

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

                  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 combines COMPREHENSIVE local outreach with HUGE support to fellow FIRST teams. In their community, ONE IN FIVE of all students participate in their camps or youth leagues. These programs are more than SELF-SUSTAINING, allowing them to EXPAND to new underserved areas and fix up other team’s robots with a signature FLAVOR. Even when they are not competing, this team attends FRC events to provide tools, parts, and EXPERTISE to other teams. They also participate in Women in STEM events, co-host off-season competitions, and help other teams emulate their SUCCESSFUL SYLLABUS. 

                  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 3008, Team Magma from Honolulu, Hawaii

                  This team’s outreach is multi-dimensional and INSPIRING. Besides mentoring many FLL and FTC teams, hosting qualifiers, and having an ongoing academy for elementary students. Helping teachers, a new path, raising money and building a MOBILE LAB to help teachers gain experience and confidence with STEM tools and curriculum. Developing and raising money for a FTC hackathon for the islands, their INSPIRING WORK became caused an ERUPTION of eight FTC teams.

                  Regional Winners

                  • Team 581, Blazing Bulldogs from San Jose, CA
                  • Team 1678, Citrus Circuits from Davis, CA
                  • Team 8048, Team HH Churrobots from East Palo Alto, 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.

                  • Miriam M from Team 1671, The Jankster
                  • Corrine G from Team 1351, TKO

                  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.

                  • Shelby Anderson from Team 581, The Blazing Bulldogs  

                  Additional Awards

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

                  Hueneme Port Regional – 2024

                  Hueneme Port Regional – 2024

                  by | Apr 6, 2024 | Blog, Hueneme

                  Congratulations to the 50 teams PLUS all the mentors, volunteers, sponsors, friends and family members from all over California, Arizona, the Netherlands, Chinese Taipei and China who participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition Hueneme Port Regional from March 1-3, 2024.

                  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 Hueneme Port Regional Regional! 

                  View Photo Gallery

                  LIST OF TEAMS ADVANCING TO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON!!!

                  The following teams and individuals earned top honors at the Hueneme Port 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 498, The Cobra Commanders from Arizona

                  Getting enough game play is one of the greatest challenges for FRC teams especially in Title I schools. These troopers took the time to identify the problem space and truly understand the broader operating environment. With sharp fangs using social media platforms addressing spectators and stakeholders alike, our winner secured funding to extend the robotics season statewide. Congratulations Team 498!

                  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 3473, Team Sprocket from Diamond Bar, CA

                  This team has been able to deliver a big impact all over the world. With their support, teams were able to get all the cogs turning and undertake new problems. This team’s goal is to achieve universal education, and with their curriculum development, training courses, and 3D printer distribution, they are ready for liftoff towards this goal.

                  Regional Winners

                  • Team 4481, Team Rembrandts from the Netherlands
                  • Team 3647, Millennium Falcons from San Diego, CA
                  • Team 9452, LHS Steel Stingers from San Diego, 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.

                  • Natalie W from Team 4201, The Vitruvian Bots
                  • Alisha A from Team 4414, High Tide

                  Woodie Flowers Finalist Award

                  • Klint Kirkconnell, from Team 3341, Millennium Falcons

                  Students agree that this mentor shows his commitment to the team while facilitating an environment conducive to learning. He helps the team stay calm in the face of serious issues. He teaches far beyond just robotics while being a ‘’fun” mentor. This mentor ensures the team stays productive while encouraging teamwork.

                  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.

                  • Bart Panaghetti

                  Additional Awards

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

                  Alumni Mixer at San Diego Regional

                  Alumni Mixer at San Diego Regional

                  by | Mar 2, 2024 | Blog, Special Event

                  FIRST Alumni and FIRST Seniors

                  Come on down field-side for a:

                  • sweet treat
                  • group photo
                  • FIRST California alumni sticker
                  • chance to win a PRIZE
                  • opportunity to hang out with fellow FIRST alumni and soon-to-be alumni

                  A Talent Aquisition rep from Qualcomm will be there along with a couple other special guests.

                  DATE: Saturday, March 22nd, 2025
                  TIME: 12:15pm
                  LOCATION: Next to the field

                  * Please do not use your school email address

                  Sign Up for your FREE Pass to the Alumni Mixer

                  * indicates required
                  please do NOT use school email address

                  By joining the San Diego Regional Alumni Mixer, you will also be signed up for the FIRST California Alumni network and will occasionally receive info about events and opportunities.

                  2023/2024 FLL Championship & Explore Festival – California Southern

                  2023/2024 FLL Championship & Explore Festival – California Southern

                  by | Jan 26, 2024 | FLL - Southern, Uncategorized

                  California Southern FIRST LEGO League held their Championship event at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, CA on Sunday, January 14, 2024. 50 FIRST LEGO League Challenge and 40 FIRST LEGO League Explore teams participated in hopes of receiving a bid to move on to Worlds or one of the 3 Opens we have bids for.

                    Photo Gallery

                    Thank you to John Tsai from @teambreadpandas for capture these great moments!

                    FIRST LEGO League Challenge Championship 

                    Capistrano Valley High School

                    Congratulations to Team 44761 LeXT–Eat Yo Vegetables Express and Team 55769 Code Breakers for becoming the 2023/2024 MASTERPICE CA Southern Co-Champions.

                    Co-Champion

                    44761 – LeXT–Eat Yo Vegetables Express

                     

                    Advancing to World Festival in Houston in April 2024

                    Co-Champion

                    55769 – Code Breakers

                    Advancing to Asia Pacific Open in Australia.

                    Runner Up

                    56458 – Best Bot Builders


                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    1st Place Core Values

                    Bot Cats

                    Finalist 1 Core Values

                    50899 – Mechanical Meatloaf (w/a side of pickles)

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    Finalist 2 Core Values

                    Vincent Van Gogh Bots

                    1st Place Innovation Project

                    16023 – Dumpster Diving Candy Eaters

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    Finalist 1 Innovation Project

                    Spartan Sparks

                    Finalist 2 Innovation Project

                    The Artitect

                    Motivate Award

                    24802 Super Smash Bro-Bots

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    Motivate Award

                    26887 – SoCal Grizzlies

                    Advancing to Open European Championship in Norway.

                    Excellence in Engineering

                    51432 – Green Dragon Bots

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    Excellence in Engineering

                    BrainWaves

                     

                    1st Place Robot Design

                    Ovms falcons 2

                    Finalist 1 Robot Design

                    Triton Tribe

                    Finalist 2 Robot Design

                    LeXT–Lets Eat Extra Tacos

                    1st Place Robot Performance

                    Creative Crafters

                    2nd Place Robot Performance

                    Code Breakers

                    3rd Place Robot Performance

                    Ovms falcons 2

                    Breakthrough

                    JB Robotics

                    Breakthrough

                    Awesome Adventurers

                    Rising Star

                    STEM Androids

                    Breakthrough

                    Awesome Adventurers

                    FIRST LEGO League Explore Festival

                    Capistrano Valley High School

                    California Southern FIRST LEGO League  had the opportunity to pilot an Explore game this season. Teams used their robot to complete 6 different missions in their 2.5 autonomous time. It was next with great success and teams are hoping they get to play again next season.

                    24123 – Starburst Engineers

                     

                    Advancing to World Festival in Houston in April 2024

                    28808 – Brick Besties


                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    24367 – LEGO Gears


                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    30211 – Minifigs

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    26657 – Sci-5

                    Advancing to Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach in May 2024

                    THANK YOU MENTORS AND VOLUNTEERS!

                    None of the teams’ successes would have been possible this season without those special mentors who have spent hours each week with your team. And this event would not be possible without the support of our volunteers.

                    Coach Manny from Super Smash Bro-Bots was the winner of the Coach/Mentor Award! We had the fortune to interview him during the Championship and little did we know at the time, he was about to snag the well-deserved Coach/Mentor’s Award!

                    A big thank you and congratulations goes out to Jared Hasen-Klein for earning the Volunteer of the Year Award!

                    Coach/Mentor Award WINNER

                    Coach Manny from Super Smash Bro-Bots

                    Coach/Mentor Finalist 1

                    Coach Miguel from Lakeside MS – Mustang Masterpiece

                    Coach/Mentor Finalist 2

                    Coach Cynthia – Techno Tigers

                    Volunteer of the Year Award

                    Jared H

                    FLL Western Edge Open

                    FLL Western Edge Open

                    by | May 31, 2023 | FLL - Southern, Uncategorized

                    On the weekend of May 12-14, 2023, 76 FIRST LEGO League teams from 22 counties and across the US met at the Long Beach Convention Center for the Western Edge Open.

                    The Western Edge Open was a three day event giving teams an opportunity to participate in a high level competition. Team also participated in On-the-Spot, a California Southern FIRST LEGO League challenge, where teams were paired up with 2 additional alliance partners and had to reprogram their robots to compete in a new challenge.

                    Teams also were judged on their pit decorations and by their peers for their Gracious Professionalism. Teams were able to celebrate and socialize at the team social where they did a team scavenger hunt to meet the other teams.

                    You can find a full list of results here:

                    Western Edge Open

                    Champions Award

                    Robotics School
                    from Brazil

                    1st Place Robot Design

                    2Xstream Robotics
                    from Illinois

                    1st Place Core Values

                    JARVIS INDIRASE
                    from Mexico

                    1st Place Innovation Project

                    A’rturli
                    from Kazakhstan

                    1st Place Robot Performance

                    Smilebots
                    from Switzerland

                    Breakthrough Award

                    Microbots
                    from Colorado

                    Motivate Award

                    The Awesome TechKnowLogics
                    from Ohio

                    Engineering Excellence

                    The Power Rangers
                    from Washington

                    Rising All-Star

                    Barnstormers
                    from Arkansas

                    On The Spot - 1st Place

                    Legoborci z Oravy
                    from Slovakia

                    Breakthrough Award

                    Yukon All-Sparks
                    from British Columbia

                    Motivate Award

                     Ctrl-Z Bayview Glen
                    from Ontario

                    Engineering Excellence

                    Astro-Techs
                    from California

                    Rising All-Star

                    Bovina Brainiacs
                    from Mississippi

                    On The Spot - 1st Place

                    Super Smash BroBots
                    from California

                    Breakthrough Award

                    6.0 GPA
                    from California

                    Motivate Award

                    Artemis
                    from Maryland

                    Engineering Excellence

                    LINCEBOTS JGM
                    from Mexico

                    Rising All-Star

                    Awesome Blossoms
                    from Washington

                    On The Spot - 1st Place

                    2Xstream Robotics
                    from Illinois

                    Pit Award

                    Trinity Christian Those Guys
                    from Kentucky

                    Peer Award

                    Grace Generators
                    from Australia

                    Pit Award

                    Fast Fooders
                    from Hawaii

                    Peer Award

                    LINCEBOTS JGM
                    from Mexico

                    THANK YOU MENTORS & VOLUNTEERS!

                    This event would not have been possible without our mentors and volunteers. Congratulations to these special awards winners – and thank you!

                    Coach/Mentor Award

                    Tracy Martz
                    from Awesome Techknowlogics

                    Coach/Mentor Award

                    Coach Manny
                    from JARVIS INDIRASE

                    Coach/Mentor Award

                    Tae Tyu
                    from Garage Engineers

                    Coach/Mentor Award

                     Steve Lidy
                    from Holy LEGO Batman

                    Coach/Mentor Award

                    Ginny Dickerson
                    from Bovina Brainiacs

                    Volunteer Award

                    Grant Bochantin

                    THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTING FIRST TEAMS!

                    A special thank you to the following FIRST Califorina teams for helping making this event awesome.

                    FRC The Holy Cows, FRC Hammer Heads, FRC The MilkenKnights, FRC WAR Lords, FRC Project 691, FTC Dapper Robonoodles, FLL Mechanical Meatloaf with a Side of Pickles.

                    RE-LIVE THE ACTION!

                    Explore our Instagram Highlights tab to re-live the action from the weekend!

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