About North Bay Robotics
Local Events
North Bay FIRST Robotics Competition District Event
The North Bay FIRST Robotics Competition District Event takes place annually in mid to late-March at the Robert J. Surtees Student Athletics Centre on the Nipissing University campus. High school students from across Ontario and beyond, supported by their Mentors and Coaches, have just 8 weeks from January to March to design, manufacture, assemble, and program their robot to compete in that season’s challenge. FIRST Robotics Competition robots can weigh up to 110lbs, and compete on a 27ft x 54ft competition field in alliances of 3 vs. 3. Winning teams from this qualifying event will advance to the Ontario Provincial Championship in mid-April.
North Bay FIRST LEGO League Tournament
The North Bay FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament takes place annually in early-December at West Ferris Secondary School. Elementary school students from across Northern Ontario and beyond, supported by their Teachers and Coaches, have just 12 weeks from September to December to design, assemble, and program their LEGO robots to complete a variety of themed missions on a 8ft x 4ft robot game table. FIRST LEGO League teams are also tasked with developing a Innovation Project relating to that season’s theme which addresses a problem. Winning teams from this qualifying event will advance to the Ontario Provincial Championship in mid-February.
About FIRST
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is the world’s leading youth robotics community, delivering hands-on STEM learning that inspires innovation, builds confidence, and prepares kids for life. Across the globe, students thrive in our programs — powered by mentorship, teamwork, creativity, and engineering challenges.
The mission of FIRST is to provide life-changing robotics programs that give young people the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world. The vision of FIRST is to transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.
The FIRST Core Values are fundamental to FIRST and unique to its programs. They emphasize friendly sportsmanship, respect for others’ contributions, teamwork, learning, and community involvement and are part of our commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of unity.
