NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana checks out the robot designed by the Bionic Tigers team at the FIRST robotics competition.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana checks out the robot designed by the Bionic Tigers team at the regional FIRST robotics competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The team is made up of students from Cocoa High School and Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy along the Space Coast in Florida. NASA's Launch Services Program based at Kennedy is a sponsor of the team. The Bionic Tigers finished seventh in the competition called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, among about 60 high school teams hoping to advance to the national robotics championship.

FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson