FCDI board members joined over 30,000 people attending the FIRST Championship in Houston last week, to celebrate and support more than 15,000 students, ages 6-18, from more than 40 countries, at the world’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for students. For four days, students showcased their achievements through displays and competitions, attended workshops – two of which were hosted by the Foundation for Community Driven Innovation – and generally partied around the idea that being smart is cool.
Crowds roared throughout the week in heady matches of mechanical engineering wits and the crowd at the finals matches at Minute Maid Park met or exceeded those at a Stanley Cup frenzied Lightning hockey game! For anyone feeling doubtful about 
the future of our nation and our world, the Houston FIRST Championship – and its Detroit companion going on this week – should serve as resounding affirmation that the future is bright and promising. It’s a promising affirmation, at least, if we continue to rally around powerful real world project and problem based learning supported by an army of mentors from the professional community who understand the importance of nurturing and training our next generation of science, tech and industrial workforce.
We helped drive that message home through two FIRST Championship Conference sessions, one a panel discussion on Manufacturing, facilitated by FCDI board chair, Steve Willingham with Tony Glockler of Solid Professor, Jack Biesiadecki of NASA, and the other on Off-Season best practices.
In both cases, students and mentors got to learn about leveraging community partnerships to expand opportunities for youth in FIRST, and how raising awareness of the effectiveness of programs like FIRST makes it possible to develop more resources like the Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center we’re developing here in Tampa Bay. Dean Kamen’s contention that we get what we celebrate holds true across all levels, not only in the ear splitting roar of the crowd cheering on student built robot competitions, but also at the community level regarding where our academic , corporate and government institutions put their money and support.
Tampa’s increasingly robust support of ROBOTICON is a perfect example. As we’ve stayed the course, building out the humble off-season into a two day STEAM education showcase, higher education and the Tampa Bay business community have taken notice. With more and more of our FIRST alumni attending the University of South Florida and demonstrating their impressive qualifications for high skilled, well paying jobs in Tampa Bay, it only makes sense for the community to support this important talent pipeline.
Working with EMS, 
where our permanent FIRST Robotics Competition field is being manufactured, we’re investing our time and money into building out both physical meeting and practice space, and developing customized pre- and full-apprenticeship programs that actively support our contention that youth involved in FIRST programs are ahead of the learning curve when it comes to valuable skills development for fulfilling, high wage jobs and careers.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be meeting with community partners to get planning for our fall ROBOTICON event underway (#ROBOTICONinSpaaace! thanks to FIRSTs early reveal of this year’s FIRST Launch space theme for all programs!) , working with the ARM Institute to learn some best practices and leverage project funding and support opportunities, and to get AMRoC established.
We’re excited about the future here in Tampa Bay, and the collaborative partnerships that are making it possible! If you want to be part of the solution – to a skilled workforce, for well educated youth, to innovation, invention and economic development – please get in touch via our contact page.