“The FTC is for everyone. If you can plug in a battery, you can be a part of the FTC!” Students explained using persuasion in an informational video describing the First Tech Challenge (FTC). The First Tech Challenge is an annual international robotics competition held here in St. Louis. Students get the years’ challenge in the month of October and have most of the school year to build and prepare their team’s robot for the FTC event. To put it into perspective, this event can be described as the Robotics Olympics or games. The robots will be judged on their ability to complete the challenge effectively and efficiently.

Students of all grades, genders, and origins gathered in an informational meeting about the Robotics Team Thursday, September 3. Facilitators of the team and science teachers, Steve Burgess, the First Tech Challenge team leader and Forensic teacher, and Frederick Warren, Engineering, advanced sciences and biology teacher, conducted the meeting. Michael Howe, another Facilitator that, along with burgess, brings his experiences running a FTC team, was unable to attend the meeting. Warren is new to the FTC world as he described his role as, “bringing a lot of excitement.”

The Robotics Team is open to grades 7-12*. One of the goals of the Robotics Team is to create strong relationships within the team and other schools teams as well. Stated in the informational video, you do not need to be a robotics expert. Simple skills such as plugging in a battery, leadership, media/graphic design, and visual art talents could be helpful to any team. More complex skills such as programing and coding will be taught to those interested. “(FTC) is not just about the robot, it’s about building confidence and self respect.” Said a FTC representative.

*Update: 9/11/15 – Story incorrectly stated the team was open to grades 8-12 and has been updated to the correct information that the team is open to grades 7-12.