Pennsylvania FTC Championship

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 about the winner:

This team charmed the judges with stories about how they each came to FTC. They brought their individual strengths (many unrelated to STEM), and soon learned that FIRST is about more than building robots. These GIRLS really MESHED as a team around a common love of FTC. The Unified Diversity award goes to team 9570, Gear Girls!

The Compass Award recognizes an adult coach or mentor who provided outstanding guidance and support for a FIRST Tech Challenge team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award is determined from candidates nominated by student team members, via a 40-60 second video, highlighting how their mentor has helped them become an outstanding team and has truly demonstrated what it means to be a Gracious Professional.

The Promote Award is given to the Team that is most successful in creating a compelling video message for the public designed to change our culture and celebrate science, technology, engineering and math. The video submission was evaluated by the Judges to determine the winner of this award. Teams must present a thoughtful and high-quality video which appeals to the general public and best exhibits this year's topic of "How has FIRST changed YOU?"

The Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc. celebrates the team that demonstrates innovative thinking in the control system to solve Game challenges such as Autonomous Operation, enhancing mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results on the field.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team impressed the judges with the simplicity and flexibility of their autonomous program. The driver-controlled enhancements helped to keep the robot and driver working together effectively. Their use of an 'Autonomous Scripting Interface' for developing their code enabled rapid prototyping to fine tune their scoring.

The team that receives the Motivate Award has the culture of FIRST and clearly shows what it means to be a team. This award celebrates the team that represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through team building, team spirit, and displayed enthusiasm. This is a team who makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community and sparks others to embrace the culture of FIRST.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team serves as an inspiration for sharing the ideals of FIRST across generations. These team members sink their teeth into every opportunity to help build new programs and teams. Filled with puppy-like enthusiasm and hound-like persistence, this team follows their heart to expand the pack.

The Design Award expands on this year's challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. These elements are functional and aesthetic, and 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 robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team's design process was rigorous, yet flexible. Their use of CAD and advanced calculations enabled them to lead the pack in robot scoring. Their dual-mode collection system made them a loyal alliance partner, both in "fetching and retrieving" skystones.

The Collins Aerospace Innovate Award celebrates a team that has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This award is given to the team that the Judges feel has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness and 'out of the box' thinking with regard to design. This award may address the design of the whole robot or some sub-assembly component of the robot. The creative component needs to work consistently, but a robot does not have to work all of the time during matches to be considered for this award. The team's engineering notebook showed the design of the component(s) and the team's robot, and clearly explains how the team arrived at their solution.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

The judges were impressed with this team's fast and effective collection and delivery system. The stones swung through the robot with amazing speed and the robot was able to consistently stack high skyscraper towers. The match observers and score trackers had to use all their BRAIN power to keep up with this team.

The Connect Award is presented to the team that the Judges' feel most connected with their local community, FIRST and the business world. The best team is more than the sum of its parts, and recognizes that their schools and communities play an essential part to their success. The recipient of this award is recognized for helping the community understand FIRST, the FIRST Tech Challenge, and the team itself. In addition, the team that wins this award is aggressively seeking engineers and other STEM professionals and exploring the opportunities available in the world of science and technology.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team crafted a network of engineers who were carefully pieced together like a cozy quilt. Linking both their hands and their heart, they invited engineers to share their expertise throughout the season. They don't need to luck of a four-leaf clover; they have the FORCE from within.

The Think Award is given to the team that the Judges feel best reflects the journey of the engineering design process. The engineering notebook is the key reference for Judges to help them identify the most deserving team. This team's engineering notebook focused on the design and build stages of the team's robot and exemplified their journey as a team and engineers.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team's notebook took the judges on their engineering journey from concept thru components and finally to a unified whole. Using science, math and selection matrices, they squared up their design in a concise way. Their method of reaching out to engage the community in FIRST broke them "out of the mold".

FIRST Dean's List Finalists are outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary. These students were nominated by their teams for their direct contributions and impact on others – exemplifying leadership and commitment on their FTC team, in their school, and in their community. FIRST Dean's List Finalists, recognized here today, will represent Pennsylvania in the running for the 10 Dean's List Winner spots.

The Inspire Award is presented to the Team that the Judges felt truly embodied the 'challenge' of the FIRST Tech Challenge program. The Team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and works to promote FIRST and make it loud in their community. The Team that receives this Award has performed well in all Judging categories and was chosen by the Judges as a model FIRST Tech Challenge team both on and off the playing field. This team shares their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the Judges. Working as a unit, this team will have shown success in performing the task of designing and building a robot. The Judges used observations made during interviews and in the pit area, the team's engineering notebook, and performance on the playing field in determining the winner.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team brought the judges the entire package. An extended mentor network, an engaging presentation, an elegantly designed robot, expanded community outreach, and an eloquent notebook. The amount of effort this team puts forth is EEEEnourmous