(WEST PALM BEACH, FLA) – The bar (and bricks) were stacked high for this year’s FIRST LEGO League of South Florida! The 2022-2023 season theme was energy, which challenged FIRST teams to reimagine the future of sustainable energy and power their ideas forward with Florida to Power & Light (FPL) as the superpowered season sponsor. Closing the season, students proudly represented the Cox Science Center and Aquarium league and sponsor The Stiles-Nicholson Foundation at the FIRST LEGO League State Championship at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL.
“We are so proud of how much this league has grown in their talents, problem solving and as a unit,” said Cox Science Center and Aquarium President and CEO, Kate Arrizza. “Serving as the home site for these robot competitions to take place has been nothing short of fun and encouraging for rising generations.”
FIRST is the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education. Through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs, FIRST has a proven impact on learning, interest and skill-building inside and outside of the classroom. For 30 years, students from all walks of life have developed self-confidence in STEM and valuable, real-world skills through FIRST that open pathways to a better future.
“This has been an exciting season and a testament to how youth robotics is a great gateway to a future in STEM,” said CSCA Board Vice Chair and sponsor, Dr. David Nicholson. “However, to keep them motivated and inspired we need volunteers from all backgrounds and abilities to build an all-embracing and stimulating environment.”
To date, there are 1,862 volunteers and 1,609 mentors in FIRST Florida competitions. By participating and having supportive mentors, FIRSTcompetitors are nearly twice as likely to show gains in STEM identity and over two times likely to show increase interest in a STEM career.
Cox Science Center and Aquarium’s current indoor/outdoor venue features more than 100 hands-on educational exhibits, a 10,000-gallon fresh and saltwater aquarium, digital planetarium, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center,” 18-hole conservation-themed Mini-Golf Course and quarter-mile-long outdoor science trail. One of its celebrated displays includes “Journey Through the Human Brain,” a permanent exhibit that features the most advanced neuroscience research in the world. The Cox Amphitheater hosts daily live science shows, seasonal laser shows, and special event programming. The Center took on a new name at the end of 2021 when leadership announced a $20 million gift from Palm Beachers, Howard and Wendy Cox, to launch a transformative capital campaign.
As of 2022, Cox Science Center and Aquarium earned the highest Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency rating on GuideStar in tandem with its perfect Charity Navigator score. The Platinum Seal of Transparency indicates that the Center shares clear and important information with the public about its goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements and progress indicators that highlight how it’s advancing its mission.
Interested in becoming a coach and inspiring competitors? Sign up for the next cycle of competitions by visiting firstinspires.org/robotics/fllor call 561-832-1988 for more details.