More than 400 area students are expected to participate today in the 2018 FIRST Robotics kick-off event.

The event is set for 9-11 a.m. at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. Local teams include the following:

• The Rockets of Athens High School;

• Mad Rockers of Bob Jones and James Clemens High Schools in Madison;

• Twisted Gears of East Limestone High School;

• and Rad Robotics, comprised of Madison city homeschooled students.

A pair of competitively awarded NASA Marshall house teams — Mech Tech, of A.P. Brewer High School in Sommerville; and the Golden Hurricanes of Columbia High School in Huntsville — will also be returning to the competition.

FIRST Robotics, which stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” is a national robotic competition for students in grades 9-12. With 24 teams from Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky registered, this is expected to be the largest group in this history of the Huntsville kick-off.

Each year, the FIRST Robotics game is changed, adding new levels of complexity to challenge students. Once teams learn of the requirements for this year’s game, they will pick up a parts kit and have six weeks to build, design and test a functioning robot. If successful, they can compete in district and regional competitions throughout the nation in March and April to qualify for the national championship(s), which will be held in Houston April 18-21 and/or Detroit April 25-28.

About FIRST Robotics

FIRST is a national organization founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen in Manchester, New Hampshire, to inspire young people to pursue careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. NASA and its Robotics Alliance Project provide grants for high school teams and support for FIRST Robotics competitions around the country to address the critical national shortage in these fields.

This educational event is a collaborative effort between Marshall, the Rocket Center and the National Space Club of Huntsville.