Awards
Quick Links
FIRST Robotics Competition celebrates the excitement of competition both on and off the field. Through the following awards, we celebrate the FIRST Core Values which makes us so much #morethanrobots. Please note that different event types (e.g. Regional events, District Competitions, FIRST Championship) offer a different set of awards. Not every award is presented at every FIRST Robotics Competition event. Details by event type are available on the linked pages below.
Important Award Deadlines:
Student Award Submitter
February 25, 2021, at 3pm ET
Add to CalendarAdult Award Submitter
February 18, 2021, at 3pm ET
Add to CalendarStudent Award Submitter
January 14, 2021 at 3pm ET
Add to CalendarStudent Award Submitter
February 18, 2021, at 3pm ET
Add to Calendar2021 Season FIRST® Robotics Competition Awards
All FIRST Robotics Competition awards will be judged remotely. Teams can choose to participate in the following:
- Game Design Challenge: Design a FIRST Robotics Competition game and compete for judged awards. The winning concept(s), or elements of those concepts, will be considered for official games in a future season.
- INFINITE RECHARGE at Home: Brings components of events to teams in two ways:
- Compete in a series of skills challenges based on the INFINITE RECHARGE game using your INFINITE RECHARGE robot
- Illustrate your robot’s technical qualities by sharing information with judges remotely in competition for traditional machine awards. Access to your team’s INFINITE RECHARGE robot is not required for this component of the competition.
- FIRST Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm: Through the FIRST Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm, students in FIRST Robotics Competition explore what it means to be an innovator and find solutions to society’s greatest challenges that impact the world for generations to come.
- Traditional Submitted Awards - In addition to the challenges above, teams will be able to compete for the traditional Submitted Awards which include the Chairman’s Award, FIRST Dean’s List Award, and Woodie Flowers Finalists Award.
Game Design Challenge
- Concept Award – Celebrates a team that creates an interesting, realistic game concept.
- Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation – Celebrates creativity that enhances the overall game design concept.
- Designer’s Award – Celebrates a team’s outstanding success with the Game Design Challenge. The winner of this award should be a strong candidate for other awards in this challenge.
- Engineering Design Award – Celebrates the team that demonstrates sound engineering in the design process.
- Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen – In honor of Jack Kamen, Dean’s father, for his dedication to art and illustration and his devotion to FIRST. This award celebrates attractiveness in visual aesthetic integration.
- Rookie Design Award - Celebrates the rookie team’s outstanding success in the Game Design Challenge.
INFINITE RECHARGE at Home
- Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford - Celebrates the team that has demonstrated consistent, reliable, high-performance robot operation during autonomously managed actions. Evaluation is based on the robot’s ability to sense its surroundings, position itself or onboard mechanisms appropriately, and execute tasks.
- Excellence in Engineering Award - Celebrates the team that demonstrates a professional approach to the design process.
- Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors - Celebrates the team that demonstrates industrial design principles, striking a balance between form, function, and aesthetics.
- Quality Award - Celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.
- Rookie Game Changer – Celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding success this season
- Skills Competition Winner - Celebrates a team’s outstanding success with the Skills Competition. The winner of this award will have the most points in their group. (not based on interview)
- Skills Competition Finalist - Celebrates a team’s outstanding success with the Skills Competition. The winner of this award will come in second place for the most points in their group. (not based on interview)
FIRST Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm
- FIRST Innovation Challenge Semi-Finalist - Semi-Finalists are teams that achieve excellence across all required criteria as described in the guidelines within a group.
Advancing FIRST Robotics Competition teams will showcase and celebrate their innovative solutions at the 2021 Global Innovation Awards powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, June 28-30, 2021 as a remote event in front of FIRST Strategic Partners and a global audience of peers and industry leaders.
Submitted Awards
Digital Animation Award sponsored by AutomationDirect.com
Safety Animation Award sponsored by UL
Need help submitting? Please ensure you have been designated as an Awards Submitter or find more helpful tips here.
Traditional FIRST® Robotics Competition Awards
The awards are grouped into four categories: Machine, Creativity, and Innovation Awards, Team Attribute Awards, Submitted Awards, and Robot Performance Awards. The Founder’s Award and Volunteer of the Year Award stand alone.
* Please note that for the 2021 Season, these awards will not be presented with the same guidelines. Please see above for an overview of awards that will be presented in 2021 along with the award description. Award guidelines will be released at kickoff.
Machine, Creativity, & Innovation Awards
Team Attribute Awards
Submitted Awards
Digital Animation Award sponsored by AutomationDirect.com
Safety Animation Award sponsored by UL
Need help submitting? Please ensure you have been designated as an Awards Submitter or find more helpful tips here.
Robot Performance Award
Finalist - Celebrates the Alliance that makes it to the final match of the competition.
Highest Rookie Seed Award - Celebrates the highest-seeded rookie team at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds. *
Winner - Celebrates the Alliance that wins the competition.
Other Awards
Founder’s Award - Recognizes the organization or individual that has contributed significantly to the growth of FIRST.
Volunteer of the Year Award - Presented to an individual, business, or organization that consistently excels in their efforts, with proven results in the areas of impact, leadership, personal commitment, community, and historical contributions.
All Awards
- Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford
- Chairman’s Award
- Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation
- Digital Animation Award sponsored by AutomationDirect.com
- Engineering Inspiration Award
- Entrepreneurship Award
- Excellence in Engineering Award
- Finalist
- FIRST Dean’s List Award
- Founder’s Award
- Gracious Professionalism® Award
- Highest Rookie Seed Award
- Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen
- Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors
- Innovation in Control Award
- Judges’ Award
- Quality Award
- Rookie All-Star Award
- Rookie Inspiration Award
- Safety Award sponsored by UL
- Safety Animation Award sponsored by UL
- Team Spirit Award
- Volunteer of the Year Award
- Winner
- Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
See also: Event Results to see past winners.