GVSU Hosting 40 Teams At FIRST Robotics Competition

More than 1,000 students on 40 high school teams from around the Midwest are competing in the "varsity sport for the mind" at Grand Valley State University March 18-19.

The FIRST Robotics West Michigan District Competition is a high-energy event, more like a rock concert or major sporting event than a science fair.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at the Fieldhouse Arena of GVSU's Allendale Campus. The event is free and open to the public.

Using a common kit of parts, teams have six weeks to build a robot to compete in a game. FIRST Robotics helps students get hands-on experience solving real-world problems; they get to discover the excitement and rewards of science and technology careers.

Since the program was founded in 1989, it has grown from 28 teams to more than 3,000. Statistics show those students are more likely to go to college, and they are twice as likely to major in science and engineering.
More than 100 universities, including Grand Valley, offer scholarships to FIRST participants. The scholarships total $9 million nationwide.

Complete information, including a detailed schedule and a list of teams, is available at www.westmichiganfirst.com.