The media are invited to attend a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics kickoff event in the StenniSphere Auditorium at NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC) on Jan. 8. Media should arrive at SSC no later than 10 a.m. A media briefing with NASA SSC Office of External Affairs and Education officials will take place at 10:30 a.m. Media representatives will then have the opportunity to talk with SSC engineers and FIRST students and mentors.
While a national FIRST kickoff is held each year at FIRST headquarters in New Hampshire, SSC is hosting a kickoff event for the first time this year to help FIRST teams from Mississippi and Louisiana reduce travel costs and to encourage collaboration among the teams. Team members will watch a live broadcast from FIRST headquarters that reveals this year’s competition challenge. Teams will then receive a kit of parts that will aid in robot construction.
The event begins an exciting six-week period of robot design and construction for students participating in FIRST competitions. Founded by world-renowned inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST inspires students to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology by allowing them to work side by side with engineers to build a robot and to learn about teamwork and gracious professionalism. FIRST began in 1989 with 28 teams and has grown into an event with more than 1,000 teams from the U.S. and abroad participating in 31 regional competitions and one championship event.
Besides receiving NASA funding, many teams have the benefit of having SSC engineers as mentors.
Teams from Mississippi participating in this year’s competition include Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Provine High School in Jackson, a combined team from Pearl River High School in Carriere and Picayune High School in Picayune, Warren Central High School in Vicksburg, and Choctaw Central High School in Choctaw.
Louisiana teams include Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, and New Orleans teams from the New Orleans Center for Science and Mathematics, Marion Abramson High School, O. Perry Walker High School and John F. Kennedy High School. Representatives from all schools will attend the SSC kickoff with the possible exception of Scotlandville Magnet School and Warren Central High school.
Media planning to attend this event should contact April Lollar at (228) 688-2313 no later than 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 7.
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John C. Stennis Space Center Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 (228) 688-3341