The Hazel Park School District is implementing several STEAM instructional initiatives (STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). One such initiative is to further grow their FIRST Robotics Team. Hazel Park is one of the few school districts in the state to include a Robotics team at every level. They have a FIRST Lego League (FLL), a middle school FIRST Tech Challenge Team (FTC), and a high school FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).
One of our short term goals is to build a strong FIRST Robotics program. FIRST was started in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen. The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) programs aim to create passion for science and technology through robotics. The FIRST program encourages Gracious Professionalism, collaborative teamwork, and sportsmanship among teams even in the face of competition. Through FIRST, students build technical skills, and foster teamwork and leadership skills.
This 2018, we launched a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team at Hazel Park High School for grades 8-12. Starting in January, FRC students, coaches, and mentors will work together to design and construct a competitive robot to meet the season’s challenge.