02-016
For Release: March 8, 2002

Sally V. Harrington
Media Relations Office
216/433-2037
Sally.V.Harrington@nasa.gov

NOTE TO EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

First Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition

WHAT:	FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) BuckeyeRegional Robotics Competition
WHEN:	March 14	8 a.m.-Noon	Robot Testing and Inspection
		10 a.m.-5 p.m.	Practice Rounds
	March 15	9 a.m.	Opening Ceremony Keynote Speaker:Louis Stokes
		9:30 a.m-5 p.m.	Seeding Matches
		5 p.m.	Awards Presentation Keynote Speaker:Rich Clifford
		6:30 - 10 p.m.	Team Party at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
	March 16	9 a.m.	Opening Ceremony Keynote Speaker:Dean Kamen
		9:30 a.m.-Noon	Seeding Matches
		1-3 p.m.	Final Rounds
		3 p.m.	Awards Presentation Keynote Speaker: Honorable Jane Campbell
WHO:	Student teams from 58 high schools in 8 states will battle for an opportunity to win this regional competition and advance to the Championship Competition.
WHERE:	Cleveland State University's Convocation Center in Cleveland, Ohio 2000 Prospect Avenue (between E. 12 and E. 18 Streets)

Media representatives are welcome to do interviews and videotape throughout the 3-day event. They must enter at Gate A and stop at the Media Desk to receive a press kit. Contact Sally Harrington, Media Relations Office at Glenn for further information.

Additional information follows this release.

Further information about the FIRST Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition can be found at:             http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/OEP/first/regional/index.htm

Additional information about FIRST is located at:
            http://www.usfirst.org

# # #

First Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition Information Sheet

Agenda:

• March 14 - At 9 a.m. the teams begin uncrating their robots. Teams will be checking over their robots in preparation for inspection and testing them out in practice rounds.
• March 15 - Opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. Seeding matches throughout the day. Awards ceremony at 5 p.m. Team party at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 6:30 to 10 p.m.
• March 16 - Seeding matches conclude Saturday morning. Final competition between 1 and 3 p.m. Awards ceremony immediately following.

Action:

• On the Playing Field - During each match, three teams guide their remote-controlled robots around a playing field gathering balls, putting them into goals and placing those goals in their scoring zones while simultaneously trying to keep each other from succeeding.
• In the Pits - Teams furiously working on their robots between rounds to perfect them. Capture the anticipation, tension and frustration these young people are experiencing.
• In the Stands - Team members, teachers, mentors, sponsors and parents cheering the teams on and shouting encouragement from the sidelines and stands.
• At the Machine Shop - Skilled volunteers--engineers and technicians from Glenn--assisting teams with emergency repairs while working against the clock.
• At the Team Party - Time for rest and relaxation at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Competitors:

• Twenty-three teams awarded scholarships by Glenn making it possible for them to compete in the Regional.
• Teams from 8 states participating - Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and California.
• Local high schools competing - Beachwood, Bedford, Cleveland Central Catholic, Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga Heights, East Tech, Glenville, Max Hayes, Rhodes and Shaw.

Local Veteran Teams:

• East Technical High School has been participating in the FIRST robotics competition since 1994. They were the first team sponsored by Glenn and the first team sponsored by a NASA center.
• James Ford Rhodes High School, also sponsored by Glenn, has competed in the FIRST robotics competition since 1999.
• Beachwood High School and Max Hayes Vocation High School were rookie teams in the 2001 competition, sponsored by Glenn.

Special Guests:

• Honorary Chair, Louis Stokes, Former Member of Congress
• Honorable Jane Campbell, Mayor of Cleveland
• Donald J. Campbell, Director, NASA Glenn Research Center
• Guest of Honor, Rich Clifford, Boeing Director of Space Station and Operations and Utilization
• Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST

Event Sponsors:

• NASA Glenn Research Center
• Battelle
• CAMP, Inc (Cleveland Advanced Manufacturing Program)
• CAPRA (Cleveland Aerospace Partners' Regional Alliance
• Cleveland Browns
• The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Greater Cleveland Growth Association
• The Cleveland Indians
• Cuyahoga Community College
• Eaton Corporation
• The George Gund Foundation
• Key Bank
• OAI (Ohio Aerospace Institute)
• The Plain Dealer
• QSS Group, Inc.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Swagelok
• ZIN Technologies

Planning Committee:

• NASA Glenn Research Center
• Battelle
• Beachwood Board of Education
• BP
• The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Cleveland Municipal School District
• Cleveland State University
• Cuyahoga Community College
• Greater Cleveland Growth Association
• OAI (Ohio Aerospace Institute)
• Paragon TEC
• The Plain Dealer
• QSS Group, Inc.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

- end -

---

text-only version of this release

NASA Glenn Research Center news releases are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to:
    grc-subscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
Leave the subject and body blank. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. You must reply to that message to begin your subscription.
To unsubscribe, address an e-mail message to:
     grc- unsubscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
Leave the subject and body blank.