It is with “deep disappointment” that the President of FIRST, Larry Cohen, announced a season suspension. Please read President Cohen’s letter to the FIRST Community at this link: https://www.firstinspires.org/covid-19
Lewiston, Maine: The Pine Tree District Event, Maine’s eighth FIRST(R) (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition will be held at The Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston on (Scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4, 2020 – Season Suspended). The Pine Tree District Competition will host 40 high school robotics teams from New England states including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and attract over 2,000 spectators. The ice arena will be transformed into a competition field to play INFINITE RECHARGE™, the 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition Game. The number of FIRST Robotics Competition teams in Maine has grown to more than 20, all of them looking forward to another great competition season.
A FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting sporting event using robots created and built by the students. With donor funding and volunteer labor, this event is made possible by contributions from individuals and businesses from around the state. Members of the community interested in a contribution of any kind can learn more at https://pinetreedistrict.org/donate-now/.
To help support the district event with a contribution, please make checks payable to Robotics Institute of Maine, with Pine Tree District Event in the memo field, and send to: Robotics Institute of Maine, 33 McAlister Farm Road, Portland, ME 04103. The goal of the Robotics Institute of Maine (RIM) is to inspire Maine students to consider science/technology pathways to academics and careers through robotics programs. RIM provides funding and support to schools and teachers to encourage new robotics programs, as well as to sustain current programs. Since 2012, sponsored by ON Semiconductor; Texas Instruments; IDEXX Laboratories; AT&T; P&G and Pratt & Whitney, RIM has helped to double the number of students participating in robotics programs in Maine.
Robotics programs offer a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience, which prepares students for technology careers. They help promote leadership and teamwork skills, engineering and physics principles, software programming skills, project management skills, critical and strategic thinking skills and presentation skills. Through these efforts, we expect the State of Maine to have: more students majoring in engineering and technology at Maine universities and community colleges, a greater number of workers available for technically oriented jobs, and a larger base of high-skilled workers to retain, attract and start technology companies in Maine.
FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen of Deka Research and Development Corporation. Based in Manchester, NH, FIRST(R) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity designed to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, and to motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM fields. Designated donations to the Pine Tree Event can be made by check or online, in cooperation with the Robotics Institute of Maine. If you believe in the mission and values of FIRST, and the wisdom and dedication of these young people who compete, donate now!
To learn more about FIRST worldwide, visit www.firstinspires.org. To learn more about the Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.pinetreedistrict.org. To find a Maine team near you, visit www.mainefirst.org. To learn about other robotics initiatives in maine visit www.robotsinme.org.