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FIRST Robotics Buckeye Regional Returns to Cleveland

The headshot image of Kelly Sands

Kelly Sands

Mar 21, 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY22-003
NASA engineer speaking to students who have their back facing the camera,
Glenn engineer Calvin Robinson mentors a group of students from the Parma City School District during the 2019 competition at the Wolstein Center. Credits: NASA
Two students on the right working on robots.
NASA-sponsored students work on their robots during the 2019 competition at the Wolstein Center. Credits: NASA

Sixty teams of high school students from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York will square off March 24 through 26 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center in the FIRST Robotics Buckeye Regional competition. The Buckeye Regional is supported by NASA’s Glenn Research Center.

Media attending the competition should stop by the media table located on the first floor to pick up a badge for access to the playing field.

Practice matches will be held on Thursday, March 24, from noon to 6:30 p.m. Competitions take place Friday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tournament is free and open to the public. To watch live online, visit twitch.tv/firstinspires1 or twitch.tv/firstinspires2.

Students have been working with their mentors for six weeks to design a robot using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules. At the regional competition, teams will compete in a new robotics game, RAPID REACT, inspired by the future of high-speed transportation. Top teams will earn a spot to compete in the international FIRST Championships in April.

Glenn’s Office of STEM Engagement recently awarded grants totaling $25 thousand to nine Ohio teams:

  • Team 6355, Patriots, Erie County community team
  • Team 6181, Cryptic Cyborgs, Northwest State Community College
  • Team 128, Botcats, Grandview Heights High School
  • Team 8243, AstroCircuits, John Marshall School of Information Technology
  • Team 8222, Davis A&M Robotics, Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School
  • Team 8140, RoboManiacs, MC2 STEM High School 
  • Team 6916, Iron Thunder, North Woods Career Prep
  • Team 4085, Technical Difficulties, Reynoldsburg High School
  • Team 3324, The Metrobots, Metro Early College High School

Dozens of Glenn employees and contractors serve as mentors and volunteers, including a team of engineers and technicians who run a machine shop to replace and repair robot parts.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18.

-end-

Jan Wittry
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-5466
jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov