CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. β Middle and high school students gathered at Falling Creek Middle School for the second Richmond qualifier for FIRST Tech Challenge, a robotics competition that's teaching young people far more than just engineering skills.
The competition, organized by the non-profit FIRST Chesapeake, brings students together to design, program and build robots for specific tasks. But participants say the real value lies in the soft skills they develop along the way.
"The students get a lot out of it, so teach you the skills you need for, say, a job interview, being confident about who you are, not only job skills, but like there are actual recruiters that walk around here," said Amia Robinson, a FIRST Robotics volunteer who has been involved with the program for 15 years.
Robinson noted that one team member even secured a job opportunity for when he turns 18.
For many participants, the competition serves as an introduction to STEM fields, particularly for young women who might otherwise feel excluded from these areas.
"A lot of girls are into math and science and feel like they can't explore that field and can't be successful in that field," said Ella Gagnon, a FIRST Robotics regional competitor.
Gagnon, who grew up in a STEM household, emphasized how the program has built her confidence beyond technical skills.
"I cannot express how much doing this robot stuff, having to talk to professionals, having to work with all these great people has taught me," Gagnon said. "And even if I don't choose to do a career in robotics, having the confidence to give my ideas and myself and what I bring to the table."
The competition teaches resilience as much as robotics. Students learn that failure is part of the process.
"There's times where it will fail and you'll have to improve it, and it's not necessarily showing that you're not good at it. It's just like you need to fail fast to make it better," Gagnon said.
Matthew Sanders, district organizer of events for FIRST Robotics Chesapeake, described the competition as designed for students in late middle and high school to tackle the year's specific challenges.
Robinson stressed the importance of persistence, regardless of setbacks.
"One of the most important things is to always show up no matter what, even if things fall apart, even if your robot doesn't work, even if somebody's sick, even if you, you show up and you always make it work," Robinson said.
FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" and operates as what organizers call a "varsity sport for the mind," where students gain real-world experience in engineering, branding and fundraising with guidance from professional mentors.
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