Clarkson University’s Institute for STEM Education Makes Lasting Waves in the 2024–2025 FIRST DIVE Season
Several competitions hosted by Clarkson University’s Institute for STEM Education have given elementary, middle and high school students from across New York State an opportunity to ignite their passion for STEM.
Clarkson’s Robotics outreach team hosted multiple For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST®) Robotics events aimed at K-12 STEM education and youth engagement across the region.
FIRST is an international youth organization that operates the FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST LEGO League Challenge, FIRST LEGO League Explore, FIRST LEGO League Discover, and FIRST Tech Challenge competitions. Clarkson’s STEM Ed K-12 Robotics Outreach team is led by Clarkson University Assistant Professor Melissa C. Richards.
To start the season, Clarkson hosted the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Season Kickoff, where regional teams gathered to unveil the game field and learn about the upcoming challenge.
To further strengthen local FTC programs, the team organized the region’s first-ever five-day FTC Academy—an intensive training for coaches and mentors led by a FIRST Education Certified Trainer. The training, sponsored by the Arconic Foundation, provided educators with tools, strategies, and mentorship models to lead quality robotics teams and foster deeper student learning.
Clarkson’s K-12 Robotics Outreach team also hosted several annual events, including one of the nine FTC Qualifiers for the New York Excelsior (NY EX) Region, the NY-Potsdam FLL Challenge Regional Championship, and the NY-Potsdam FLL Explore Regional Expo. The NY EX FTC Qualifier at Clarkson welcomed 24 teams to Clarkson’s campus, with three advancing to the MVCC Utica Championship. For the third consecutive year, FTC Team 8397—Team Beta from Plattsburgh, co-hosted the event and provided essential volunteers to help ensure smooth operations.
The NY–Potsdam FLL Challenge Regional Championship, welcomed 21 teams to Clarkson and featured students in grades four through eight presenting robotics solutions and innovation projects addressing ocean-related issues.
In addition to Clarkson University serving as the Program Delivery Organization (PDO) for the New York-Potsdam FLL region, the K-12 Robotics Outreach team supports a growing network of robotics programs under the STEM Ed Institute. This includes more than 40 FLL teams, 14 BOCES-sponsored FTC teams across the NY Excelsior region, and the area’s only FRC team—Team 229, Division by Zero, a collaboration between Norwood-Norfolk and Massena High Schools.
The competitions were supported by four Clarkson’s K-12 Robotics Outreach interns, and the 18 members of the FIRST Robotics Living-Learning Community (LLC).
The FIRST Robotics LLC is a housing community for first- and second-year Clarkson undergraduate students who live and work together while mentoring youth and advancing STEM outreach across Northern New York.
Looking ahead, Clarkson University will continue its commitment to FIRST by hosting the 2025–2026 FIRST AGE season presented by Qualcomm events in spring 2026.
For more information about Clarkson STEM Ed, visit clarkson.edu/stem. To learn more about the upcoming season, start a team, or become a volunteer, visit firstinspires.org or contact robotics@clarkson.edu.
