Jun
21
Thu
Class @ Beaver Island Community School
Jun 21 @ 2:00 pm – 3:20 pm
Aug
6
Mon
bIrobot Robotics Summer Camp @ Beaver Island Community School
Aug 6 – Aug 10 all-day

Interested in robots? Programming? Come to the bIrobot Summer Robotics Camp at Beaver Island Community School August 6th through the 10th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day with a final competition time on the 10th at 1:30 p.m.. Design and build a robot to meet challenges in a game revealed at the start of camp. Team up with others and compete as an alliance against other teams to see who can score the most points. You’ll build and program a robot the first day of camp and then build on those skills to complete a week-long version of a FIRST FRC season. The grand finale will be a competition among the teams, to find the best robot. But everyone will win with a great experience. Your mentors will be the bIrobot FIRST FRC team, veterans of three FRC seasons, along with their coach, who teaches programming and robotics at BICS. No prior programming or robotics experience is required, but those with experience will still find plenty to challenge them. Course fee of $25 for materials. Sign up early as there are only a limited number of places.

To signup, go to birobot.org/camp2018 or stop in to BICS and go to the front desk in the school office.

Jan
5
Sat
2019 Season Kick-off @ Beaver Island Community School Media Lab
Jan 5 @ 10:00 am

birobot logoAh.  The day the bIrobot and all other FRC teams wait for all year.  Kickoff! The start of build season.  No sleeping until February 19 at 11:59 p.m.  If you want to join in the announcement you can check with us about attending our event or visit the FIRST website.

Apr
24
Wed
FIRST World Championships @ Cobo Hall
Apr 24 – Apr 27 all-day

Again this year the FIRST world championship events are split between two locations–Houston and Detroit.  We qualified for the world championships in St. Louis in 2016 (when they were still a single event).  We worked hard to make it back to Worlds this year, but we did not make it. But, with the event nearby in Detroit you still might want to attend to see the competition as well as to attend some of the many conference sessions and to visit the exhibits.

Here is a link to information about the Detroit World event: https://www.firstchampionship.org/detroit-home.  We attended the event last year because there are many useful conference sessions at Worlds.  (We snuck into watch a few matches, too.)  The FIRST world event is more exciting than any other high school competitive event we know about.  If you can make it there even for a day, we encourage you to go.  It’s all free for general attendance at the matches and for all conference events.

Aug
5
Mon
bIrobot Robotics Summer Camp @ Beaver Island Community School
Aug 5 – Aug 9 all-day

Interested in robots? Programming? Sign up for the bIrobot Summer Robtics Camp. Design and build a robot to meet challenges in a game revealed at the start of camp. Team up with others and compete as an alliance against other teams to see who can score the most points. You’ll build and program a robot the first day of camp and then build on those skills to complete a week-long version of a FIRST FRC season. The grand finale will be a competition among the teams, to find the best robot. But everyone will win with a great experience. Your mentors will be the bIrobot FIRST FRC team, veterans of three FRC seasons, along with their coach, who teaches programming and robotics at BICS. No prior programming or robotics experience is required, but those with experience will still find plenty to challenge them.

Class meets from 8:30 to 12:30 Monday through Thursday and 8:30 to 3:00 on Friday.  Our competition will begin at 2:00 on Friday after a traditional bIrobot Pizza Party for campers (so pack a lunch Friday if you don’t like pizza).  Summer residents and vacation visitors are welcome.  You need not be a student at BICS to attend. There is a $35 activity fee.

Jan
4
Sat
2020 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School
Jan 4 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
2020 FRC Season Kickoff @ Beaver Island Community School

Join us for a 2020 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 2020 robot.  We’ll wrap things up with a traditional pizza party at 1:00 p.m.

If you aren’t able to join us at BICS, you can watch the Kick-off live from FIRST HQ here: https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1747660/85b43e41-770e-4585-86bf-f0a69d289791

Apr
29
Wed
FIRST World Championships @ Cobo Hall
Apr 29 – May 2 all-day

FIRST HAS CANCELLED THIS YEAR’S CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN DETROIT.

Again this year the FIRST world championship events are split between two locations–Houston and Detroit.  We qualified for the world championships in St. Louis in 2016 (when they were still a single event) and have attended the Detroit Championships as a guest of Consumers Energy after winning a state-wide Pit Display comeptition.  We will work hard this year to return as a competitor in the event.

Here is a link to information about the Detroit World event: https://www.firstchampionship.org/detroit-home.   The FIRST world event is more exciting than any other high school competitive event we know about.  In addition to competition events for all four FIRST Leagues (FLL Jr., FLL, FTC and FRC), you can visit the teams in their pits and attend a full schedule of conference sessions that cover a broad range of topics of interest to students, parents and mentors that cover a variety of robotics and other topics. If you can make it there even for a day, we encourage you to go.  It’s all free for general attendance at the matches and for all conference events.

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.

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.

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.