Chesapeake Chairman's Speech

The goal of FIRST is to spread excitement and foster interest in Engineering, Science and Mathematics careers.

This team has actively engaged in spreading this mesage on a number of levels. They helped develop knowledge of robotics through development of Vex teams and by joining with universities to run a Vex summer camp for kids. They positively affected their team and high school peers resulting with all of the team's alumni majoring in engineering in college.

This team pioneered a new model of outreach and engagement at this year's competition - an open architecture model for knowledge and resource sharing. This open architecture model allowed their peers from other schools to share in the learning , the resources, the fundraising, and ultimately the goals of FIRST.

This open architecture model helped foster a consortium of FIRST teams that allowed for cooperative fundraising, teach, and mentoring and creates opportunities for kids of all backgrounds and cultures to work together in the true spirit of FIRST. This spirit and energy was crucial to the initial development of the Baltimore Area Alliance.

For these exemplary characteristics, the winner of the Chesapeake Regional Chairman's Award is Team Rex, 1727 from Dulaney High School in Timonium, Maryland. Congratulations 1727!