Captain 4134 Wrench in the Works, Chester County Robotics, Downingtown, PA
        1st Selected 4999 Imagine It, Imagine It, Palmyra, PA
            2nd Selected 4077 MASH, Friends of 401, West Vincent, PA

The Motivate Award recognizes outstanding team spirit shown though costumes and outfits, team support, and other methods of standing out and raising attention. Teams that reach out to their schools and community to raise awareness of FIRST and their FTC efforts have done so in a variety of cool and inventive methods - this winner is no exception.  Here is what the judges had to say:You'll cheer for this team. It will be easy to see why they won this award. Even if they make you green with envy. Please, put on your sunglasses on as they come forward.

The Connect Award is a bit different than the Motivate Award. Winners of the Connect Award have done a great deal of community outreach not only to spread the word about FIRST but specifically to include engineers, scientists, and other technology professionals into their outreach efforts. This creates connections between teams, FIRST, and the professional world that can last years beyond their participation in FTC. Connect Award winners also develop and execute plans to fund their team including clear goals and objectives - including how they can give back to their community in the future.  Here is what the judges had to say:This team unique ability to connect to a diverse community and sponsors was absolutely Ter riffic. They had both local and international outreach with a mission statement. This group took a byte out of connecting FTC with the outside community.
Team 4149, Terabytes from Murrysville, PA

The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award is robot specific. It celebrates teams who come up with innovate solutions to the Game Challenge that most others have overlooked. These solutions can't just look good - they've got to work... at least most of the time. Historically, some of the most innovative breakthroughs in science and technology have come when fresh thinking is applied to a known problem. This year's Rockwell Collins Innovate Award winners demonstrated that type of thinking. Here is what the judges had to say:

Many teams today have GRABBED our attention. This team SPRUNG a surprise that really caught our attention and the unique WORK on their drive system really WRENCHED our interest.

Team 4134, Wrench in the Works from Downingtown, PA

We are happy that PTC has offered to sponsor the PTC Design Award. The intent of this award is to expand the challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. These elements can be shown in the simplicity of the design as it applies to the tasks, the look and feel of the robot, and how the design allows us to think of robots in new ways. The Design aspects must serve a function - but they should also differentiate the robot in a unique fashion - not an easy task with a limited set of parts and game challenge. Here is what the judges had to say:

This team swept their competition off their wheels. Their functionality and aesthetics were nothing short of electric. Their innovative circuit of gears, dual omni wheel design and detailed CAD efforts make this team exemplify outstanding designed sensability.

Team 6191, Short Circuits from Warrington, PA

Every team at this event has had to think - hopefully a lot. The Think Award recognizes the team that has successfully thought, organized, and documented their journey from their starting point to their final design. The engineering notebook is the record of this journey. Just like in real life, teams that can document their process have the best chance at learning from it and improving on it. Here is what the judges had to say:

This team's notebook is neat, organized, and comprehensive. The judges lit up when they reviewed it. After reading about this team, you will never need to ask what's up.

Team 5169, Watts Up from Edison, NJ

The Inspire Award is the highest award given by FTC. The winner of the Inspire Award is automatically eligible for advancement to the next tournament level. The Inspire Award winner is the 'prototype' for what we'd like to see all teams achieve as part of the FIRST Tech Challenge. They do many of the things mentioned in the other awards. The difference is that they've tied these together in a comprehensive manner resulting in success in the competition, outreach to the community, robot design, team spirit, and engineering accomplishment. That's a tall order but we've got some great candidates for this award today. Here is what the judges had to say:

This team's robot design, engineering notebook, and gracious professionalism were stellar. Their community outreach was vast even extending across state borders. Therefore you will never question "Watt the Hex," they received this award for.

Team 4311, Watt The Hex? from Edison, NJ

2nd Runner-up: Team 4134, Wrench in the Works       3rd Runner-up: Team 6045, foobar

The Outstanding Rookie Award is given at the discretion of the judges to a team they have encountered whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet the team does not fit into any of the existing award categories. Here is what the judges had to say:

A small rookie of two with a big heart and getting it all right!

7690 MASH Triage Unit, Friends of 401, West Vincent, PA