FTC Awards

FIRST Tech Challenge gives awards for judged work as much as for scoring — the Inspire Award, not the win record, is what advances a team furthest. Every award on record here, with its winners season by season.

Inspire Award The Inspire Award is presented to the team that embodies the best of FIRST—this team is made up of strong ambassadors, role models, and gracious competitors. This team excels across judged award categories, works together to design and build their robot, and shares their experiences, enthusiasm, and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the Judges. 7,869 winners · 7 seasons Think Award The Think Award goes to the team that best showcases their engineering journey throughout the FIRST Tech Challenge season. Judges use the team's portfolio to see evidence of the engineering process, lessons learned, or analysis guiding their decisions. This award celebrates the team's thoughtful approach to building their robot. 6,360 winners · 7 seasons Connect Award The Connect Award is presented to the team that has built strong connections with their local STEM community. With a clear plan and intentional steps, they grow their skills and show how teamwork and community involvement drive success in FIRST. 5,946 winners · 7 seasons Design Award The Design Award celebrates a team that truly understands industrial design, striking a balance between form, function, and aesthetics while meeting this season's challenge. The team's design process results in a robot that is efficient, effective, and inspiring in the way it tackles the game. 5,944 winners · 7 seasons Motivate Award The team that receives the Motivate Award celebrates the culture of FIRST and clearly shows what it means to be a team. This award celebrates the team that represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through team building, team spirit, and displayed enthusiasm. This is a team who makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community and sparks others to embrace the culture of FIRST. 5,126 winners · 7 seasons Winning Alliance Our Winning Alliance: 3,543 winners · 4 seasons Finalist Alliance Our Finalist Alliance: 3,540 winners · 4 seasons Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc. The Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc celebrates the team that demonstrates innovative thinking in the control system to solve game challenges such as autonomous operation, enhancing mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results on the field. 2,874 winners · 4 seasons Innovate Award sponsored by RTX The Innovate Award sponsored by RTX celebrates a team that has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This award is given to the team that the Judges feel has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to this season's game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness and 'out of the box' thinking. This award may address the design of the whole robot or some sub- assembly component. The creative component needs to work consistently. 2,822 winners · 3 seasons Division Winning Alliance 2,770 winners · 5 seasons Division Finalist Alliance 2,769 winners · 5 seasons Control Award The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to enhance their robot's performance. With innovative solutions, like autonomous operation, smarter mechanical systems, or sensor use, they tackle game challenges with creativity and skill, showing how technology can push their robot to the next level. 2,649 winners · 3 seasons Top Ranked Top Ranked Teams: 2,071 winners · 5 seasons Innovate Award sponsored by Raytheon Technologies The Innovate Award sponsored by Raytheon Technologies celebrates a team that has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This award is given to the team that the Judges feel has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness and 'out of the box' thinking. This award may address the design of the whole robot or some sub-assembly component of the robot. The creative component needs to work consistently, but a robot does not have to work all of the time during matches to be considered for this award. The team's engineering portfolio showed the design of the component(s) and the team's robot, and clearly explains how the team arrived at their solution. 1,860 winners · 2 seasons Judges' Choice Award The Judges' Choice Award is presented when the judging panel meets a team whose unique efforts, performance, or team dynamics deserve recognition, but don't quite fit into the other award categories. 1,809 winners · 5 seasons Collins Aerospace Innovate Award The Collins Aerospace Innovate Award celebrates a Team that thinks outside the box and has the ingenuity, creativity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This judged award is given to the Team that has the most innovative and creative Robot design solution to any specific components in the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and "out of the box" thinking related to design. This award may address the design of the whole Robot or of a sub-assembly attached to the Robot. The creative component must work consistently, but a Robot does not have to work all the time during Matches to be considered for this award. 1,387 winners · 2 seasons Dean's List Winner Awards scripts for Into the Deep are coming soon! 1,322 winners · 4 seasons Reach Award The Reach Award goes to a team that has brought new people into FIRST—whether new teams, mentors, or volunteers—and inspired them to embrace the FIRST culture, helping our community grow and thrive. 870 winners · 1 season Sustain Award The Sustain Award celebrates the team that plans for the future of their program, ensuring it will thrive, long after today. They have established plans for finances, projects, or team sustainability, track their progress, and show dedication to leadership and long-term growth. 865 winners · 1 season Championship Finalist Alliance 803 winners · 1 season Championship Winning Alliance 803 winners · 1 season Compass Award The Compass Award recognizes an adult coach or mentor who provided outstanding guidance and support for a FIRST Tech Challenge team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award is determined from candidates, via a submitted student video, highlighting how their mentor has helped them become an outstanding team and has truly demonstrated what it means to be a Gracious Professional. 800 winners · 7 seasons Promote Award The Promote Award is given to the team that is most successful in creating a compelling message for the public and working to change our culture and celebrate science, technology, engineering and math. The video submission was evaluated by the Judges to determine the winner of this award. Teams must present a thoughtful and high-quality video which best exhibits this year's topic of: "How I learned about FIRST" 750 winners · 6 seasons FIRST® Leadership Award Winner 408 winners · 1 season Judges' Award The Judges Award is given at the discretion of the Judges to a Team they have encountered whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet the Team does not fit into any of the existing Award categories. 397 winners · 2 seasons Dean's List Finalists FIRST Dean's List Finalists are outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining the ideals of FIRST are exemplary. These students were nominated by their teams for their direct contributions and impact on others – exemplifying leadership and commitment on their FTC team, in their school, and in their community. FIRST Dean's List Finalists, recognized here today, will represent (insert region) in the running for the 10 Dean's List Winner spots. 321 winners · 2 seasons Volunteer Award Our program wouldn't be possible without the help and support of our amazing volunteers. Today we wanted to recognize our Volunteer of the Year! 43 winners · 3 seasons Semifinalist Innovation Challenge Semifinalists 40 winners · 5 seasons Volunteer of the Year 6 winners · 4 seasons Conference Finalist Alliance 6 winners · 2 seasons Design Award Finalist 5 winners · 4 seasons Motivate Award Finalist 5 winners · 4 seasons Connect Award Finalist 5 winners · 4 seasons Think Award Finalist 5 winners · 4 seasons Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc. Finalist 5 winners · 3 seasons Innovate Award sponsored by Raytheon Technologies Finalist 5 winners · 3 seasons Inspire Award Finalist 3 winners · 4 seasons Promote Award Finalist 2 winners · 4 seasons Compass Award Finalist 2 winners · 4 seasons Winner Innovation Challenge Winner 1 winner · 5 seasons Finalist Innovation Challenge Finalists 0 winners · 5 seasons Innovate Award 0 winners · 1 season