2011 Press Release
High Resolution Photos with captions available at http://tinyurl.com/4bg7ret
OVER 1,000 AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT DURING THE OKLAHOMA ROBOTIC REGIONAL COMPETITION.
Teams from Lawton, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Grove, Edmond, Ponca City and Kansas Advance to Championship, Others Win Honors for Design, Sportsmanship, Partnership
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 21, 2011 – Attended by thousands of fans, families, educators and industry leaders, the FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Oklahoma Regional Competition awarded several teams with honors that rewarded design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship and high impact partnerships between schools, businesses and communities. Held at the Cox Convention Center on March 17, 18 and 19, the 52 high school student teams competed to earn a spot at the FIRST Championship held April 27-30 in St. Louis, Mo.
With the hope of winning one of the several coveted awards, high school students worked with professional Mentors to design and build a robot over a six week period that solved a problem using a kit of parts and a standard set of rules. In this year’s robotics game, “LOGO MOTION™, teams competed on a 27-by-54-foot field with poles, attempting to earn points by hanging as many triangle, circle, and square logo pieces as possible. Many of the Robots earned extra points by deploying a Mini-Bot able to climb a vertical pole.
“This year’s challenge was really tough. Each team clearly demonstrated teamwork, professionalism and strategic thinking,” said Mickey Clagg, chairman of the FIRST Robotics Oklahoma Regional. “There was so much excitement and spirit in the audience. It’s so refreshing to see teenagers so engaged and excited about a competition that inspires students to learn how math, science and engineering can be fun.”
Harold Holley, Executive Director of Oklahoma FIRST, said, “The Oklahoma students across the state who participate in FIRST experience the importance of teamwork, leadership, gracious professionalism and so much more. That’s why our participation grows each year. With the sustained support of the Oklahoma community, this robotics competition will continue to grow and inspire students to study math, science and engineering.”
Students participating in FIRST are eligible to apply for over $14 million dollars in scholarships from leading universities, colleges and companies. Since its beginning, FIRST has significantly improved students attitudes towards math, science and teamwork. The student’s interest in pursuing internship and employment opportunities in science and engineering has increased, especially with those companies that participate in the FIRST program.
Emily Ifill, a participant in FIRST Robotics when she was in high-school, came back to be a volunteer Mentor for the Roboducks from Francis Tuttle. “Being involved with FIRST Robotics influenced my decision to go to OSU and major in Aerospace Engineering,” said Ifill.
Dr. Woodie Flowers, Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a participant in the design of the FIRST Robotics Competition game each year, made a visit to the Oklahoma Regional on Friday. He took time to visit the teams, address the audience, visit with sponsors and gather more student signatures on his shirt. His shirt was covered with hundreds of signatures. He says some day in the future, when the announcement is made of the next Nobel Peace Prize winner or a future President, he will likely have their signature on his shirt. He also commended everyone’s level of commitment to their teams and to the competition. “What happened here at the Oklahoma Regional is exactly what FIRST is all about. A bunch of young people and a bunch of dedicated adults had a stretch goal with a job too big, time too short and a budget too small. And they made it work!” Flowers has served as a National Advisor to FIRST since the inception of the FIRST Robotics Competition.
2011 Oklahoma Regional FIRST Robotic Awards
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Winning Team or Individual
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City
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Advance to National
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Outstanding Volunteer of the Year
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Ron Markum
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Stillwater,OK,
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Imagery Award
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Francis Tuttle Pre-Engineering Academy
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Oklahoma City, OK,
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Innovation in Control Award
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Moore Norman Technology Center
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Norman, OK,
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Creativity Award
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Tri County Technology Center
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Bartlesville, OK,
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Engineering Excellence Award
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Newton High School
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Newton, KS,
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Entrepreneurship Award
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Gordon Cooper Technology Center & Macomb High School
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Shawnee, OK,
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Judges Award
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Kirk England-Stat
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Grand Prairie, TX,
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Website Award
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Newton High School
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Newton, KS,
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Woodie Flowers Award
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Art Waldenville
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Norman, OK,
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X
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Excellence in Design Award
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Newton High School
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Newton, KS,
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Industrial Design
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Red River Technology Center
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Duncan, OK,
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Quality Award
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Newton High School
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Newton, KS,
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Gracious Professionalism Award
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Tulsa Engineering Academy at Tulsa Memorial High School
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Tulsa, OK,
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Team Spirit Award
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Ponca City High School
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Ponca City, OK,
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Rookie Inspiration Award
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Deer Creek Public Schools
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Edmond, OK,
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Rookie All Star Award
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Liao Homeschool
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Oklahoma city, OK,
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X
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Highest Rookie Seed
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Liao Homeschool
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Oklahoma city, OK,
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Industrial Safety Award
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Tulsa Engineering Academy at Memorial High School
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Tulsa, OK,
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Coopertition Award
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Payne County Home Educators Home School
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Stillwater, OK,
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Finalist #1
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Tri County Technology Center
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Bartlesville, OK,
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Finalist #2
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BAE SYSTEMS & Elgin High School
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Elgin, OK,
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Winner #1
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Tulsa Engineering Academy at Memorial High School
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Tulsa, OK,
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X
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Winner #2
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Newton High School
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Newton, KS,
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X
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Winner #3
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Grove High School
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Grove, OK,
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X
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Winner #4
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Ponca City High School
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Ponca City, OK
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X
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Engineering Inspiration
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Edmond Santa Fe High School
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Edmond, OK,
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X
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FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award
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Colt Holley
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Lawton, OK,
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X
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FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award
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Elizabeth Petelin
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Paola, KS,
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X
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Regional Chairman’s Award
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Paola High School
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Paola, KS,
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X
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ABOUT FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and more than $14 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC® ) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC® ) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL® ) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL™) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.
2010 Data: Thirty-four schools (high schools) with FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams participated in a competition the first weekend in December at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. Seventy-five schools (middle schools) with FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams entered competitions in mid-December and fifty-three schools (high schools) with FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams will compete in Oklahoma City next March.
This amounts to over 162 schools with excited students as a result of a “hands on” exposure to STEM. Just five years ago, only four high schools were involved.
Attached is a bar graph reflecting this growth of FRC teams in Oklahoma. Although this represents growth in one category, it is emblematic of growth in other categories.
Oklahoma schools have been fortunate to benefit from significant grants from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, NASA, Boeing, and JC Penney and many others. For example, Sandy Garrett, outgoing State Superintendent, personally directed $100,000 in grants to various Oklahoma schools. If you have the opportunity, please give her a big “Thank You!”
Let me know if you have questions.
Jack Sellers, P.E., EdD
6219 S Oswego Ave, Tulsa, OK 74136-1530
918-496-7774 H; 918-691-3285 C
WEBSITE: www.usfirst.org