Captain 61 Ozone, Oxford Robotics, Oxford, PA
        1st Selected 4977 LANLords, Lancaster FTC, Millersville, PA
            2nd Selected 6045 foobar, Oxford Robotics, Oxford, 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:This team has unique and attention getting head gear. Soaring above the competition, cheering all the way. They are on fire with the spirit of FIRST.

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 shines with their community involvement. Their outreach and advocacy starts at home and travels the world. Whether in a sweater or in sandals, they promote FIRST worldwide.

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:

The winner demonstrates excellent block management. All are good teams, but only one can scoop up the prize. Showing personal energy and using potential energy in their design.

Winner Team 4999, Imagine It from Palmyra, 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:

The unique design features of this team's robot made sure that the rest of the competition couldn't hang with them. They swept away their opponents. It was if everyone else was sucked into black hole. 

Winner Team 61, Ozone from Oxford, 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 very well organized and has excellent description of their creative process. Prototyping and design in this electronic notebook is well documented. We didn't have to go through a maze to find this best notebook.

Winner Team 6208, Team Ratzo from York, PA

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:


Winner Team 4856, Minnie MASH from West Vincent, PA

2nd Runner-up: Team 3113, Some Disassembly Required      3rd Runner-up: Team Team 61, Ozone