Kettering University will host 40 High School FIRST Robotics teams from Michigan on March 7-8 at the Kettering FIRST Robotics District Competition.  This year’s game is called “Aerial Assist” where each team’s robots will play both offense and defense similar to hockey and basketball while trying to score balls into goals. There will be 40 unique and different robots competing with the same “goal” in mind.

Genesee County high school teams competing include teams from Davison, Fenton, Flint, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Lapeer, Linden and Swartz Creek. (See the complete list of teams).  Kettering has a long history of providing support for FIRST programs.  This is the 15^th year in a row that Kettering has hosted FIRST Robotics competitions in their recreation center.  The University also awards several FIRST Robotics scholarships every year (read about last year’s recipients). Kettering is currently developing a state-of-the-art FIRST Robotics Center that will eventually provide design & building workspace for many local teams.   Kettering students will serve as mentors.

“Hosting the District competition every year is a great opportunity to introduce Kettering and its outstanding engineering and science programs to high school students from around the state who attend,” said Bob Nichols, Kettering director of alumni engagement, who has been involved with FIRST Robotics since 1998. “FIRST Robotics serves as a great discovery lever to excite young people to get interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. And, Kettering gets the opportunity to host an event that is an absolute blast for the participants and the many spectators who attend.”  

The Aerial Assist game is played by two competing Alliances of three robots each on a flat 25 foot by 54 foot field with a truss suspended about five feet above the floor. The objective is to score as many balls in goals as possible during a two and one half minute match. Complete rules and match details are available on the FIRST Michigan website. Information about the rankings and points system in the district is also available online.

The Kettering FIRST Robotics District Competition will be held in the Recreation Center at Kettering located at University & Chevrolet Avenues.  It is open and free to the public.

Public schedule:

Friday, March 7
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 8
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For more information,  please go to www.firstinmichigan.org and click on FRC Events and 2014 Season.