Friday, April 27 & Saturday, April 28: FIRST® Championship, Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
opens IMAGE file Dream Team in St. Louis: Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are teaming up to shoot hoops, talk shop, and cheer on 12,000 tech-savvy kids from around the world at annual FIRST(R) Robotics Championship. (Photo: Lipofsky Photography)
ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
The NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer, New York Times bestselling author, and now STEM-education advocate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will join 12,000 world champions competing in Dean Kamen’s youth robotics finals at Edward Jones Dome Friday and Saturday.
WHO
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the author of seven books, including his latest children’s book What Color is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors
- Abdul-Jabbar founded the Skyhook Foundation with the goal to inspire today’s youth to exercise their minds and realize the power of knowledge. The foundation identifies mentors who can inspire youth to pursue careers as innovators in the same way they envision being athletes or entertainers
- Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest in science and technology
- Annual FIRST Championship hosts 12,000 students from 32 countries and their custom-built robots
- Expected attendance: 25,000 additional fans, parents, mentors, coaches, and sponsors
WHAT
- FIRST Championship is a culmination of youth robotics and science-challenge teams that won regional FIRST competitions held across the world, beginning last fall
- During heart-pounding, high-energy matches, students put their custom-built robots to the test with the help of mentors and coaches
- Abdul-Jabbar will sign books, meet teams, operate a robot, speak at ceremonies, and tour “pit-area” with Kamen family
WHEN & WHERE
April 27-28 in the Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis (All times CT)
Friday, April 27
8:30 am–9:15 am – FIRST® Robotics Competition Opening Ceremonies, Edward Jones Dome
12:00 pm–1:00 pm – ‘Dean’s List’ Awards Ceremony, America’s Ballroom, 2nd floor
1:30 pm–2:30 pm – Read-Aloud & Book Signing with Junior FIRST® LEGO® League, Room 274
2:30 pm–3:00 pm – Tour of robotics teams’ “pit area” with Kamen family members, America’s Center
Saturday, April 28
11:00 am–12:00 pm – FIRST® Tech Challenge Closing Ceremony, America’s Ballroom, 2nd floor
1:00 pm–2:30 pm – Book Signing in FIRST® Robotics Competition ‘Live Stage’ in Atrium, 2nd Floor
VISUALS
- Teens show Abdul-Jabbar how to shoot hoops in basketball-themed robotics practice session
- Abdul-Jabbar to referee live robotics match, climbing ladder to judge robot “height”
- NBA great to speak at robotics closing ceremony, after which he will honor tech-savvy teens with ‘high fives’
- 7’2” Abdul-Jabbar to read aloud to kids as young as 6 during book-signing: kids to sing birthday song
- Abdul-Jabbar and Kamen family members to tour “pit-area” in support of 12,000 robotics participants
- 25,000 FIRST fans cheering from the stands during robot matches, in pep rally-style
STORY ANGLES
- Abdul-Jabbar shoots hoops with a robot called ‘Skyhook’ in basketball-themed robotics practice session
- NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer backs Kamen’s message: Celebrating science and technology as we do sports and entertainment is critical in creating the next generation of innovators and leaders
- Abdul-Jabbar shines a light on the world of African-American invention through children’s book What Color is My World?
- Abdul-Jabbar makes big impression on little engineers: Book-signing with FIRST participants as young as 6
- More females and minorities in science & technology (STEM) fields: Interview accomplished young females and minorities about their FIRST experience
EDITOR’S NOTE
Schedule for Abdul-Jabbar to practice with robots and to referee robot match: Friday between 9:30–11:00 am and 3:00–5:00 pm
Media can register online to attend FIRST Championship: opens in a new windowhttp://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/cmp-media-registration
INFORMATION
opens in a new windowwww.usfirst.org
www.kareemabduljabbar.com
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: opens in a new windowhttp://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50249053〈=en
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: opens in a new windowhttp://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50249053〈=en
Contact:
FIRST ®
Shana Benzinane, 603-206-2482
opens in a new windowsbenzinane@usfirst.orgcreate new email