More than 450 high school students representing 48 teams will be competing February 24-25 in the Iowa FIRST Tech Challenge Competition at the Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, Coralville, IA.

Teams qualified through the league tournaments and the Super Qualifier events.

Fourteen teams will advance to the North Super Regional Championship, a culmination event for many of the teams in the midwest. It will be held March 30-April 1 at the US Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids, IA.

For the complete two-day Iowa competition schedule, go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwPzS9qJyeJ7TWZJdFBHaFRsd0k/view.

For a list of teams and their hometowns, go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwPzS9qJyeJ7ZEFfVjB2OEowcXM/view.

The FTC Iowa Championship will be live streamed on the morning of February 25 at http://iafirst.org/

FIRST Tech Challenge is designed for those who want to compete head to head, using a sports model. Teams of students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year, and is programmed using a variety of languages. Teams, including coaches, mentors, and volunteers are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989. FIRST gives students the opportunity to develop the "muscle between their ears" and to gain experiences that will affect their future. Students who participate in FIRST use and reflect Gracious Professionalism, get real-world application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts, and participate in an atmosphere that encourages team building, entrepreneurship and sportsmanship.