Bound Brook High School

Team 56 hosted its annual Kickoff event in the team’s building space in the Bridgewater Commons Mall on January 6. FIRST Robotics Competition is a yearly event where high school teams across the globe participate in a six-week challenge. BBHS’s Team 56 is one of about 3,500 teams participating this year. 

The founders of FIRST created Kickoff to reveal the season’s game in a worldwide platform. During the livestream, students get an introduction to FIRST and robotics. It recognizes the Impact Award winners, a prestigious award for the team that best exemplifies the mission of FIRST. Kickoff concludes with an explanation of the competition and scoring system and a virtual tour of the playing field.   

After learning the game objectives, Team 56 broke into groups to brainstorm ideas. Members, new and old, gained first-hand experience of what an in-season meeting looks like. 

“Our brainstorming of what we want for this year’s robot was a great introduction for both new and old members to experience what it’s truly like to be in-season,” said Kim Chaves, a junior at BBHS and member of Team 56. 

More than robots, FIRST fosters student creativity through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) initiatives while encouraging teamwork, communication, and other interpersonal skills. 

“This year’s Kickoff went by so smoothly! I really enjoyed seeing the whole team engaged in conversations throughout the day and sharing their excitement,” said Kim. “It’s always such a great experience seeing my team members smile. I can’t wait for what our team will eventually come up with and hoping for the best this coming season!”