--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FIRST®:
WHO: Five award-winning FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) teams and their student-built robots.
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Team Name |
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Hometown |
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| Team 16, The Bomb Squad | Mountain Home, Ark. | |||
| Team 1538, The Holy Cows | San Diego, Calif. | |||
| Team 180, S.P.A.M. | Stuart, Fla. | |||
| Team 25, Raider Robotix | North Brunswick, N.J. | |||
| Team 1477, Texas Torque | The Woodlands, Texas |
WHAT: For the first time ever, teens and robots will lead Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- FIRST teams and their robots will have the honor of opening the 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® with Amy Kule, executive producer of the Parade.
- FedEx, FIRST Strategic Partner, provided in kind shipment for the teams’ robots.
- Southwest Airlines, Official Air Travel Sponsor for this special appearance by FIRST teams, provided nearly $14,000 in round-trip air vouchers.
WHERE/WHEN:
- Thursday, November 28, 2013 (Thanksgiving Day) at 9 a.m. (EST)
- 2.5 miles of public viewing in the heart of New York City, kicking off at 77th Street & Central Park West and ending at Macy’s Herald Square (view the 2013 Parade Route)
- The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be aired live from New York City beginning at 9 a.m. EST on NBC
WHY: Macy’s recognizes the importance and relevance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to their customers. Moreover, the company is sensitive to the need for STEM-workforce development, and understands that the first step to expanding these fields is to inspire young people to take an interest in STEM-focused programs like FIRST.
VISUALS: Texas Torque’s robot, “SONIC,” will cut the ribbon to signal the official start of the parade. Following the ribbon cutting, the other robots will shoot confetti along the parade route. Students will then drive their 12v battery-operated, 150-pound robots down the entire 2.5 mile stretch, with the giant balloons and one-of-a-kind floats following their lead all the way to Macy’s Herald Square.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS: 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 support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $18 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) for Grades 4-8; and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) for Grades K-3. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.
Robots Come FIRST at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (press release): http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/robots-come-first-at-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade.
