The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is a mid-level robotics competition for high-school students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.

The FIRST Tech Challenge grew out of the existing FIRST Robotics Competition and the FIRST Robovation platform. FIRST, RadioShack, and Innovation FIRST collaborated to develop an improved version of the FIRST Robovation kit. The new kit is significantly upgraded and is called the Vex Robotics Design System. The Vex Robotics Design System challenges students’ creative problem-solving skills by enabling them to build robots to do amazing things. The students:

Design and construct robotic devices

Learn the value of teamwork and respect everyone’s ideas and contributions

Appreciate peoples differences and learn how those differences add to our lives

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.

Information courtesy of the FIRST Robotics Web Site, www.usfirst.org