HAMPTON, Va. - The FIRST Chesapeake Robotics Championships, sponsored by Newport News Shipbuilding, wrapped up Saturday at the Hampton Coliseum.
More than 2,000 middle and high school students from Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland competed for a chance to attend the FIRST World Robotics Championship in Houston, Texas.
In total, 140 robotics teams participated in the event.
This was the first large-scale championship in three years, according to a release from FIRST Chesapeake. To mark the occasion, the FIRST Tech Challenge District Championship was hosted in tandem with the FIRST Robotics Competition District Championship.
According to FIRST Chesapeake, 300 teams from around the region competed to participate in this event.
“This is not like a science fair. It is a fast-paced sports-based competition.’” said Leighann Scott Boland, the executive director for FIRST Chesapeake. “We are thrilled to be presenting these Championships in partnership with Newport News Shipbuilding. As the largest commercial manufacturer within the Commonwealth, they represent the pinnacle of technological advancement. We are so proud of what our students have accomplished and are pleased to share their hard work with the Hampton Roads community. Major corporations, including the Shipyard, tell us that FIRST experience is something they look for in their prospective employees.”
Participants in FIRST programs also qualify to apply for more than $80 million in college scholarships.
