{"id":320447,"date":"2023-03-20T21:18:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T01:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?post_type=migration&p=320447"},"modified":"2023-09-27T20:13:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T00:13:20","slug":"l-a-youth-robotics-competition-leaves-student-teams-energized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/l-a-youth-robotics-competition-leaves-student-teams-energized\/","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Youth Robotics Competition Leaves Student Teams Energized"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?resize=900,506 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">In a blur of motion, wheeled robots race across the \u201cplaying field\u201d at the FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional at the Da Vinci Schools campus in El Segundo. The annual student robotics event is supported by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory with volunteers and team mentors.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Supported by volunteers from JPL and the aerospace industry, the annual regional FIRST Robotics event makes an impact on young competitors and adult mentors alike.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After two days of fast-paced competition complete with team uniforms, cheerleaders, pounding music, and blaring horns, multiple teams of high schoolers came out victorious at the 23rd annual FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional over the weekend. Next, they\u2019ll be headed to an international championship tournament where their 125-pound inventions will compete for robotics glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory sponsored several of the 44 competing teams and supported the event, held at the Da Vinci Schools campus in El Segundo, by coordinating about 100 volunteers. \u201cIt\u2019s always gratifying to see these kids compete with such determination and passion, but it\u2019s also wonderful to witness the joy they bring to the adults who come together for this event,\u201d said Kim Lievense, who manages JPL\u2019s Public Services Office and coordinated volunteers at the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Students from JPL-sponsored Team 702 (\u201cBagel Bytes\u201d) from Culver City\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-first-bot-prep-1041.jpg?resize=900,600 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Students from JPL-sponsored Team 702 (\u201cBagel Bytes\u201d) from Culver City, left, and Team 687 (the \u201cNerd Herd\u201d) from Carson prepare their robots to enter the fray at the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Energy and Community<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The event is one of many taking place across the country under the umbrella of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). The nonprofit organization pairs students with STEM professionals for hands-on engineering experience and practice with problem-solving, team building, fundraising, and promotion, among other skills. Teams in the FIRST Robotics Competition receive technical specifications and game rules in January and have just weeks to design, build, and test their wheeled robots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year\u2019s game, dubbed \u201cCharged Up,\u201d is themed around the future of sustainable energy. Two alliances of three teams compete on a \u201cplaying field\u201d that\u2019s about 26 by 54 feet. In each 2 \u00bd-minute round, the teams\u2019 robots must retrieve rubber cones and inflatable cubes that represent electrical power from \u201csubstations\u201d and place them into a \u201cgrid.\u201d Robots also race to roll up onto a wobbling \u201ccharge station\u201d for extra points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students put in long hours preparing their robots. It all paid off in the case of Brianna Adewinmbi, a junior at the California Academy of Mathematics and Science in Carson. Her Team 687 (aka the \u201cNerd Herd\u201d) came out on top, and she was one of two students selected as a finalist for the nationwide FIRST Dean\u2019s List Award (inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST) recognizing student leadership and dedication. Wearing a colorful propeller hat and fielding high-fives from fellow students, she said the team had been working after school till 10 p.m. for many days.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Students from Da Vinci Schools Team 4201 (\u201cVitruvian Bots\u201d) \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e1-first-vitruvian-1041.jpg?resize=900,600 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Students from Da Vinci Schools Team 4201 (\u201cVitruvian Bots\u201d) react in the stands during the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional. The two-day competition can be an emotional roller coaster for student participants.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s insane. I just keep thinking, It was all worth it, all the time that we spent,\u201d Adewinmbi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adewinmbi\u2019s team will be joined at the FIRST Championship in Houston next month by the two other California teams from the winning alliance: Team 5199 (\u201cRobot Dolphins From Outer Space\u201d) from Dana Point and and Team 702 (\u201cBagel Bytes\u201d) from Culver City. Team 6833 (\u201cPhoenix Robotics\u201d) from Arizona, which had subbed in for the Culver City team to play in the winning alliance, is on the priority waitlist to attend. Two award-winners, Team 5089 (\u201cRobo-Nerds\u201d) from Benjamin Franklin Senior High School in Los Angeles and Team 4201 (\u201cVitruvian Bots\u201d) from Da Vinci Schools, will also head to Houston.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Part of the winning alliance, JPL-sponsored Team 702 (\u201cBagel Bytes\u201d) from Culver City High School \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/e2-first-culver-1041.jpg?resize=900,600 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Part of the winning alliance, JPL-sponsored Team 702 (\u201cBagel Bytes\u201d) from Culver City High School gathers beside their banner and a mascot in a bagel costume at the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Volunteering Brings Rewards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For about two decades, NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/robotics.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Robotics Alliance Project<\/a> has supported youth robotics teams through agency centers across the country and at JPL, aiming to inspire students to pursue careers in aerospace while helping them build the skills they\u2019ll need to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe all do it for the same reason: It\u2019s really to help get kids inspired in science, engineering, and technology,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Dave Brinza, assistant mission assurance manager for NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/europa.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Europa Clipper<\/a> mission. Brinza started mentoring Team 980 (\u201cThunderBots\u201d), now at Burbank High School, in 2003. \u201cWe often say the real trophies aren\u2019t the blue banners and the things you put on a shelf, it\u2019s the kids who go on and have successful careers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Julie Townsend, a robotics systems engineer who is JPL\u2019s point of contact for the NASA Robotics Alliance Project, it\u2019s been a way to draw young women into a field in which they\u2019re underrepresented. For nearly 20 years, she has coached Southern California Girl Scout teams in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/robotics\/ftc\" rel=\"noopener\">FIRST Tech Challenge<\/a>, which is like a smaller-scale version of FIRST Robotics Competition. At the Los Angeles Regional event, she volunteered as a judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have had parents coming up to me in tears, thanking me for what I had done for their daughters, who had changed the course of their lives,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cIt\u2019s so unusual to have such a safe environment to learn these technical skills and develop your own power with no judgment and no social strings attached.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about the FIRST Los Angeles regional, visit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cafirst.org\/frc\/losangeles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/cafirst.org\/frc\/losangeles\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Melissa Pamer<br><\/strong>Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif<br>626-314-4928<br><a href=\"mailto:melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov\">melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2023-039<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supported by volunteers from JPL and the aerospace industry, the annual regional FIRST Robotics event makes an impact on young competitors and adult mentors alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":321897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2860,2830],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[8605,8612],"coauthors":[12651],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"L.A. Youth Robotics Competition Leaves Student Teams Energized","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/l-a-youth-robotics-competition-leaves-student-teams-energized\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/l-a-youth-robotics-competition-leaves-student-teams-energized\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jet Propulsion Laboratory"}],"creator":["Jet Propulsion Laboratory"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Technology","Robotics","Jet Propulsion Laboratory"],"dateCreated":"2023-03-21T01:18:00Z","datePublished":"2023-03-21T01:18:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-28T00:13:20Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"L.A. Youth Robotics Competition Leaves Student Teams Energized\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/l-a-youth-robotics-competition-leaves-student-teams-energized\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-03-21T01:18:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Technology,Robotics,Jet Propulsion Laboratory\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jet Propulsion Laboratory\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":4,"time_ago":"1 year","featured_image":{"id":321897,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-first-field-blur-1041.jpg","title":"1-first-field-blur-1041","alt":"FIRST Robotics Competition Los Angeles Regional","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320447"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320447"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":504046,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320447\/revisions\/504046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/321897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320447"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=320447"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=320447"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=320447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}