������Ƶ recently celebrated a remarkable milestone by hosting the 25th Annual Kettering Kickoff FIRST Robotics Competition, a significant event that brings together innovative high school students from across Michigan and neighboring states to compete. Sponsored by the Gene Haas Foundation, this year's kickoff attracted nearly 40  robotics teams eager to showcase their skills and creativity.

Since its inception in 1999, the Kettering Kickoff has evolved from a modest one-day gathering designed to help Michigan high school teams recruit members into a prominent competition in the FIRST Robotics community. Although the event went on a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since flourished, reaffirming its vital role in fostering interest in robotics and engineering among high school students.

Kim Shumaker, director of the Robotics Center at ������Ƶ, emphasized the event's broader significance: “The Kettering Kickoff is more than just a robotics competition; it’s an opportunity for students to engage with the university, explore potential career paths, and build lasting relationships with peers and mentors.”

This year’s Kettering Kickoff featured an exciting two-day format that required teams to participate in qualification rounds and elimination matches. Over the course of the weekend, 37 teams competed in a total of 77 matches. The thrill of competition culminated each day with the crowning of a champion and the prestigious Top Dog Award. Saturday saw the alliance of 27 Team RUSH of Clarkston, 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint, and 1684 The Chimeras of Lapeer take home top honors. On Sunday, the alliance of 67 The HOT Team of Highland, 2834 Bionic Black Hawks of Bloomfield Hills, and 5460 Strike Zone of Lapeer bested the competition.

A notable highlight each day was the Bob Nichols Cornerstone Award presentation, honoring the former director of the Robotics Center and a pivotal figure in Kettering’s robotics history. Nichols was instrumental in establishing robotics scholarships and organizing the Kettering Kickoff since its inception. The two teams that won the award named after Nichols were the 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint and the 68 Truck Town Thunder of Ortonville.

The success of the Kettering Kickoff is largely attributed to the collaborative spirit within the robotics community. Volunteers, including local robotics teams and community members, played essential roles as referees and technical advisors. Each event served as a platform for connecting with students, providing them with opportunities to learn about ������Ƶ and its personalized educational approach.

“Students involved in robotics have an advantage over anything else; it’s so similar to what Kettering provides with the Co-op program,” said Clinton Bolinger, associate director of the Kettering Robotics Center, highlighting the practical experience students gain through hands-on work.

Bolinger also emphasized that the First Robotics program is a crucial entry point for students, allowing them to explore various aspects of engineering and technology. “We want them to come to Kettering because we believe they’ll be successful,” he said, underscoring how FIRST Robotics participants are already learning skills they will need as the next generation of STEM leaders.

General Motors (GM) has named ������Ƶ as one of eight Genesee County nonprofits to share $270,000 in Community Impact Grants. GM’s Community Impact Grants help address local issues in the communities where the company operates. The grants support GM’s corporate giving social impact pillars of STEM Education and Transportation.

“I am inspired by the impact of the work these eight local nonprofits are doing in our community,” said Jim Gaeschke, plant director at GM’s Flint Metal Center. “STEM education and transportation are important focus areas for GM’s corporate giving program. These organizations help make the Flint-Genesee Region a great place to live and work.”

������Ƶ will use its $20,000 grant to launch three impactful initiatives for the 2024-2025 academic year aimed at empowering students and educators in the field of robotics:

• FIRST Robotics coaches workshop and FIRST Robotics rookie workshop: These hands-on two-day workshops in Kettering’s FIRST Robotics Community Center will guide participants through building a working drivetrain and catapult over two days. During the workshops, educators and coaches will learn to overcome the common challenge of starting new robotics teams by boosting their confidence in building and teaching robotics projects.
• Scholarship and Financial Aid Workshop: ������Ƶ will host this workshop to provide underserved high school students and their families with vital information on funding STEM degrees. This initiative aims to bridge the financial gap by connecting families with resources they may not know are available.
• Installation of a laser cutter and engraver: The new equipment will support the eight FIRST robotics teams from local high schools that build their robots in Kettering’s FIRST Robotic Community Center and Kettering’s VEXU robotics team in prototyping and testing designs faster and more efficiently. The laser cutter will also be available to students attending Kettering’s robotics summer camps.

“It is an honor to receive the GM Community Impact Grant. The generosity of GM enables Kettering to expose students and teachers in underserved schools to the excitement of STEM activities like FIRST, VEX, and Aerial Drone Competitions,” said Kim Schumaker, Director of ������Ƶ’s Robotics Center. “Hands-on workshops will build confidence and equip participants with skills that assist them in starting robotics teams and building competitive robots. Creating teams in the schools allows more students to participate each year and inspires more students to pursue STEM degrees and careers.”

GM’s support of the Flint-Genesee region has totaled more than $7 million since 2019, with Kettering benefiting from this ongoing commitment to local innovation and growth.

Hundreds of future engineers, computer scientists, tech and business leaders gathered on ������Ƶ’s campus for two FIRST Robotics district competitions held in March.

This year, the Gene Haas Foundation generously sponsored the competitions, contributing $20,000 and affirming its commitment to advancing manufacturing education. The foundation supports these events to expand the pool of skilled workers by recruiting young people into manufacturing careers and creating advanced training programs.

During the events, representatives from Haas Automation, including James O’Brien and Dan Wilson from Gerotech, a Michigan-based Haas distributor, engaged with participants and spectators. They spoke at the opening ceremonies and manned an informational booth, sharing insights into the importance of manufacturing skills in today’s workforce.

“The world is teeming with exceptional companies who are in need of your technical and relational skills that are being developed at FIRST. We support FIRST because we believe in you,” Manufacturing Manager at Haas Automation. “The skills [students] are learning in FIRST Robotics teams are relevant, practical and in demand. All these skills translate directly into the real world.”

The FIRST robotics program is unique in that many teams fabricate parts using mills, lathes, TIG welding and other machine shop equipment in addition to learning to use CAD, CNC machines and 3D printers. ������Ƶ and our co-op employment partners seek students with these skills and place high value on the experience they gain while participating in FIRST robotics.

This year’s game is called “CRESCENDO.”

In CRESCENDO, teams compete to score notes and amplify their speakers, aiming to harmonize their robots onstage and take the spotlight within a time limit. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when they meet scoring thresholds and cooperate with opponents.

������Ƶ is a longtime supporter of FIRST Robotics. The University became the first site in the country to host back-to-back district tournaments in 2016 and has continued that tradition since. Kettering was also one of the first universities in the country to award FIRST Robotics scholarships, providing more than $4 million in scholarships to FIRST participants since 1999. 

This is the 24th year Kettering has hosted a FIRST competition on its campus, and the Robotics Community Center is in its tenth year on campus. 

������Ƶ’s Robotics program has received $25,000 in grants from three organizations to support pre-college robotics camps and to purchase machining equipment for its Robotics Community Center.

Those philanthropic organizations and contributions include:

• The Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust - $10,000
• The James A. Welch Foundation - $10,000
• The Nartel Family Foundation - $5,000

“The grants from the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust, James A. Welch Foundation, and Nartel Family Foundation will empower students in Genesee County to attend Kettering's transformative summer camps, learn new skills and explore a college campus,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Robotics Outreach Director at ������Ƶ.

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for robotics teams to store equipment.

Kettering’s pre-college robotics camps sharpen student's collaborative problem-solving abilities through hands-on activities. Because students are interested in many different aspects of robotics, camps cover various topics from programming to design to construction to leadership. Because all camps take place at Kettering, students are immersed in the college environment and can choose between day camps and residential camps.

The $10,000 grant from the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust will help Flint and Genesee County students overcome financial barriers to participating in pre-college summer camps at Kettering and gaining experience with various robotics programs, including aerial drones. The grant also helps fund Robotics Center mobile camps and workshops, which can bring fun and learning through robotics to schools or facilities in underserved communities.

"Educational opportunities in Genesee County are key to our mission, so we are honored to continue our support of ������Ƶ's stellar Engineering and Computer Science programs," said Dennis Leyder, Trustee of the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust. “Besides expanding their understanding of robotics, students will gain teamwork skills to prepare them for the future. The students come away with a sense of accomplishment, and—best of all—it's fun.”

Similarly, the $10,000 grant from the James A. Welch Foundation will help reduce financial barriers for students from Genesee County, enabling them to participate in pre-college summer camps at ������Ƶ and build their interest in STEM through various robotics programs, including drones.

"The Welch Foundation has awarded many grants to ������Ƶ due to their support and outreach to Genesee County students and their cultivation and identification of talented youth," said Dr. Gail Ganakas, President of the James A Welch Foundation. "������Ƶ’s robotics programs engage teams to explore their gifts and talents in STEM activities. Students are provided opportunities to demonstrate higher-level thinking skills that often go unrecognized."

The $5,000 grant from the Nartel Family Foundation will fund the purchase and installation of a computer numerical control (CNC) machine in the Robotics Center. Students can cut various parts using the CNC machine and learn to use more advanced robotics build concepts such as computer-aided design (CAD).

"The Nartel Family Foundation is proud of ������Ƶ's role in helping young people find their potential through pre-college programs and advanced machinery,” said Timm Allen, Communications Officer & Trustee of the Nartel Family Foundation. “We feel that what these young people learn and experience will help them in their future careers. We are honored to support ������Ƶ."

In addition to pre-college programs and machinery, gifts can also fund robotics scholarships. The University offered its first two scholarships to robotics students in 1999 and has awarded more than $5.5 million since then.

������Ƶ becomes the center of the robotics universe Sept. 23–24, 2023 when it hosts its annual Kettering Kickoff. More than 70 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) high school teams from Michigan, Illinois and Ohio have registered to compete in the two-day event. 

“������Ƶ understands that the experience robotics students gain during their season is very valuable because these skills will help them be successful at Kettering and beyond,” said Kim Shumaker, Director of Robotics Outreach and the Robotics Community Center. “From design skills to soft skills and programming skills to electrical skills, robotics programs are the most comprehensive experience a high school student can gain to prepare them to pursue an engineering degree.”

In FIRST Robotics competitions, teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-size robots for a field game. At the Kettering Kickoff, teams will face off against one another in a game called CHARGED UP. It requires teams to use their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. During the first 15 seconds of each match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points if their robots dock or engage with their charging stations during the match. 

Each day, Opening Ceremonies start at 8 a.m., with the event ending—and the venue closing—at 7 p.m.

Shumaker said the Kickoff is important for the teams. At this time of year, many teams are recruiting and incorporating new members as they prepare for next season’s challenge, which will be announced in January.

“It is also an opportunity to get some competitive practice for new drivers on teams,” she said.

The Kickoff is a recruiting tool for Kettering too. While on campus, many of the high school students will tour campus and interact with admissions counselors and professors. “Bringing these students, parents and mentors to campus allows the Kettering community to meet and interact in meaningful ways,” Shumaker said.

The Kettering Kickoff began in 1999 as a one-day event for Michigan high school FIRST Robotics teams. In 2021, the Robotics Center staff changed the event’s format to incorporate two separate competitions in one weekend and to allow out-of-state teams to participate. 

“The consecutive day events were a hit, so Kettering continues to host Kettering Kickoff 1 and 2 and invite out-of-state teams, which provides Michigan teams with experience against teams they don't normally compete with or against,” Shumaker said. 

Kettering began sponsoring high school FIRST Robotics teams in 1998. In 1999, it offered its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students. Since then, Kettering has awarded more than $5.5 million in scholarships. 

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for teams to store equipment. Of the 10 teams based at the Robotics Community Center, four went to the state championship, and one advanced to FIRST Championship in Houston. 

The University has hosted two FIRST Robotics district competitions each year since 2008. In addition, the University hosts several robotics workshops throughout the year. 

Students of Team 1506 Metal Muscle are state champions. Metal Muscle, along with its alliance partners Team 217 Thunderchickens and Team 6090 Wayland Wildcats, took first place at the FIRST in Michigan State Championship presented by DTE Foundation.

They will be among more than 600 high school teams competing April 19–22 in the 2023 FIRST Championship presented by BAE Systems in Houston. The event is the culmination of the season.

Metal Muscle is one of 10 teams based at the ������Ƶ Robotics Community Center. The team has partnered with the University for more than a decade, as Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Henry “Doc K” Kowalski was one of the team’s founders. 

The Flint community team consists of nine players from Grand Blanc High School, Powers Catholic High School, Goodrich High School, Lake Fenton High School and Genesee Early College. A home-schooled student also is part of the team.

“We are proud to support area teams with workshops, tools and a place to complete their builds,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Outreach Director. “The skills these students learn through FIRST Robotics give them a great foundation for ������Ƶ and a successful career in the STEM industry.”

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for teams to store equipment.

“Having the Robotics Community Center is a huge help and really allows our students to test the robot in as close to real game action as we can,” said Don Ridge, Lead Mentor for Metal Muscle. “Having the full field just steps from our build site gives us an advantage in learning how to drive and score the field. It’s also a good selling point for future students looking to join our team. Once we give a tour of the facility, they really want to become part of the action here. If we did not have the Center, I am not sure the team would have survived this long.”

Metal Muscle has consistently qualified for the championship since Data shared by CNBC in September of 2017 ranked Kettering first in Michigan among colleges and universities for producing the highest earning graduates. The Wall Street Journal ranked Kettering first in the country in career preparation., except in 2020 when no competition took place.

“The team is very excited to be going again,” Ridge said. “It is a wonderful experience for all students and mentors alike. We get to see some of the best teams and robots in the world and talk to those students too.”

In FIRST Robotics competitions, teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-size robots to compete in a field game against robots from other teams in multiple competitions. This year’s field game, called CHARGED UP, tasks teams with using their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points if their robots dock or engage with their charging stations. 

Kettering awarded its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students and hosted its first kickoff event in 1999. Since then, the University has awarded more than $5.5 million in scholarships. 

The University has hosted two FIRST Robotics district competitions each year since 2008. In addition, the University hosts several robotics workshops.

Four teams based at the ������Ƶ Robotics Community Center are heading to the FIRST in Michigan State Championship presented by DTE Foundation on April 6, 2023.

“Congratulations to the hardworking teams at the state championship and beyond,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Outreach Director at ������Ƶ. “We are proud the ������Ƶ Robotics Community Center is home to these top-notch teams.”

Teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-sized robots for a field game against robots from other teams. Ten teams work out of the Robotics Community Center at ������Ƶ.

District events across Michigan occur over six weeks, with three to five events per week. 

The four teams advancing to the state competition April 6-8 in Saginaw are:

• Team 1506 Metal Muscle (Community Team, Flint)
• Team 5612 Robo-Raptors (Bentley Community High School, Burton)
• Team 5660 Symmetrical Chaos (Atherton High School, Burton)
• Team 9237 Swartz Creek Dragonators (Swartz Creek High School, Swartz Creek)

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for teams to store equipment.

“There are many benefits to working in the Robotics Community Center, most of which is access to the machine shop, along with a full field to practice on,” said Don Ridge, lead mentor for Metal Muscle. “The other big benefit is the sharing of ideas and the ability to help other teams in the Center.”

Metal Muscle has been working with Kettering for more than a decade. Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Henry “Doc K” Kowalski was one of the team’s early founders.

“We are happy and excited to be going to States,” Ridge said. “Going to States and Worlds annually is an expectation for our team.”

This is the second consecutive year Symmetrical Chaos has qualified for the state championship. The team more than doubled in size from 2022 to 2023, going from four to 11 members.

“We’re very excited but nervous,” said Everett Owen, team mentor. “We’ve been through a lot of challenges this season, and we still managed to overcome them and make it to states.”

He said the team’s inexperience and coding the robot were significant obstacles. But, working out of the Robotics Community Center has been a big help,

Owen said, citing access to the machine shop, computer lab, meeting spaces and practice field. Being close to other teams is a bonus because they exchange advice, share supplies and promote collaboration, he said.

Robo-Raptors Mentor Patty Camp also said the interaction with other teams at the Robotics Community Center is important.  

“Working out of Kettering allows us access to a build space and machine shop that we could never have access to on our own,” she said. “More importantly, it allows the camaraderie, the exchange of parts, ideas and support we share with the other teams who build in the Center.”

Before moving to the Robotics Community Center, the Robo-Raptors worked out of a small classroom in their school with borrowed hand tools, “using the hallway to test the robot,” she said.

Like Symmetrical Chaos, this is the Robo-Raptors’ second time attending the state championship. The team’s biggest challenges were working around supply-chain issues, parts shortages and delivery delays.

“Our inability to get some of the parts we needed forced us to use valuable build time to change our design to accommodate available parts,” Camp said.

This year’s championship challenge, called CHARGED UP, tasks teams with using their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when their robots dock or engage with their charging stations. 

Teams earned rankings points to determine who qualified for the state championship. Top teams will move on to the 2023 FIRST Championship presented by BAE Systems in Houston on April 19-22. 

In addition, some awards automatically qualified a team for the state championship, which is the case for the Swartz Creek Dragonators. The team won the Rookie All-Star Award, which celebrates the rookie team that exemplifies a young but strong partnership effort as well as the mission of FIRST to inspire students to learn more about science and technology. The team will not compete with its robot at states. Instead, judges interview teams and rank them against other rookie teams that qualified at district events. The team that wins at the state championship will then compete with its robot in Texas.

The Dragonators also won a Rookie Inspiration Award, which celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers within its school and community.

“The Dragonators faced many challenges as rookies. They had a plan and executed that plan,” said Cole Shumaker, mechanical mentor. “But, delivery delays of parts slowed the progress of the build down quite a bit. However, the team is committed and managed to overcome the delays. Winning the Rookie All-Star and Rookie Inspiration awards was exciting. The students look forward to competing at the state championship for the Rookie All-Star Award.”

������Ƶ began sponsoring FIRST Robotics high school teams in 1998. The University offered its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students in 1999 and has awarded more than $5.5 million since then.

������Ƶ will host two FIRST Robotics district competitions in March at the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.

Forty FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) high school teams will compete in each of the FRC Kettering Districts 1 and 2, presented by Ford, March 2-4 and March 9-11. Opening ceremonies kick off the competitions at 10:30 a.m. March 3 and 9 a.m. March 10. Award ceremonies will take place at 5 p.m. March 4 and March 11.

“It is an absolute honor to partner with Ford, yet again, to make a positive impact on these talented students,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Center and Robotics Outreach Director.

������Ƶ began sponsoring FIRST Robotics high school teams in 1998. Ten teams currently work out of the University’s Robotics Community Center, completing their builds.

The University offered its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students in 1999 and has awarded more than $5.5 million since then. The Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. The University has hosted two district competitions each year since 2008.

This year’s challenge, called CHARGED UP, tasks teams with using their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when their robots dock or engage with their charging stations. 

Teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-sized robots to compete in a field game against robots from other teams. District events across Michigan occur over six weeks, with three to five events per week. 

Teams earn ranking points to determine who will move on to the FIRST Michigan State Championship in Saginaw in April. In addition, some awards automatically qualify a team for the FIRST Michigan State Championship.