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City, Nip U to host Regional Robotics competition

North Bay City Hall shone the spotlight on the FIRST Robotics Team, on Tuesday morning, with a presentation and a major announcement.



North Bay City Hall shone the spotlight on the FIRST Robotics Team, on Tuesday morning, with a presentation and a major announcement.

In partnership with Nipissing University, First Robotics, otherwise known as Team 1305, announced that their regional event was going to be brought to North Bay for the first time.
“If there was a Stanley Cup for the mind, First Robotics would be it” says Co-chair Anthony Rota, “and we at Nipissing University, are proud to host this world renowned event on the North Bay Campus.”

The event will see between 30-40 teams, with an average of 25 students per team ranging from grades 7 through 12, invading North Bay and Nip U early in the 2014, in addition to numerous teachers, mentors and family.

The event will expect to draw an excess of 1000 people for the 3 day event.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our city to future business leaders, professionals, and scientists” says Mayor Al McDonald.

“The key component of attracting business and industry to our city starts with attracting future leaders and assisting local leaders as they compete on the world stage,” McDonald says.

The teams will compete for a regional competition, building robots that will also help shape the young people’s minds with science and math, with a strong technological aspect that is the "ultimate in applied learning."

Team 1305 has competed around the world and won many awards, being recognized as a regional leader and international competitor.

For a better perspective, Mark Breadner, executive director of FIRST Robotics Canada, says that there are 3000 FIRST teams, with only 400 getting to the world championships, noting that Team 1305 has qualified to compete in the world championships every year for the last 15 years.

“It’s really an amazing feat,” Breadner says.

The students are great ambassadors for the city and will continue to bring worldwide attention to the area, as well as get a chance to compete in front of friends and family.

Emily Haws, who was Team Captain of 1305 in 2013, says that the world of Robotics is really about the growth of an individual.
“There’s a robotic component to it but it’s really not about the robot,“ Haws says, “it’s about creating better people, many who are involved in the community, creating partnerships without citizens and just getting out there and trying new things.”

Although a final date has yet to be set, the event will be held approximately the 5th week of 2014, with the winner moving onto the FIRST World Championships, to be held in St. Louis at the end of April, 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYwSDfR7CWY