We are an FTC Robotics team stationed here at St. Paul, who competes in regional, state level, and potentially even international events with a new game every year. We were started back in the 2021-22 season of FTC, Freight Frenzy, and have been competing in TAPPS and state level events for St. Paul. Each year we have to build a robot, program it, and learn to drive it so that we can potentially compete with it at each and every event we attend.

FIRST^® Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams design, build, and program robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.

FIRST^®'s mission statement is "The mission of FIRST^® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership."

Meanwhile, FIRST^® describes itself as on it's about page "FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.

An international not-for-profit organization (501(c)(3)) founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Alumni of FIRST programs gain access to exclusive scholarships, internships, and other opportunities that create connections and open pathways to a wide variety of careers."

Scoring Elements:

• Samples: Found on the field and in the submersible, these can be scored in your alliance's baskets. The higher the basket, the more points earned.
• Specimens: These are created from samples that are brought to your observation zone. A teammate can attach a clip to the sample for scoring on the submersible's crossbars. Higher clips yield more points.

Submersible Structure:

• Comprised of four poles with two sets of crossbars on each side:
  • Scoring Specimens: Two sets where specimens are clipped.
  • Hanging Robots: Two sets for robot hanging; again, higher bars score more points.

Game Phases:

1. Autonomous: Robots follow pre-programmed instructions without human input.
2. Tele-op: Drivers control robots to maximize scoring.
3. Endgame: Teams can hang their robots on the submersible for additional points.