FIRST® Inspires Students From 50 Countries Worldwide to Power Their Ideas Forward with FIRST® Tech Challenge POWERPLAYSM presented by Raytheon Technologies
More than 6,000 Teams of Middle and High-School Students Will Reimagine the Future of Sustainable Energy During the 2022-2023 Season of FIRST® Tech Challenge
MANCHESTER, N.H., September 10, 2022 – FIRST®, a robotics community that prepares young people for the future, launched its 2022-2023 FIRST® Tech Challenge season, POWERPLAYSM presented by Raytheon Technologies, with a game reveal on the FIRST Tech Challenge YouTube Channel on September 10. Teams of students and adult mentors gathered around the world at local kickoff events to get a first glimpse of this season’s game where students will reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward. Over 70,000 students in more than 50 countries around the world will participate this season.
During the POWERPLAY season, teams will compete in an alliance format, and work together to solve global challenges related to sustainable energy. The season theme stems from the United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goal #7, which is focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
For engineers, creators, and inventors, energy choice is a balancing act. While participating in POWERPLAY, teams must focus on making the right energy decisions and find innovative ways to unlock their robot’s full potential as they race to build and complete circuits, testing the limits of power, performance, energy, and endurance.
FIRST is excited to partner with Raytheon Technologies to inspire students to be creative with sustainable energy and design a better future” said Chris Moore, CEO of FIRST. “The relevant, real-world skills these students are building will equip them for careers in industries that may not even exist yet. This season, students will leverage their curiosity and innovative spirit to power their ideas, projects and robots forward. We can’t wait to see what they come up with!"
Raytheon Technologies directly supports FIRST events, programs, and thousands of teams globally, through funding and time donated by hundreds of employees. Raytheon Technologies is doing its part to bring innovation, collaboration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education to students all over the world.
“Raytheon Technologies’ longstanding support of FIRST is built on the belief that inspiring the next generation of innovators will help enable revolutionary answers to the world’s pressing challenges,” said Randy Bumps, Raytheon Technologies’ Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility & Corporate Communications. “Building a diverse pipeline of talent capable of imagining and building sustainable solutions that redefine the future of aerospace is a global imperative – one that our company and these students gladly accepts.”
FIRST Tech Challenge is a widely accessible robotics program for grades 7 through 12 in which teams design, build, code, and operate sophisticated robots to play a themed floor game in an alliance format. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
In addition to gameplay, designing and building robots, FIRST Tech Challenge participants raise funds, design and market their team brand, and do community outreach to earn specific awards during the competition season.
Registration for the 2022-2023 POWERPLAY presented by Raytheon Technologies season is now open.
FIRST Strategic Partner, Raytheon Technologies, is the Season Presenting Sponsor for the 2022-2023 FIRST Tech Challenge season, POWERPLAY. POWERPLAY is part of the 2022-2023 FIRST® ENERGIZE℠ presented by Qualcomm season.
About FIRST
FIRST® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges. An international not-for-profit organization founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org.
About Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military, and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses ― Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ― the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Learn more about Connect Up, Raytheon Technologies’ social responsibility at: https://www.rtx.com/social-impact/corporate-responsibility