FIRST Canada and Windsor-Essex FIRST are thrilled to announce the return of the Windsor Essex Great Lakes Event, showcasing innovation and excitement in the community once again. This year's event will welcome thirty-two (32) high school teams from across Ontario to compete in CHARGED UP, presented by Haas.
After facing pandemic-related disruptions, the Windsor Essex Great Lakes Event is excited to welcome back the general public to witness the cutting-edge technology and fierce competition firsthand. The event will follow health and safety protocols in accordance with FIRST Canada policies, including the mandatory use of masks for all attendees throughout the event, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
The Windsor Essex Great Lakes Event is an annual event hosted in Windsor, Ontario, that showcases the design and engineering skills of dozens of FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) teams annually. The event was first brought to Windsor in 2014 due to the growth of the FIRST Robotics community in Windsor-Essex and surrounding regions.
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is supported by over 4,000 companies worldwide, including over half of all FORTUNE 500 companies such as Boeing, Bombardier, FCA, and Google. Platinum Sponsor CenterLine is among dozens of regional industry partners and organizations, including Gold Sponsors St. Clair College and the University of Windsor, supporting the tournament and local teams to provide young people with paths to promising careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
The event will take place on Friday, March 31st, and Saturday, April 1st, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., respectively, at the St. Denis Athletic & Community Centre located at 2555 College Ave, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4. Parking will be available at the Human Kinetics and Stadium Lots, and a parking map is available here. There will be 32 participating teams, and a full list of participating teams is available here.
Please join us in celebrating the Windsor Essex Great Lakes Event, which promises to be a thrilling experience for all. For more information, please click here. The media will be provided with an opportunity to gather comments from participating teams, judges, sponsors, and Windsor-Essex FIRST planning committee members.
"Nothing better epitomizes the fun of learning, the spirit of teamwork, and the satisfaction of mastering a hands-on skill than the challenges involved in the FIRST Robotics program," said St. Clair President Patti France. "That's why the college has always been pleased to be a sponsor of the competitions, to provide seed-money grants to local teams, and even to offer bursaries to former FIRST Robotics participants when they are of postsecondary age. Everything involved in FIRST Robotics is a microcosm of a college education - combining knowledge, technical ability and ingenuity - so you can count on St. Clair always being on board as an enthusiastic supporter of the program."
"Windsor-Essex FIRST is thrilled to welcome the return of the Windsor Essex Great Lakes District Event, and to provide a platform for the brightest young minds to showcase their skills in engineering and robotics. With thousands of jobs expected to become available in the next few years, programs and events like these are crucial in building future talent pipelines for our region. These students are exactly the kind of talented individuals that we want to attract, develop, and retain in our community." - Larry Koscielski, Windsor-Essex FIRST Robotics Chair and Vice President of Process & Technology Development at CenterLine (Windsor) Ltd.
About Windsor-Essex FIRST
Windsor-Essex FIRST is a volunteer group that acts as the regional arm of FIRST Canada and works year-round to promote FIRST in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent. Thanks to the effort and dedication of hundreds of volunteers - Windsor-Essex FIRST also coordinates events such as the annual Windsor-Essex FIRST Robotics Competition. For more information, visit http://www.windsoressexfirst.org/.
About FIRST Robotics Competition
FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) teams design, program, and build a robot starting with a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules to play in a themed head-to-head challenge. Teams also build a brand, develop community partnerships for support, and work to promote STEM in their local community. For more information, visit https://www.firstroboticscanada.org/.