Youth Robotics Programs in DC, MD, VA - FIRST Rob

 “FIRST helped introduce me to programming and robotics outside of a computer! I think it is an awesome program and a great way to introduce prospective scientist to real world problems."

- John Moody, FIRST alumni

We love to share testimonies like this, to show you how meaningful and life-changing support of FIRST Chesapeake and the children of DC, MD, and VA can be. Our programs help develop the technical and non-technical life skills needed for students to be successful in future academic and career efforts. 

After receiving an engineering degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, John is now working as a Robotics Application Engineer with a Richmond VA robotics company.  Success!

Here are the highlights of our season so far:

• With over half of the 2018-19 season FIRST Tech Challenge events completed, we are pleased to have 180+ Virginia teams learning, working together, and getting chances to compete. We’ve had good luck weather-wise and all events so far have taken place as planned.
• The inaugural Richmond City Schools FTC Robotics Scrimmage was held in mid-December with over 60 students competing for the first time ever. This event was many years in the making and was made possible with the help and support of many local organizations, the Richmond City school administration, the Brookfield Foundation, Dominion Energy volunteers, and the FRC 422 Mech Tech Dragons robotics team.
• FIRST Chesapeake has organized workshops for students and has supported robotics teams and affiliated FIRST organizations with their workshops, off-season events, and scrimmages in Virginia and Maryland this season.
• The FIRST Robotics Competition season officially begins on Saturday January 5^th, with the FRC Kickoff and Workshops at VCU Sponsored by InSource Solutions, as well as Kick Offs in Maryland, Washington, DC and Hampton Roads, Virginia. We are pleased to have 128 teams competing this season at 7 District events and the District Championship at George Mason University. Total anticipated attendance at these events is 47,000 with approximately 100,000 unique live feed views in March and April 2019.
• The first Women in STEM Breakfast: Sponsored by Rolls-Royce will take place on January 17^th at UVA’s Darden Campus in Arlington, VA. This event recognizes outstanding women in STEM from yesterday, today and tomorrow and includes three scholarship awards to young women in FIRST Chesapeake teams.
• FIRST Chesapeake has emphasized the importance of bringing more FIRST programs into middle and high schools this season. This year, FIRST Chesapeake has exhibited at both the Maryland and Virginia School board conferences, resulting in the potential introduction of FIRST programs in 6 new school districts in Maryland and Virginia. FIRST programs have also been recognized as a “sport” by the Virginia High School League, and FIRST high school team members will become eligible to letter in that sport beginning in the Fall of 2019.
• So far we have awarded over $70,000 in competitive team grants, scholarships, and outreach support through the generous sponsorship of Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls-Royce, LMI, Showbest Fixtures, Canon, and other corporate partners.

We appreciate the support of individuals and corporations who help us continue to do what we do best - build a strong and engaged community of future technology leaders in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Links:

• FIRST Chesapeake website
• FIRST Chesapeake Volunteer Page
• Follow us on Facebook