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FIRST Robotics Competition & FIRST Tech Challenge

Digital Animation Award

sponsored by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) 
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The FIRST® Robotics Competition & FIRST® Tech Challenge Digital Animation Award! 

This award, sponsored by WPI, celebrates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) and emphasizes the ability to tell a story through animation that integrates technological, social, and humanistic concepts.

The competition is now open!

WPI logo

The 2027 Digital Animation Award is offered to help encourage students to cultivate skills in design and creation of animation while telling a story about the impact of technology on society. This award is open to all FIRST Robotics Competition teams and FIRST Tech Challenge teams and is optional.

Copyright

By making a submission, the Submitter irrevocably grants to FIRST and FIRST's designees the right to use any or all of the submission in any and all media for the purpose of describing the submission, describing the Award, and/or otherwise promoting FIRST and FIRST's programs.

  • This Year’s Theme

    This Year’s Theme: Rewild the Future

    For 2026-27, imagine a future where stem and nature work together to bring an ecosystem back to life.

    This year's theme is inspired by CANOPY™, the overall theme for the FIRST 2026-27 competition season. Choose a habitat, species, or natural system in need of renewal. Animate how people, technology, and nature could work together to restore its connections and help life return.

    Your story might begin with a damaged forest, disappearing pollinators, an unbalanced reef, or a polluted waterway. Where it goes next is up to you. Show us what becomes possible when we rewild the future.

    Need a little inspiration?

    Bring Back the Buzz: Pollinators help entire ecosystems and our food supply flourish. Imagine technology that supports threatened pollinators, restores their habitats, or helps plants reproduce while natural populations recover. Animate a future where flowers, insects, robots, and people work together to bring a landscape back to life. Learn more about WPI's robotic pollinator research >

    Revive the Waters: When algae grow out of balance, they can block sunlight and reduce the oxygen available to aquatic life. Design a nature-friendly system that helps restore a struggling pond, river, or wetland. Animate the transformation from damaged waterway to diverse, healthy habitat. Learn more about WPI students’ work on sustainable pond management >

    Protect the Unseen: Illegal wildlife trafficking threatens sharks, rays, sea turtles, and other vulnerable species. Imagine AI, data, and new identification tools helping conservationists recognize protected animals and stop illegal trade before populations disappear. Animate a future where technology gives threatened species a fighting chance. Learn more about WPI’s work to combat wildlife trafficking >

    These examples are starting points, not limits. Teams are encouraged to find their own connections between biodiversity, innovation, and storytelling.

     

  • Submission Requirements

    Submission Requirements

    The following requirements must be met for an animation to be submitted to the judges and displayed for other teams to watch.

     

    1. A single animation may be submitted by any registered FIRST Robotics Competition team or FIRST Tech Challenge team. Submissions may be 2D, 3D, mixed media, stop motion or anything else you can use to animate a story.
    2. The submitted animation must be no more than 30 seconds long (does not include title screen or credits). Animations more than 30 seconds long will not be judged.
      1. The submission must be relevant to the stated theme.
      2. 30 seconds is only an upper limit. Teams may submit an animation of any length up to that limit, and the duration will have no impact on how the animation is scored.
    3. Anything uploaded to and playable on YouTube (or similar video streaming service) by the deadline is accepted.  However, It is recommended that animations be submitted with the following for best event playback: 
      1. Format: H.264 codec in mp4 file
      2. Resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (720p) minimum. 1920 x 1080 (1080p) is optimal.
      3. Frame Rate: 24 frames per second.
    4. ​Title Screen & Credits
      1. The animation must begin with a title screen displayed for a 2-second duration followed by a one-second black slate, leading into the primary work.
      2. The title screen display will not be included in the total duration limit.
      3. The title screen must include your program (FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge), team number, team name, school/organization, title of the animation, and animation duration.
      4. Credits should follow a one-second black slate at the end of the animation and be no longer than 5 seconds total in length. Length of the credits will not be included in the total duration limit.
      5. Make sure to include team members, mentors, software used, list of public domain sources, and licensed sources in credits.
      6. Total length of work should be no longer than: 2 second title screen + 1 second black slate + (up to) 30 second animation + 1 second black slate + (up to) 5 seconds credits = 39 seconds total (max length). 
    5. Content
      1. Animation should be supportive of the FIRST Core Values & WPI's Core Values. 
      2. Animation must be free of copyright issues. Do not use copyrighted characters, music, or other elements, unless you have the legal right to do so.
    6. Submission Process: 
      • Upload the animation to YouTube (or a similar video streaming service) by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027. 
      • Fill out the submission form, available on this WPI webpage. You will need:
        • At least one adult mentor on your team (to complete the form)
        • The link to your video (must be viewable by anyone with the link) 
      • You are welcome/encouraged to upload the video early and to set the video to “unlisted” until the deadline. The video must be viewable by anyone with the link by the deadline shown above.
    7. **DEADLINE**
      • All entries, including a link to your video, must be submitted via this form by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027. Any entries after this deadline will not be judged. Winners will be announced Mid-February.
      • Public Viewing - A playlist of all the videos will be published for public viewing when the winners are announced. Keep an eye on official FIRST and WPI channels for the announcement. 

    If there are any questions, please feel free to contact us at first_daa@wpi.edu 

  • Judging

    Judging

    Judging will be completed by faculty and staff of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, including members of the Robotics Resource Center and Interactive Media and Game Development Department. All teams must follow the submission requirements as outlined below.

    While the judging is purely subjective, all judges will use the following rubric to evaluate entries: 

    1. Category 1: Connection to the Theme (30 points) 
      1. 25–30: Animation demonstrates a strong and original interpretation of the theme; the theme is deeply integrated into both visuals and narrative.
      2. 19–24: Clear alignment with the theme, though interpretation may be more straightforward or less nuanced.
      3. 13–18: Theme is present but weakly integrated or inconsistently represented.
      4. 0–12: Minimal or no connection to the theme.
    2. Category 2: Storytelling & Creativity (30 points)
      1. 25–30: Narrative is compelling, coherent, and innovative; characters, pacing, and structure support emotional engagement.
      2. 19–24: Story is coherent and engaging; demonstrates creativity but lacks full originality or depth.
      3. 13–18: Story is partially developed; predictable or unclear narrative arc with limited creativity.
      4. 0–12: Incoherent or incomplete story; lacks originality.
    3. Category 3: Animation Quality & Technique (30 points)
      1. 25–30: Demonstrates mastery of animation principles (timing, squash/stretch, anticipation, camera work); visuals are polished and enhance storytelling.
      2. 19–24: Strong technical execution with minor flaws; effective use of movement and timing.
      3. 13–18: Inconsistent application of animation principles; distracting errors present.
      4. 0–12: Limited or minimal animation skills displayed; rough, incomplete, or distracting work.
    4. Category 4: Overall Impact (10 points)
      1. 9–10: Animation leaves a strong, lasting impression; seamless integration of theme, story, and technique.
      2. 6–8: Solid overall impact with some areas needing polish.
      3. 3–5: Average impression; story or visuals partially effective.
      4. 0–2: Weak impact; animation fails to engage.

    Total: 100 points

  • Awards

    Awards

    Official FIRST Trophy & Plaque will be sent to the winner from FIRST. There will be one winner and trophy for the FIRST Robotics Competition winner and another winner and trophy for FIRST Tech Challenge.

    WPI will provide sponsorships to the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge winning teams as long as all submission criteria are met:

    • FIRST Robotics Competition: A team sponsorship covering the 2027/2028 registration fee (a $6,300 value).
    • FIRST Tech Challenge: A $2,000 team sponsorship, which breaks down as:
      • $325 toward registration
      • $500 toward field materials
      • $1,175 toward robot materials

  • Competition Scholarships

    Competition Scholarships

    • Any student who is a member of a FIRST team that submits a Digital Animation Award entry is eligible for a $1,000 scholarship to attend WPI.
    • The scholarship form will be available on this WPI page after November 1, 2026.

  • Reference

    Reference

    • Behind the Scenes Game Animation - In this video, AutomationDirect.com will take you behind the scenes and show how the FIRST Robotics Competition Game Animations are made, start to finish, in partnership with AutomationDirect.com.

     

This Year’s Theme: Rewild the Future

For 2026-27, imagine a future where stem and nature work together to bring an ecosystem back to life.

This year's theme is inspired by CANOPY™, the overall theme for the FIRST 2026-27 competition season. Choose a habitat, species, or natural system in need of renewal. Animate how people, technology, and nature could work together to restore its connections and help life return.

Your story might begin with a damaged forest, disappearing pollinators, an unbalanced reef, or a polluted waterway. Where it goes next is up to you. Show us what becomes possible when we rewild the future.

Need a little inspiration?

Bring Back the Buzz: Pollinators help entire ecosystems and our food supply flourish. Imagine technology that supports threatened pollinators, restores their habitats, or helps plants reproduce while natural populations recover. Animate a future where flowers, insects, robots, and people work together to bring a landscape back to life. Learn more about WPI's robotic pollinator research >

Revive the Waters: When algae grow out of balance, they can block sunlight and reduce the oxygen available to aquatic life. Design a nature-friendly system that helps restore a struggling pond, river, or wetland. Animate the transformation from damaged waterway to diverse, healthy habitat. Learn more about WPI students’ work on sustainable pond management >

Protect the Unseen: Illegal wildlife trafficking threatens sharks, rays, sea turtles, and other vulnerable species. Imagine AI, data, and new identification tools helping conservationists recognize protected animals and stop illegal trade before populations disappear. Animate a future where technology gives threatened species a fighting chance. Learn more about WPI’s work to combat wildlife trafficking >

These examples are starting points, not limits. Teams are encouraged to find their own connections between biodiversity, innovation, and storytelling.

 

Submission Requirements

The following requirements must be met for an animation to be submitted to the judges and displayed for other teams to watch.

 

  1. A single animation may be submitted by any registered FIRST Robotics Competition team or FIRST Tech Challenge team. Submissions may be 2D, 3D, mixed media, stop motion or anything else you can use to animate a story.
  2. The submitted animation must be no more than 30 seconds long (does not include title screen or credits). Animations more than 30 seconds long will not be judged.
    1. The submission must be relevant to the stated theme.
    2. 30 seconds is only an upper limit. Teams may submit an animation of any length up to that limit, and the duration will have no impact on how the animation is scored.
  3. Anything uploaded to and playable on YouTube (or similar video streaming service) by the deadline is accepted.  However, It is recommended that animations be submitted with the following for best event playback: 
    1. Format: H.264 codec in mp4 file
    2. Resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (720p) minimum. 1920 x 1080 (1080p) is optimal.
    3. Frame Rate: 24 frames per second.
  4. ​Title Screen & Credits
    1. The animation must begin with a title screen displayed for a 2-second duration followed by a one-second black slate, leading into the primary work.
    2. The title screen display will not be included in the total duration limit.
    3. The title screen must include your program (FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge), team number, team name, school/organization, title of the animation, and animation duration.
    4. Credits should follow a one-second black slate at the end of the animation and be no longer than 5 seconds total in length. Length of the credits will not be included in the total duration limit.
    5. Make sure to include team members, mentors, software used, list of public domain sources, and licensed sources in credits.
    6. Total length of work should be no longer than: 2 second title screen + 1 second black slate + (up to) 30 second animation + 1 second black slate + (up to) 5 seconds credits = 39 seconds total (max length). 
  5. Content
    1. Animation should be supportive of the FIRST Core Values & WPI's Core Values. 
    2. Animation must be free of copyright issues. Do not use copyrighted characters, music, or other elements, unless you have the legal right to do so.
  6. Submission Process: 
    • Upload the animation to YouTube (or a similar video streaming service) by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027. 
    • Fill out the submission form, available on this WPI webpage. You will need:
      • At least one adult mentor on your team (to complete the form)
      • The link to your video (must be viewable by anyone with the link) 
    • You are welcome/encouraged to upload the video early and to set the video to “unlisted” until the deadline. The video must be viewable by anyone with the link by the deadline shown above.
  7. **DEADLINE**
    • All entries, including a link to your video, must be submitted via this form by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027. Any entries after this deadline will not be judged. Winners will be announced Mid-February.
    • Public Viewing - A playlist of all the videos will be published for public viewing when the winners are announced. Keep an eye on official FIRST and WPI channels for the announcement. 

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact us at first_daa@wpi.edu 

Judging

Judging will be completed by faculty and staff of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, including members of the Robotics Resource Center and Interactive Media and Game Development Department. All teams must follow the submission requirements as outlined below.

While the judging is purely subjective, all judges will use the following rubric to evaluate entries: 

  1. Category 1: Connection to the Theme (30 points) 
    1. 25–30: Animation demonstrates a strong and original interpretation of the theme; the theme is deeply integrated into both visuals and narrative.
    2. 19–24: Clear alignment with the theme, though interpretation may be more straightforward or less nuanced.
    3. 13–18: Theme is present but weakly integrated or inconsistently represented.
    4. 0–12: Minimal or no connection to the theme.
  2. Category 2: Storytelling & Creativity (30 points)
    1. 25–30: Narrative is compelling, coherent, and innovative; characters, pacing, and structure support emotional engagement.
    2. 19–24: Story is coherent and engaging; demonstrates creativity but lacks full originality or depth.
    3. 13–18: Story is partially developed; predictable or unclear narrative arc with limited creativity.
    4. 0–12: Incoherent or incomplete story; lacks originality.
  3. Category 3: Animation Quality & Technique (30 points)
    1. 25–30: Demonstrates mastery of animation principles (timing, squash/stretch, anticipation, camera work); visuals are polished and enhance storytelling.
    2. 19–24: Strong technical execution with minor flaws; effective use of movement and timing.
    3. 13–18: Inconsistent application of animation principles; distracting errors present.
    4. 0–12: Limited or minimal animation skills displayed; rough, incomplete, or distracting work.
  4. Category 4: Overall Impact (10 points)
    1. 9–10: Animation leaves a strong, lasting impression; seamless integration of theme, story, and technique.
    2. 6–8: Solid overall impact with some areas needing polish.
    3. 3–5: Average impression; story or visuals partially effective.
    4. 0–2: Weak impact; animation fails to engage.

Total: 100 points

Awards

Official FIRST Trophy & Plaque will be sent to the winner from FIRST. There will be one winner and trophy for the FIRST Robotics Competition winner and another winner and trophy for FIRST Tech Challenge.

WPI will provide sponsorships to the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge winning teams as long as all submission criteria are met:

  • FIRST Robotics Competition: A team sponsorship covering the 2027/2028 registration fee (a $6,300 value).
  • FIRST Tech Challenge: A $2,000 team sponsorship, which breaks down as:
    • $325 toward registration
    • $500 toward field materials
    • $1,175 toward robot materials

Competition Scholarships

  • Any student who is a member of a FIRST team that submits a Digital Animation Award entry is eligible for a $1,000 scholarship to attend WPI.
  • The scholarship form will be available on this WPI page after November 1, 2026.

Reference

  • Behind the Scenes Game Animation - In this video, AutomationDirect.com will take you behind the scenes and show how the FIRST Robotics Competition Game Animations are made, start to finish, in partnership with AutomationDirect.com.

 

FIRST® Robotics Competition

2026 Winner

 

Team 5298 “The E-Tech Chargers”

Judge Notes: We love so much about this video: the color palette, cute art style, expressive characters, and consistent story that tells both the history and future of a simple invention that changed the world. Congratulations, it is clear a lot of love went into this project!

FIRST® Tech Challenge

2026 Winner

 

Team 21536 “Team Stealth”

Judge Notes: This is such a great use of the stop-motion medium, and we were impressed by the detail and expressivity in the animation. This video has some excellent storytelling about the pervasive issue of plastic pollution. We love that this video shows the potential downsides of the introduction of new inventions and includes a call to action. Excellent work!