Jan
8
Sat
2022 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School
Jan 8 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
2022 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School

Join us for a 2022 season kick-off event in the robot lab at BICS.  We’ll watch the kick-off show live streamed for FIRST HQ and then begin work on planning our 2022 robot.  We’ll wrap things up with a traditional pizza party at 1:30 p.m.

If you aren’t able to join us at BICS, you can join us by Zoom:

This year, FIRST® teams will explore the future of transportation. From the shipment of packages in rural and urban areas, to disaster relief delivery and high-tech air transit, teams will re-imagine faster, more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable transportation innovations that better connect and grow communities and economies around the world. Teams will address today’s global challenges related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #9, focused on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. By encouraging FIRST participants to think about future transportation sustainability, we’re also empowering them to be the next generation of leaders and innovators, tackling the world’s toughest challenges.

Mar
24
Thu
FIM District Midland Event @ H.H. Dow High School
Mar 24 – Mar 26 all-day

Our first District Event of the 2022 season is in Midland at H.H. Dow High School.  Once we finalize travel arrangements, those details will be posted here.

Click this link for directions to the venue.

 

Apr
7
Thu
FIM District Kingsford Event @ Kingsford High School
Apr 7 – Apr 9 all-day

Our second District Event of the 2022 season is in Kingsford in the UP at Kingsford High School.  Once we finalize travel arrangements, those details will be posted here.

Click this link for directions to the venue.  Additional information about the event is available on the Kingsford Event page at the First in Michigan site.

The team will depart from Welke Airport at 9:00 a.m. on April 7.  The robot will depart late the prior day.  It is about a 4:45 drive to the site so, with a few pit stops we should arrive there around 4:00 p.m. EDT, but because Kingsford is on Central time, the local time will be 3:00 p.m. EDT.  We will leave Kingsford to return Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time and arrive back at CVX around 3:00 p.m. EDT.  Our return flight is at 4:30 p.m.

The team will be staying at yje Days Inn in Iron Mountain, which is about three miles from the competition site.  Reservations are available here. Directions to the hotel are here.

Our route to Kingsford will take us through Norway.  However, because we will not disembark there, no passports will be required.

Jun
13
Mon
bIrobot Cyber Security Camp @ Beaver Island Community School
Jun 13 – Jun 17 all-day

Join the BICS robotics team bIrobot for a cybersecurity camp.  Learn how to defend PCs by understanding how they are attacked. Participate in a cyber-sec “capture the flag” game as you compete against students from across the state.  It’ll be lots of fun and the skills you learn will help get you ready for the BICS CyberPatriot team launching in the fall.  The class will be taught by long-time island summer resident and cybersecurity expert Chris Sorensen with assistance from bIrobot Lead Mentor Kevin Boyle. The camp sessions will be available online and in person, but those on the island are encouraged top plan to participate in person.  Camp times are 8:30 to 11:30

Signup begins May 1. To sign up, send an email to cybersecure@birobot.org.

Aug
8
Mon
bIrobot Robotics Camp @ Beaver Island Community School
Aug 8 – Aug 12 all-day

Unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel our camp for this summer.  Our team is small and its members are all busy with summer jobs this summer.  We hope to build our ranks this year and offer a summer camp again next year.

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We plan to resume our robotics camp this summer! It’s a mini-FRC season packed into a week. We’ll spend a day one getting up to speed.  Kick-off (and the game reveal) will be at noon on day two with build continuing through the morning of day five.  The competition will be day five.  Campers will form teams to design and build their own robots using the Lego EV3 platform. Teams will compete both on robotics performance and their ability to explain their design, strategy and approach to teamwork to judges who will visit them in their pits during the competition (just like at and FRC event).

Camp will run 8:30 to 12:30 Monday through Friday. The competition will start at 1:00 on Friday.

Check the bIrobot website for additional details and to sign up to be notified when online registration becomes available.

Please remember that FIRST is more than robots. Campers will also design team logos, banners and buttons. No prior programming or robotics experience is required, but campers with prior experience will be equally challenged.

Jan
7
Sat
2023 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School
Jan 7 @ 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

Join us for a 2023 season kick-off event in the robot lab at BICS.  We’ll watch the kick-off show live streamed for FIRST HQ and then begin work on planning our 2022 robot.  We’ll wrap things up with a traditional pizza party at about 1:30 p.m. over at the BIC Center.

If you aren’t able to join us at BICS, you can join on our Discord server or on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87601760989?pwd=bzdiaFJOMWF5SjE3b3dYVUJuT3VrUT09

Meeting ID: 876 0176 0989 | Passcode: [our team numner]| One tap mobile: +13126266799,,87601760989# or +13092053325,,87601760989#

This year, in a game called  CHARGED UPSM presented by Haas, FIRST® Robotics Competition teams will prepare for a challenge that is fully charged to inspire your team to see the potential of energy storage in a new light. Watch the season kickoff January 7, 2023 for the game reveal.

From the machines that move us to the food that sustains us to the wireless technologies that connect us, energy plays an essential role in keeping our world running. During our 2022-2023 robotics season, FIRST® ENERGIZE presented by QualcommFIRST teams across our programs will reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward.

To empower young people to be leaders and innovators, this year’s energy theme addresses global challenges related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7 — focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

This is the moment to get energized to innovate.


Here’s a short video from Haas that explains how skills FIRST team members learn translate to work at Haas and other companies that offer great jobs and career opportunities.

Mar
9
Thu
Kettering District Competition @ Kettering University Connine & Jim John Recreation Center
Mar 9 – Mar 11 all-day

Our first competition event for 2023 is at Kettering University in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.

Here is a link to a map to the competition site: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kettering+University+Connie+and+Jim+John+Recreation+Center/@43.0109719,-83.7140725,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xac6b1b855717ebfe!8m2!3d43.0109719!4d-83.7140725 

You can find out more about FIRST and BICS’s FRC Team #6098 bIrobot at birobot.org.  Team members and parents, please check our Discord site for hotel and travel details.

Mar
16
Thu
Traverse City District Competition @ Traverse City Central High School
Mar 16 – Mar 18 all-day

Our second FIRST Robotics district competition will be at Traverse City Central High School.  This will be a great event for island fans to attend.

Here is a map to the competition site: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Traverse+City+Central+High+School/@44.7674623,-85.5901272,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x881fd2a7a3a47717:0x8eec89c4d972e453!8m2!3d44.7674585!4d-85.5879385

You can find out more about FIRST and BICS’s FRC Team #6098 bIrobot at birobot.org.  Team members and parents, please check our Discord site for hotel and travel details.

Aug
7
Mon
bIrobot Robotics Camp @ Beaver Island Community School
Aug 7 – Aug 11 all-day

Unfortunately, we need to cancel plans for our summer robotics plant. Our mentors and students are over-subscibed with work and projects this summer, so we will not have time to organize a full camp. We are working to plan a two-day “get to know robotics” session later in August or September for students on the island. Please visit our website at birobot.org for more information.

We plan to resume our robotics camp next  summer!

Jan
6
Sat
2024 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School
Jan 6 @ 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

Join us for a 2024 season kick-off event in the robot lab at BICS.  We’ll watch the kick-off show live streamed for FIRST HQ and then begin work on planning our 2022 robot.  We’ll wrap things up with a traditional pizza party at about 1:30 p.m. over at the BIC Center.

If you aren’t able to join us at BICS, you can join on our Discord server or on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87601760989?pwd=bzdiaFJOMWF5SjE3b3dYVUJuT3VrUT09

Meeting ID: 876 0176 0989 | Passcode: [our team number]| One tap mobile: +13126266799,,87601760989# or +13092053325,,87601760989#

This year, the theme of the competition is CRESCENDO presented by Haas. FIRST® Robotics Competition teams will use their engineering skills and creative power to entertain and move the world.

Watch the kickoff celebration and debut of CRESCENDO, January 6 on FIRSTtv. Sign up now for a tune-in reminder

Lights, camera, STEAM! Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) inspire big ideas, bold action – and creativity. Our skills make it possible to create art and experiences that bring us together, entertain us, and move us. During our 2023-2024 arts-inspired robotics season, FIRST® IN SHOWSM presented by Qualcomm, we will celebrate the roles our STEM skills play in the arts and design and build a world of endless possibilities.

The future is yours to create.