Mohawk Valley Community College will host a FIRST® (For Inspiration of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge Robotics Regional Championship on Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9, 2025, in the Robert R. Jorgensen Center Field House at the College’s Utica Campus. The competition is free and open to the public on Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The 32 youth robotics teams from across New York State — from as far as Westchester County, Northern New York, and Buffalo, and as close as Clinton and Rome — have been creating their robots since September. The teams, comprised of 350 students in grades 6 through 12, collaborate on the design, fabrication, 3D printing, programming, testing, and constant improvement of their robots to compete in this season’s specific game challenge. Teams compete for prestigious awards judged on robot performance and control, innovation, design, community outreach, mentorship connections with STEM professionals, and detailed documentation of their engineering process. The top three teams from the MVCC Regional Championship will advance to the FIRST® World Championship April 16-19 in Houston, Texas. An additional four top teams will advance to various FIRST® Robotics Premier Events throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
During each 2.5-minute match, teams strategize with an alliance partner team to achieve a common goal against another pair robotics teams. Four robots run on the tournament field at once. In this season's challenge, teams and robots attempt to achieve the highest scores by navigating the 12’ x 12’ playing field, collecting and depositing scoring elements into designated zones and high and low baskets. Matches start with a 30-second autonomous period where robots operate solely on pre-programmed Java instructions, sensor inputs, and machine learning. The following two minutes make up a driver-controlled/teleoperated period using game controllers. Many points are won in the final 30 seconds of a competition match if one or all four robots pull themselves up to hang from a 4-foot-high bar.
MVCC has been a proud FIRST partner organization since 2020, serving 120 FIRST Tech Challenge teams of over 1,200 students. The partnership also introduces MVCC’s engineering programs and apprenticeships to these students, providing a starting point and a clear path to a bachelor’s degree, certification, or career. Learn more about FIRST at MVCC.
About FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $80 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for students in grades 9-12; FIRST Tech Challenge for grades 7-12; and FIRST LEGO® League Discover, Explore and Challenge for Grades K-8. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org.