"FIRST is an acronym, which stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology." FIRST is a non-profit organization started by Dean Kaman. FIRST was started to get kids involved in science and technology. Every year in FIRST, teams all around the world build a robot and take them to competitions to compete in the game of the year. There are plenty of awards associated with FIRST. For example; safety awards, gracious professionalism awards and many others."

"Besides the numerous scholarships and "real-world" experience that each student can get, FIRST also wants to give them something else. FIRST wants to turn the sport of robotics into just that, a sport. They want to challenge the mind of the next generation, creating a group of people full of excitement and expertise for robotics and technology looking to pass on their knowledge to the following generation. What could be better than varsity robotics?"

- Jordan   

"Breakaway is a game that is played on a 27 by 54 foot field played by 6 robots, 3 on each alliance. Robots start by facing their own alliance driver station wall. A match lasts for 2 minutes and 15 seconds. The first 15 seconds of the match is the autonomous period where teams program their robot to move in a certain way by itself. The rest of the match lasts for 2 minutes that is where the robot is operated by the drivers. The last 20 seconds of the entire match is called the finale and that is when robots have the ability to drive up on top of the tower's tunnel, hang off of the tower or a robot can hang off of another robot that is already hanging on the tower."

"The game is played in the same bases as soccer. Teams must score balls in their own alliance goal in order to obtain points. After a ball has been scored it is up to the human players to return the ball in a mainly fashion. During the finale teams has the option to climb upon the tower of their own alliance color. A robot that climbs on top of the tunnel will get 2 points. A robot that hangs from the tower will also receive 2 points. But if a robot hangs from a robot that is already hanging that robot will get the alliance an additional 3 points."

- Jonathan   

Lunacy 2009

Robots try to pick up balls and put them in other robots “trailers.” The floor represents the moons surface by having low friction. Players also try to shoot balls into the trailers.
Lunacy Video

FIRST Overdrive 2008

Robots had to go around the track and knock down balls. Then the balls are pushed over or under a bypass.
2008 Kickoff Video
2008 Championship Video

Rack 'n Roll 2007

Robots are supposed to hang tubes on the rotating 10 foot high pegs and robots will try to hang on them.
2007 Kickoff Video

Aim High 2006

Balls are shot from the robot into the goals while players put them back into play.
2006 Kickoff Video
2006 Chairman's Award Video

Triple Play 2005

There are 9 goals and the robots has to claim them by putting a certain number of tetras on them.
2005 Chairman's Award Video

FIRST Frenzy - Raising the Bar 2004

The balls collected by the robot from the field are brought to the human players. The balls are put into the goals that are behind the robots.

Stack Attack 2003

The robots have to stack bins on top of one another. The points are based on how high the stack is.

Zone Zeal 2002

There are movable goals around the field and robots have to put the balls in them. Then after the match has ended the robots must return to the starting point.

Diabolical Dynamics 2001

Four teams work together to get the highest score possible by putting balls in designated areas.

Co-operation FIRST 2000

This game has two teams of two alliances and points are scored by putting balls in each others goals and then have the robot go back to its designated area.

Double Trouble 1999

The matches are two minutes long and points are scored by floppies, which are pillows with Velcro on them, and if they can stand on the puck.

- Joe   

" Dean's Homework for this year was for all of us to get more people to go to the competitions. Just as people go to football and basketball games Dean wants more people to watch our games. The game this year is simple and it is easy to keep track of the score so he wants non-FIRST people to enjoy watching robots play Breakaway. This will not only spread FIRST but have more people watching exactly what FIRST is all about."

- Channing   

"FIRST Robotics Team 279 is attached to Toledo Technology Academy. During the recruiting process, where we advertise our school as a viable option when compared to the normal public high school a student would go to, we often speak to incoming students in the Toledo area about FIRST Robotics and how it you can join our team if they so choose. We also go to various shows and public events to demonstrate our current robot."

- Dylan