Operated by the non-profit, 501(c)3 Power Hawks Robotics Club Inc, the Power Hawks are a group of students, adult mentor, and volunteers dedicated to the practical education of future engineers based in Edgewater, Maryland. These motivated students annually design and build a robot to compete regionally and nationally in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition and Tech Challenge. The Power Hawks improve their science, technology, engineering, and math skills, learn to cooperatively problem solve and develop self-confidence, soft-skills and leadership.
We are a robotics team comprised of students from South River High School in Edgewater, MD. Our mission is to promote the vision of FIRST by providing a unique free-thinking team opportunity supported by a mentor-based, technical and professional environment through the build of competitive robots. We hope to support and inspire a changing ideology in the community to embrace and appreciate the importance of science and technology.
Students in the program are inspired to innovate and create. They leave with well-rounded life capabilities including communication, self-confidence and leadership, in addition to the technical and professional knowledge inherent to the team atmosphere.
The Power Hawks are a conglomerate of:
FIRST® stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST® is all about creating technical-minded professionals for an ever-changing world.
It's mission: To design accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering.
Basically, FIRST® designs programs that promote team building, provide opportunities for student leadership, and motivate students to get involved in science-, technology-, and engineering-related careers. There are several different programs which allow participants from the Elementary School level all the way up to the High School. With these different programs, students are able to choose a program that is suitable for their needs. The variation in FIRST®'s programs is one of the reasons for its popularity, and is an important part of providing opportunities for a large range of students in the science and tech fields.
In 1992, FIRST® began the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) with 28 teams and a single 14 x 14 foot playing field in a New Hampshire high school gym. Today, it has more than 1,600 teams participating nationwide and internationally, in over 40 Regional events and in a culminating Championship event in April of each year.
The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of young people, grades 9-12, and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in competitions designed by Dean Kamen, Dr. Woodie Flowers, and a committee of engineers and other professionals.FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high-school-aged young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of engineers and researchers can be.
FIRST® redefines winning for these students because they are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.
What is unique about the FRC program?
Learn more about the FIRST® Robotics Competition at the official FIRST® website.
The FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) is a mid-level robotics competition for high-school students that launched in 2005. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST® Robotics Competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit. The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering.
FTC teams are not as involving as FRC teams, and are typically suitable for the high school student who does not have 6 weeks of his life to spare for only robotics. Although the program is less involving, students still construct similar robots to FRC at a smaller scale.
Learn more about the FIRST® Tech Challenge at the official FIRST® website.
This is the robotics program for early elementary aged students that supports and channels the creative thinking of kids ages 6-9. Each year the challenge is a variation of the FLL game based upon real-world issues. Guided by a team coach and mentors, the students research and build models addressing the challenge and present to Reviewers. This is the first taste these students get in engineering and science, along with developing communication and teamwork skills.
Learn more about the FIRST® Lego League at the official FIRST® website.
Every FIRST® team gets 6 weeks to design, prototype, build, test, and ship a 120 lb. robot that can remotely execute a set of challenging tasks. Much attention is given to brainstorming game strategy, and scoring, which will steer a final design. Then our team of students, guided by dedicated mentors, combine mechanical, electrical, programming, and other specialized skills to fabricate a hi-tech robot. Finally, we get to share our creativity, and compete graciously with teams from all over the country.
