More than 450 Iowa high school students representing 48 teams will be competing February 22 and 23 in the Iowa FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in Coralville. Hosted by the University of Iowa College of Engineering and Collins Aerospace, students will test their engineering skills and teamwork abilities.

FIRST Tech Challenge is an opportunity for high school students across Iowa to gain hands-on STEM experience through designing, building, and programming their robots to compete. Teams, including coaches, mentors, and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. FIRST Tech Challenge is designed for those who want to compete head to head, using a sports model. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year, and is programmed using a variety of languages.  Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

Teams qualified through league tournaments and Super Qualifier events and will compete to move to the World Championship in Detroit, MI in April.

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989. FIRST gives students the opportunity to develop the "muscle between their ears" and to gain experiences that will affect their future. Students who participate in FIRST use and reflect Gracious Professionalism, get real-world application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts, and participate in an atmosphere that encourages team building, entrepreneurship and sportsmanship.

Iowa Championship