Warren County Commissioner Director Kern, NJ State Police Colonel Callahan attend 2024 FIRST Robotics Mid-Atlantic District Competition at Warren Hills Regional HS
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (Warren County) – Warren Hills Regional High School hosted the 2024 FIRST Robotics Mid-Atlantic District Competition, bringing in 32 teams from across the tristate last weekend.
Warren County Commissioner Director James R. Kern III was honored to join Warren Hills Regional School District Board of Education President Molly Fraumeni, and Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan to speak during the opening ceremony on Saturday.
Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST is a global nonprofit organization that prepares young people for the future through team-based robotics programs. FIRST participants are guided by a signature set of core values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements through sports-like challenges, building on their knowledge and collaborative problem-solving skills.
Teams received the competition objectives in early January and had to design, build, and program their robots over the next few months before piloting them during the weekend’s competition. By the end of the qualifying round Team 219 (Warren Hills) had finished as the number one seed and selected teams 555 (Montclair) and 1279 (Somerville) as their alliance partners in the playoffs.
The alliance made the finals, but Team 219’s drive train motor burned out and they were unable to fix it in time. They had to bring in a backup robot and the alliance lost in the finals to an alliance made up of teams 4573 (South River), 4652 (Don Bosco Preparatory), and 4285 (Honesdale and Western Wayne).
Team 219 also won the Innovation in Control Award and Team 6016 (Hackettstown) won the Quality Award. Team 6945 from North Warren Regional High School also competed in the event.
“Thank you to all the volunteers who made this weekend possible and congratulations to all those who participated in such an incredible event,” Kern said.
For more information on the results, teams, and awards visit www.thebluealliance.com/event/2024njwas#results.
