SPRINGFIELD, Mo., January 24, 2020 — The FIRST Robotics Tech Challenge Drury University Qualifier will be held tomorrow, January 25, in the O’Reilly Event Center. The regional competition is part of a nationwide challenge for students in 7th through 12th grades and includes more than 35 teams from Missouri and Kansas. The daylong event is free and open to the public.
FIRST Robotics hosts competitions across the country. The contests challenge teams of students to design, build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. Drury alumna and Kickapoo High School physics teacher Betsy Cannella has created a strong presence with the organization in the Springfield region. Although the robot’s performance is the largest element on which they are judged, participants will also be judged based on teamwork, community outreach, marketing of their team brand, and more.
“Their projects include project planning, design, technical implementation, marketing in the form of outreach, technical writing, oral communication, professionalism, and healthy dose of interpersonal communication,” says Dr. Scott Sigman, professor of computer science at Drury.
Event Schedule
7:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Judging, robot inspections and field tests
11:30 a.m. – Opening ceremonies and welcome statement
12 – 5 p.m. – Robot matches, pool play and elimination rounds
5 p.m. – Closing ceremonies and awards
For more on the FIRST Robotics Competition, go to: https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc.
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