Captain 4433 Smokin' Motors, Conrad Weiser High School, Robesonia, PA
        1st Selected 6965, Westwood Robotics Alliance, Westwood Middle School, Morgantown, WV
            2nd Selected 7058, Artificial Intelligence Recruits, WACTC, McMurray, 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 enthusiastic team exemplifies the essence of the competition through team buidling, cooperative team spirit, and gracious professionalism. This team could be seen helping many teams in the pits. Their ourtreach involves social media and extends the FTC spirit to other organizations, including a STEM Academy. 

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 was committed to spreading the importance of science and engineering to populations who did not have exposure to these fields. In doing so, they had to break down many barriers. Their 3-tier outreach plan leaves other teams green with envy.

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:

For Innovative use and re-purposing of approved build materials. This team effectively made a sticky belt from shelf liner material efficiently lifted, controlled and deposited blocks for maximized scoring.

Winner Team 4507, RoboChargers from Grand Rapids, MI

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 used CAD software to create a robot that is functional, elegant, and unique in its appearance. This team mapped out its strategy to get maximum end points and built a robot from diverse components, such as lego parts and rubber bands. This Quantum Physics oriented team equipped its robot with neon green lights to give it a futuristic, out of this world look! 

Winner Team 5526, Quasics from Monroeville, 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 has machine-like dedication in recording their engineering progress in their notebook. With a small team size, their motors were going full speed to design and build a solid robot and outreach with their community. This team's engineering notebook is smokin' hot! 

Winner Team 4433, Smokin' Motors from Robesonia, 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:

This team was clearly EXCITED throughout the competition, as they cheered on their team and others. This team proved to be worthy candidates of this award by performing well in a number of categories! This team not only showed their engineering prowess with the performance of their robot and their excellent documnetation, but also demonstrated their committment to outreach by helping underprivileged students LAUNCH an interest in STEM.

Winner Team 6208, Team Ratzo from York, PA

2nd Runner-up: Team Team 4433, Smokin' Motors       3rd Runner-up: Team Team 6022, TBD

The Judges 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:

This team had an incredibly robust robotic solution that scored at the highest levels all day. They scored every time in the autonomous by finding the IR beacon and depositing the block into the correct basket. The winner of this Autonomous Programming Award has been determined.

Winner Team 6022, TBD from Aurora, OH

The Judges 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:


Winner Team 6965 Westwood Robotics Alliance from Morgantown, WV