Animation Awards for FIRST AGE Season

We are excited to announce that both animation awards will be available for FIRST^® Tech Challenge and FIRST^® Robotics Competition teams this season! We are also excited to announce a new sponsor for the Digital Animation Award, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)!  

Digital Animation Award sponsored by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)  

Theme: The Artifact That Changed Everything. For the 2025-2026 season, choose one invention or material and animate how future generations might view it as the defining artifact of our era. 

Important Dates: 

September 25, 2025 – Submission opens on WPI’s website 

January 12, 2026 – Videos must be uploaded to YouTube, or similar video streaming service, & submitted via a form (link coming soon) no later than 11:59 pm eastern  

More Info: Visit the Digital Animation Award webpage for more information! 

Safety Animation sponsored by UL Solutions 

Theme: Unearth Safety! Fieldwork is a journey of discovery, but each step must be taken safely and sustainably. Safe and sustainable practices allow us to honor our heritage while creating a path to future innovation. For the 2025-2026 Safety Animation, we invite teams to dig deep to uncover impactful ways to implement safe and sustainable practices. Use bold storytelling and imaginative artistry to create a memorable message that inspires responsible exploration and careful stewardship of our resources. 

Important Dates for FIRST Tech Challenge Teams: 

October 24, 2025 – All submissions must be submitted via the form on the Safety webpage. 

Important Dates for FIRST Robotics Competition Teams: 

October 16, 2025 – Submission portal opens via the FIRST Dashboard 

November 20, 2025 – Submission portal closes via the FIRST Dashboard 

More Info: Visit the Safety webpage for more information!