FIRST Global Challenge (FGC) Team USA 2019 was comprised of five seniors from FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team 9879, Root Negative One, of Springdale, Arkansas. Three of the five have been members of Root Negative One since it was created in the fall of 2015.
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Before we became Team USA, we had extensive travel experience as members of Root Negative One. In addition to travelling all over Arkansas, we have participated in four out-of-state (Oklahoma) qualifiers, five out-of-state (Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee) regional championships, three super regionals (San Antonio, Athens), and three world championships (Houston). We have traveled over 14,500 miles together. At the 2018-2019 FIRST Championship in Houston, we were honored to be chosen as the recipient of the Inspire Award for the ROVER RUCKUS season.
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OVER 14,500 MILES TRAVELED TOGETHER
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As a team of all high school seniors, we worked on college applications together, visit colleges together, and learn together. Before our senior year, we explored the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the Parthenon in Tennessee, the NASA Marhsall Space Flight Center, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Team USA members attending a college presentation in Oklahoma, USA.
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To capitalize on our success at the World Championship in Houston, Texas, we reached out to local news organizations, businesses, and political leaders. Everyone was excited about our win and being chosen as Team USA for FGC in Dubai. We gave presentations about our team, the upcoming Dubai trip, and our plans to increase robotics (FIRST LEGO League Jr.) participation in Arkansas. Our community supported us with cash and in-kind donations and by spreading the word about our team.
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Here are links to articles and videos announcing us as Team USA.
NW Democrat Gazette Article University of Arkansas Article Talk Business Article Finding NWA Article - Rise of Robotics |
A big thank you to all of our sponsors!
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We also reached out to our national Arkansas legislators to discuss our robotics team, the Houston World Championship win, and being chosen to represent USA for FGC in Dubai. We were invited to Washington, DC, sight-see, learn more about our government, and share our experiences. We met with Arkansas Senator Boozman, Congressman Womack, and Congressman Westerman.
Our team was inserted into the the United States Congressional Record by Arkansas Senator John Boozman. 
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Our team with Arkansas Senator John Boozman in Washington, D.C., USA.
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We received our kit of parts for FGC in July. During this same time, three of our five Team USA members were attending Arkansas Governor's School. Since the majority of our members were away, younger, newer members of Root Negative One took over the build of the robot. So, even our rookies have had a major impact on Team USA. FGC was a great learning opportunity and design experience for our new members.
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To begin our long journey to Dubai, we boarded a bus and drove six hours to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. We were supposed to board Emirates Airlines Flight 222 to Dubai, but the plane had technical difficulties and we were delayed for four hours. Then, because the Emirates Airlines staff wasn't hopeful of the plane being fixed in time, we boarded another bus for fours hours to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. There, we rushed to get our bags checked and make it onto the plane. Thankfully, we all made it through and our plane took off on time.
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After a fourteen hour flight, we arrived in Dubai late in the evening, exhausted but nevertheless excited. We were met by FGC staff and filmed an arrival video at the airport.
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The following day involved pit set up, robot inspection (at least part of it), and opening ceremony. Of course, the most exciting part of the day was opening ceremony. We participated in the Parade of Nations, met tons of teams, saw an acrobatic performance, and danced with other teams to a live will.i.am concert!
The next day we had practice matches and ranking matches. After qualification matches, we had a win-loss record of 5-4. During the awards ceremony, we were awarded second place for the Katherine Johnson Award for Engineering Documentation. We were honored to receive this award and ecstatic for the achievements of the other teams as well. We also met the UAE Ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, and the Secretary of the US Department of Energy, Rick Perry.
On Monday at 12 am, we checked out of our hotel to go to the airport. We left on Emirates Flight 221 to Dallas around 3 am and arrived in Dallas at about 10 am. We boarded a bus and traveled back to our school, the Don Tyson School of Innovation.
Overall, FGC 2019 was the experience of a lifetime. We were able to meet teams from almost 200 countries, getting a chance to really understand them and their cultures. We will always be thankful for the opportunity FIRST granted us and look forward to the possibility of working with the teams we met in the future.
On Monday at 12 am, we checked out of our hotel to go to the airport. We left on Emirates Flight 221 to Dallas around 3 am and arrived in Dallas at about 10 am. We boarded a bus and traveled back to our school, the Don Tyson School of Innovation.
Overall, FGC 2019 was the experience of a lifetime. We were able to meet teams from almost 200 countries, getting a chance to really understand them and their cultures. We will always be thankful for the opportunity FIRST granted us and look forward to the possibility of working with the teams we met in the future.
