{"id":104748,"date":"2026-02-27T17:17:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T20:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/896229796"},"modified":"2026-02-27T17:17:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T20:17:25","slug":"first-tech-challenge-returns-to-missouri-st","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/27\/first-tech-challenge-returns-to-missouri-st\/","title":{"rendered":"FIRST Tech Challenge returns to Missouri S&amp;T"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Missouri S&amp;T will once again host the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinmissouri.org\/\">FIRST Tech Challenge<\/a> State Championship on Saturday, March 7, welcoming hundreds of middle and high school students to campus for a themed robotics competition.<\/p>\n<p>The event begins at 11:40 a.m. in the Gale Bullman Building, and is hosted by S&amp;T\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/stemcenter.mst.edu\/\">Kummer Center for STEM Education<\/a>. It will bring 36 teams from Missouri and Kansas as students compete for a chance to advance to the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, or one of 12 FIRST Premier Events.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFIRST Robotics engages students in STEM through hands-on experiences that are both fun and exciting,\u201d says Courtney Jones, director of the Kummer Center for STEM Education.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-opt-id=758893364  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" width=\"799\" height=\"533\" data-attachment-id=\"55094\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.mst.edu\/2026\/02\/first-tech-challenge-returns-to-missouri-st\/1-13\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"799,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{\"aperture\":\"0\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"0\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"0\",\"iso\":\"0\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"0\"}\" data-image-title=\"1\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/news.mst.edu\/files\/2026\/02\/1.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Many students gather around their robots on a platform, and two students are holding controllers; in a gym setting. In the background, a crowd watches.\" class=\"wp-image-55094\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The FIRST Tech Challenge will bring 36 teams from Missouri and Kansas to S&amp;T to compete for a chance to advance to the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, or one of 12 FIRST Premier Events. Pictured is the FIRST Tech Challenge in the St. Louis South League Tournament held Jan. 31 at the Notre Dame High School in Lemay Township, Missouri. Photo courtesy of FIRST in Missouri.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>FIRST Tech Challenge teams design, build and program robots to compete against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by android technology and are coded using Java-based programming.<\/p>\n<p>This year, the FIRST Tech Challenge theme is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/programs\/ftc\/game-and-season\">DECODE<\/a>, presented by RTX, where teams will investigate artifacts of the world.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery artifact we uncover holds a story,\u201d according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/programs\/ftc\/game-and-season\">FIRST website<\/a>. \u201cEach tool, each innovation, each work of art connects us to the people and ideas that came before us. Using STEM skills and teamwork, today we can dig deeper into discoveries than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jones says during this challenge, students often learn complex concepts in STEM without even realizing it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe program also demonstrates how STEM intersects with disciplines traditionally considered non-STEM such as business, finance and community outreach,\u201d Jones says.<\/p>\n<p>The competition is free and open to spectators. The event will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=p_R6wJSYURg\">livestreamed<\/a>, and live scoring will be available <a href=\"https:\/\/ftc-events.firstinspires.org\/2025\/USMOKSCMP\">online<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more information, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/firstinmissouri.org\">firstinmissouri.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\"> <\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/acceptable.html\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8230; once again host the FIRST <span class=\"match\">Tech<\/span> Challenge State Championship on &#8230; of FIRST in Missouri. FIRST <span class=\"match\">Tech<\/span> Challenge teams design, build &#8230; platform, powered by android <span class=\"match\">technology<\/span> and are coded using Java &#8230; . This year, the FIRST <span class=\"match\">Tech<\/span> Challenge theme is DECODE, presented &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104748\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}