Orange County FIRST Robotics

These robots designed by students can drive themselves, shoot baskets and climb bars The students and their robots are competing in the regionals of FIRST – or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – that feeds district and then national championships.

Celebration of Life for Dr. Woodie Flowers FIRST President Don Bossi shares information about the upcoming virtual Celebration of Life for Woodie Flowers on December 9 and sheds some light on the story of Margaret Flowers, Woodie’s beloved wife and a strong supporter of our mission.

☆ ☆ ☆ IMPORTANT ☆ ☆ ☆

After the FIRST Championship in Houston, FIRST President Don Bossi personally reached out to us to ask a favor of the FIRST California community.

Remember the homework that Dean gave us back in January? It was to contact your Representative to co-sponsor House Bill H.R.500 to mint a commemorative coin in recognition of Christa McAuliffe, the astronaut and school teacher who was tragically killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. Profits from coin sales would go to FIRST teams and serve as a meaningful tribute to an American school teacher hero and represent our country’s commitment to STEM education.

We know it’s been a BUSY 4 months, so you may have forgotten.

So far there are 185 Representatives on board, but we are still short of the 290 that we need. Don knows how near and dear to Dean’s heart this is, so has asked us to help Make It Loud and reach out to your Representative.

Contacting your elected representative personally is one of the most important things you can do to effect change on an issue.

And It’s SUPER EASY … and will take you less than 1 minute to do.

1. Click on the link
2. Fill out the Form (it will automatically address the letter to your Representative)
3. Click “Start Writing” (it will write the letter for you)
4. Be sure to sign it
5. Click “Send Letter”
6. Share this link with your friends and family!

☆ ☆ ☆ START HERE ---> https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-hr500-and-honor-christa-mcauliffe?utm_campaign=MK%20McAuliffe%20Coin%202019&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_FhMckdear7toZSHkQLQMPzsNHdaKYyaAJOaUYLjPuWLu9MU79LjUqaAAa5y-4ruCy8OJLZW-v5LP_5Amzprp47_0E1Q&_hsmi=2&utm_content=2&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=cd7b17a1-3527-4438-bcc0-592a3c168a13%7C7bb6f79e-4231-4f83-8d1f-ce33fea16fd8

🚀 Will you please help? If so, please comment “DONE” in the comments below when you’ve sent it!

Congratulations to all 49 teams for a fun and successful Week 1 competition. And congratulations to all the award winners!

Regional Chairman's Award 3309

Regional Engineering Inspiration Award 4481

Rookie All Star Award 7447

Woodie Flowers Finalist Award Shaoni Bandyopadhyay (812)

Volunteer of the Year Jenny Chung

FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award Adrian Machado (3309)

FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award Marc Anthony Maciel (7157)

Regional Winners 330

Regional Winners 973

Regional Winners 597

Regional Finalists 4276

Regional Finalists 5805

Regional Finalists 4079

Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford 973

Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox 294

Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers 597

Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Delphi 1836

Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson 4201

Highest Rookie Seed 7447

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen 4913

Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors 330

Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation 3250

Judges' Award 812

Quality Award sponsored by Motorola Solutions Foundation 1160

Rookie Inspiration Award sponsored by National Instruments 7524

Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories 3250

Team Spirit Award sponsored by FCA Foundation 5851

Wildcard 4276

Wildcard 5805

Wildcard 4079

Getting ready for Alliance Seections!!

Thanks LA Times!

Local high school teams try to be FIRST in robotics competition in Costa Mesa Teams from Marina, Huntington Beach, Ocean View, Edison and Corona del Mar high schools entered their robots in the Orange County regional of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology competition at the OC Fair & Event Center.

Welcome Boeing to Orange County. 26 Boeing sponsored teams here this weekend!

☆ Volunteers Needed at California Events ☆

click to become a VOLUNTEER >>> https://www.firstinspires.org/ways-to-he…/…/event-volunteers

With 15 large scale FIRST events taking place over the next couple of months in California, we are in need of volunteers! Technical experience is not required. There are opportunities for everyone!

>>>If you are already volunteering - THANK YOU!!! And ... would you consider inviting a friend, co-worker or family member to join in on the fun?

PLEASE SHARE.

FIRST

Our founding Regional Director, Steve Stark, passed away last week. We will miss him greatly.

It with a very sad and heavy heart that we share the news of a great friend and amazing FIRST supporter’s passing.

Steve Stark passed away from a heart attack, last week, while on vacation in Hawaii with his wife Cindy. This has left a huge hole in our community and hearts as Steve was an incredibly supportive and positive individual that touched so many lives in our FIRST family.

"FIRST brought Steve and I together over a decade ago and I had the pleasure and true honor of working very closely with him over the years. Steve was an amazing champion of FIRST, someone who always said yes with a smile and truly cared! He was looking forward to the next chapter of his life, retiring as FIRST Regional Director – Southern California to run FIRST Lego League in Los Angeles with his wife next year. We have lost an amazing colleague and great friend way too soon."
- David Berggren, Senior Regional Director, FIRST California

Please keep Steve’s family and friends in your thoughts as they go through this very difficult time. The family is not requesting any support (donation, etc.) at this time. They are planning a celebration of life later in June. ♡

That's a wrap! Congratulations to all of our teams for a fantastic competition! A full awards list is available here! See you next year!

2018 Orange County Regional Videos and match results for the 2018 Orange County Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Irvine, CA 92697, USA.

The Taco Truck Band opening the second day of competition at the Orange County Regional