A robotics organization offering robotics competition to students throughout Muskegon County has won the first $10,000 Celebrate Community! Prize.

The grant is going to FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics in Muskegon County which has grown substantially in the past few years.

Celebrate Community! was awarded to FIRST on June 28 by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFFMC) at its annual gathering.

Nominees made presentations at the annual meeting before the winner was selected by the attendees in a “crowd-grantmaking” format.

The competitive grant program was developed to highlight, support and reward organizaions in the community doing exemplary work around the foundations three new strategic leadership goals.

CFFMC’s goals are:

• Creating an inclusive community, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Enhancing relationships among diverse populations so that everyone can fully participate in all Muskegon County area has to offer:

• Creating hope and opportunity for Muskegon County’s youth.

• Promote efficient use of community resources, collaboration, and sharing among schools, nonprofit organizations, and units of government, with a goal of strengthening service provision and avoiding unnecessary duplication.

FIRST has grown rapidly in Muskeogn County.

Prior to 2011, there were just two FIRST teams in the greater Muskegon area. Since that time, participation has expanded to include teams within eight local schools that draw students from almost every district in the county as well as several home school and parochial schools. This tremendous expansion has allowed for a collaborative effort between schools to assist each other with the funding, resources, technology, knowledge and experience necessary to build successful, competitive, and sustainable programs that allow students the opportunity to enjoy Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in a safe environment.

Current FIRST Robotics Competition teams operating in Muskegon County include:

• Team #2405 – Fruitport Techno Trojans

• Team #3572 – Mona Shores Wavelength

• Team #4004 – North Muskegon M.A.R.S. Rovers

• Team #4337 – Holton R 13

• Team #4956 – Whitehall, White Lake Robotics Robosharks

• Team #5255 – Muskegon Heights

• Team #5664 – Muskegon Big Red Robotics

• Team #6094 – Montague, White Lake Robotics Manic Mechanics

These teams not only work together, but also helped to create one another as well. The environment of a FIRST competition is one that fosters growth and assistance. Teams with lower team numbers have been around for a longer time period and will offer up the knowledge that they have gained to teams with higher team numbers or “rookies.”

Mona Shores (3572) helped to start teams 4004, 4337, 4956 and 5664. Fruitport (2405) has been an essential part of the formation and continuation of team 5255. Whitehall (4956) helped to start teams 5664 and 6094. Those listed are just at the high school level. Many elementary and middle school level programs have been started, funded, and mentored by the high school level teams, their students and their mentors. The majority of FIRST programs accept students from multiple schools or districts. Through this outreach, FIRST in Muskegon County has reached more than one thousand students in just five years.

When resources get pooled and everyone works together, a unique environment is developed that offers every student the chance to succeed. All FIRST teams in Muskegon County work on a fully inclusive process. In the combined history of all teams, not one student who wanted to be a part of FIRST robotics has been turned away. This inclusive program has allowed students who otherwise wouldn’t have a place to engage with their school a place to become active participants and leaders. FIRST programs include strong participation from non-traditional students as well as those that excel in other areas in their districts.

Beyond being accepting and inclusive, all FIRST programs work together with many offering open shop opportunities and resource sharing. Equipment, raw materials, and even funding are shared from one program to another when the opportunity presents itself and teams are able. This allows the teams to use less resources overall and reduce the financial impact while increasing the overall impact they have on the community.

This grant will allow the individual programs to continue to grow and offer opportunities to students for STEM education within their schools in Muskegon County. More importantly, this grant would allow the collective program to grow and impact the future of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education in the greater Muskegon area.