VIDEO: Robots in Action

Merrimack High School's FIRST Robotics team was one of 50 teams to compete in the FIRST Robotics Granite State Regional Final on Friday and Saturday.

The team, which took home the coveted Chairman's Award during the 2011 competition, did not take home an award this time around, but they will compete again at the North Carolina Regional in Raleigh, N.C., next month.

During the build season, which lasts about six weeks from when the challenge for the year is announced and the first week of competition, the captains of Merrimack's Chop Shop 166 said one of the things that makes FIRST such a great program is winning really isn't everything.

“The competition is the reward, but the journey is definitely a big part of it,” Ben Rogers said, commenting on how well the team of nearly 60 students works together.

That said, this weekend was about competition, fun and the spirit of "co-opertition" that is one of the primary goals of FIRST.

"Rebound Rumble" is a competition that requires members of three teams to form an alliance to compete against an alliance of another three teams. Robots from each team take the playing field and must shoot compact, foam basketballs at three levels of basketball hoops, each worth different points.

In addition to scoring baskets to score points, there is a final element of “co-opertition” at the end of the match that earns additional points for all of the teams in the two alliances if robots from the opposing alliances are balanced on a bridge between each side of the playing field at the match's ends.

FIRST was founded 21 years ago by Segway creator Dean Kamen. According to the FIRST website, Kamen's vision was "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."

Read more about Merrimack's First Robotics team: