By Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
I describe it as a science fiction movie crossed with a sporting event. Metal contraptions full of wires and computer parts are moving wildly by remote control. Lights are flashing, fans are cheering and balls are being tossed around. The air is charged with excitement from a spirited, nonviolent duel. What is it? It’s a FIRST Robotics Competition.
FIRST ® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, who says his vision for FIRST, is: “To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.”
FIRST not only hosts a major statewide robotics competition in Oklahoma in the spring, but also provides a “Tech Challenge” for high school students. In addition to the high school league, FIRST also has two other leagues for students ranging from ages 6 to 9 years old and 9 to 14 years old.
Last spring, 50 high school student teams from across Oklahoma, plus a few from Texas and Kansas, competed in the FIRST regional event in Oklahoma City at the Cox Convention Center. The next time FIRST teams will compete in Oklahoma is March 25-27, 2010, yet teams are already preparing for the competition.
Soon, schools across Oklahoma and the nation will receive instructions and identical robotic parts for the spring competition. Students will work with professional mentors to help design and build a robot over a six-week period of time. While the teams’ robots will be similar because they share parts, teams are allowed to elaborate on the basic design to create the highest functioning robot their members have the capacity to create.
Oklahoma’s statewide robotic program began in 2007 when the Legislature appropriated $100,000 for schools to establish competitive robotics projects. If schools win and accept the state funds, they must create remote-controlled robotics projects for entrance in regional and/or national competitions.
Since the program began, the State Department of Education has annually awarded up to 20 schools a $5,000 grant, with a total of 55 school teams being awarded the grants. This year’s recipients are: Adair High School, Bristow High School, Edmond North High School, Frontier High School, Grove High School, Kingfisher High School, Konawa High School, Muskogee High School, Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Piedmont High School, Salina High School, Shawnee High School, McLain Magnet High School for Science and Technology in Tulsa, Wilson High School and Wright City High School.
Robotics programs provide students hands-on experience in technology, teamwork, creativity and problem solving, and they spark students’ interest in preparing for careers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas of our global economy.
State and national competitiveness demands that we have more professionals with STEM education and know-how. Nurturing today’s students is vital to that effort, and Oklahoma’s robotics program is a great example of how we are answering the call.
