INNOVATE Albion is proud to announce that our FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 9312 N.E.R.D Spark has been honored with the prestigious FIRST Impact Award at the recent Macomb District Event, presented by DTE Energy. This award recognizes N.E.R.D Spark as a beacon of inspiration and a model for other teams within the FIRST community to emulate.
The FIRST Impact Award, formerly known as the Chairman’s Award, is the highest accolade bestowed by FIRST. It is bestowed upon the team that best embodies the mission of FIRST and serves as a role model for transforming culture to inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology. This award underscores N.E.R.D Spark’s dedication to excellence in robotics and fostering leadership in science and technology among today’s youth.
Team 9312 N.E.R.D Spark demonstrated exceptional skill and determination at the Macomb District Event, finishing 6th out of 40 teams after qualifying matches and earning selection for the 3rd Alliance. While they were unfortunately eliminated from robot play in the semifinals, their commitment to excellence extended beyond the field of competition.
Throughout the season, a subgroup of N.E.R.D Spark team members has been tirelessly working to quantify and document the impact of the team and its members on our community. The team then presents their work for the Impact Award on behalf of the team, showcasing their dedication to the values and mission of FIRST. Judges specifically featured the team support of S.T.E.M Saturdays in partnership with Kellogg Community College, reaching over 500 students and families across Calhoun County as well as their commitment to supporting other local FIRST teams, including team 8300 Lumen Christi Titan Robotics, 8522 Springport High School and 5205 FullMetal Jackets from Concord High School. Their hard work and dedication have been duly recognized with this prestigious honor.
N.E.R.D Spark is honored to have received the Impact Award for the Macomb District. They will now proceed to compete for the Impact Award at the upcoming State of Michigan District Competition at Saginaw Valley State University on April 4 – 6, 2024.