Michigan students are the stars of this ‘Rock Concert for Nerds’
By: Ryan Burklow | @Burklow_Ryan
Michigan is first in FIRST, and now two outstanding Michigan teams are proving it to the world.
After winning the FIRST Robotics World Championships in St. Louis earlier this year, Kalamazoo’s Stryke Force and Canton’s Team Lightning traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire to take part in the festival of champions. The festival is a best-of-five playoff series that pits the winning alliance from the Houston World Championships against the winner of the St. Louis World Championships to truly determine who reigns supreme.
To say that this tournament played out like a sports movie (think Mighty Ducks D2, The Replacements, or Miracle) would be selling the event short. After falling down 2 games to none early, the Michigan-made alliance regrouped and came back stronger than ever to take the next three, sending a message to the rest of the world that Michigan is the still the leader in FIRST.
There is no denying that this is an exciting time for FIRST in our state. Not only are we lucky enough to have two defending World Champion teams, but Michigan also has the most FIRST Robotics teams in the world. Couple that with the fact that from 2018–2020 the FIRST Robotics World Championships will be taking place in Detroit at Cobo Center and Ford Field, and I think it’s safe to say we are well on our way to building a dynasty here in the Great Lakes state.
Prior to joining Gov. Rick Snyder’s office, I wouldn’t have understood what being first in FIRST meant. Now, not only do I understand what FIRST is, I understand its importance and am excited about the idea of our state leading the way.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by renown inventor Dean Kamen, in an effort to inspire the science and technology leaders of tomorrow through hands-on engineering competitions. FIRST is divided into four categories based on the participant’s grade. FIRST Lego League Jr. (K-4), FIRST Lego League (4–8), FIRST Tech Challenge (7–12) and the flagship FIRST Robotics Competition (9–12).
While the students who participate in one of the many FIRST competitions are having fun, making new friends and gaining incredible experiences, it is important to note that they are also learning invaluable STEM skills that will surely serve them well in the future. According to FIRST’s website, “The positive impact on FIRST Robotics Competition participants is gratifying and well documented. Over 88% have more interest in doing well in school and 92% are more interested in attending college.”
The work these students and mentors are doing is truly incredible and each of Michigan’s more than 1,600 FIRST teams has a reason to be proud. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to experience a FIRST competition, you need to.
The Governor often calls the events “A rock concert for nerds,” and having attended an event myself — I couldn’t agree more. Whether you proudly lay claim to the title of nerd or just want to be inspired by young Michiganders doing great things around that nation that make us proud, you really should check this out.
For more information on FIRST, visit firstinspires.org.
