Since 1989, FRC has created a unique and exciting venue for high school students to experience the fascinating world of engineering.  This year, over 1,300 teams, each consisting of 15 to 25 high school students and a few engineers-mentors, received identical kits of parts, which included Bishop-Wisecarver’s DualVee wheels and track. Using this kit, teams design and build their robots to meet the annual engineering challenge.  Thousands of fans attend the regional competitions in March, where 40 to 70 teams compete amid the flash of media cameras and roar of the crowd. Regional winners advance to the FRC Championship, April 12-14, to be held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. 

“FRC turns engineering into a varsity sport where the competition is as spirited as any other,” says Pamela Kan, president of Bishop-Wisecarver. ”It is unique in that it also applies academic achievement, innovation and creativity, and inspires promising young students to pursue careers in engineering.”  

Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway® Human Transporter and recipient of numerous prestigious awards, founded FIRST “to create a world where science and technology are celebrated . . . where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes“.  

For 30 years, Bishop-Wisecarver has been an active sponsor of similar programs related to engineering, education and/or manufacturing.  “My father [Bud Wisecarver, inventor and Bishop-Wisecarver founder] started a long tradition of helping to bridge the gap between business and education through sponsorships and lectures,” says Kan.  “It’s an honor to be among the many businesses, academia and volunteers that join FIRST in helping to shape our future engineers and scientists.”

Over 32,000 young people will participate in the 2007 FIRST Robotics Competition, along with more than 18,000 mentors, 3,700 other volunteers and 2,000 sponsoring companies.  And scholarships from leading colleges and universities totaling nearly $8 million are available exclusively to participating students. The success of FIRST is apparent in the program’s retention rate.  Over 85% of participating high schools and their mentors return year after year, as do a high number of other volunteers and sponsors.

The kickoff event, held at Southern New Hampshire University on January 6, 2007, was broadcast via NASA satellite to 44 local kickoff locations nationwide, plus locations in Brazil, Canada and Israel.  Teams received their kits of parts and the competition rules, which are different every year, at the kickoff event.  Now the design, building, work . . . and fun begin.  

For more information on Bishop-Wisecarver, visit www.bwc.com. Information regarding the company’s sponsorship and funding policy is available at www.bwc.com/about_giving.vp.html.

For event schedules, sponsorships, or other information about FIRST or the FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org.

About Bishop-Wisecarver
Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation has remained one of the most respected names in guided motion technology since 1950.  The San Francisco Bay Area company manufactures, stocks, and distributes guided motion components and systems for linear, rotary and curved track applications.  Bishop Wisecarver products are used worldwide in industries such as packaging, medical device manufacturing, wood processing, food processing, and semi-conductor fabrication.

About FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With the support of many of the world’s most well-known companies, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Vex Challenge for high-school students, the FIRST LEGO® League for children 9-14 years old, and the Junior FIRST LEGO League for 6 to 9 year-olds. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.