By Leah Twilley
GVSU
Hundreds of young technology enthusiasts will gather at Grand Valley State University September 8 to celebrate the beginning of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge season.
More than 400 area middle school students will gather on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus to learn about this year’s spaced-themed challenge and game, Rover Ruckus.
FIRST — a national program founded in 1989 — challenges teams of students to work together to design, build, program and test robots to play a floor game. Teams are guided by coaches and mentors while developing STEM skills and practicing engineering principles. The kick-off event at Grand Valley is one of 13 events in Michigan taking place on Saturday.
FIRST Tech Challenge Kick-off
Saturday, September 8
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Eberhard Center and Keller Engineering Lab building, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
At noon, the challenge will be revealed in the Eberhard Center, room 215. After the reveal, students will head to the Keller Engineering Laboratories building see a replica of the game arena and network with other teams. In the morning and afternoon, students will participate in several workshops to discuss planning and strategy for this year’s competition.
Sara Maas, outreach coordinator for Grand Valley’s Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, said the event is an opportunity for students to experience what it’s like on a college campus.
“For some, it may be their first time on a college campus, and for others, it allows them to see and work in a real-life engineering space,” she said.
The West Michigan teams will compete in regional tournaments in November and December to advance to the national championship in Detroit in April.
