Our FIRST awards and Competitions

2025 – REEFSCAPE

  • Rocket City Regional – 8-5-0
    • Rank 7th
    • 5th Seed Alliance Captain
    • Regional FIRST Impact Award
  • Miami Valley Regional – 4-6-0
    • Rank 31st 
    • Industrial Design Award
    • Volunteer of the Year Award – Amanda Cullen
  • FIRST Championship – 6-4-0
    • Hopper Division
    • Industrial Design Award
  • Ohio State FRC Championship – 5-2-0

2024 – CRESCENDO

  • Arkansas Regional – 14-16-0
    • Rank 9th
    • 5th in Playoffs
    • Industrial Design Award
    • FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award – Lorelei Choate
  • Miami Valley Regional – 6-8-0
    • Rank 8th
    • 6th seed Alliance Caption
    • Creativity Award
  • Ohio State FRC Championship
  • Rainbow Rumble
    • Ranked 17th
    • Best in Show Award
  • Curiosity Open – 1-4-0
    • Rank 23rd 
    • The Great Lakes Science Center’s Community Impact Award 

2023 – CHARGED UP

  • Arkansas Regional – 5-9-0
    • Semi Finalist
    • Industrial Design Award
    • FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award – Shreya Kothnur
  • Miami Valley Regional – 10-5-0
    • 3rd Place Alliance
    • Regional FIRST Impact Award
  • Rocket City Regional – 9-4-0
    • 6th Place Alliance
    • Industrial Design Award
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Robert Weekley
  • FIRST Championship – 3-6-1
    • Daly Division
  • Ohio State FRC Championship
    • 3rd Place Finish
  • Rainbow Rumble – 6-7-0
    • 3rd Place Finish

2022 – RAPID REACT

  • Buckeye Regional – 1-8-0
    • Imagery Award
  • Rocket City Regional – 3-8-1
    • Regional Quarter Finalist
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Anthony Ogg
    • FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award – Nithya Kothnur
  • Curiosity Open
  • MVRC
    • Event Finalist
    • Imagery Award
    • Adventurer Award

2021 – INFINITE RECHARGE at Home

  • FIRST Innovation Challenge
    • Lithium group – Semi-Finalist
  • Infinite Recharge at Home Challenge
    • Nickel Group – Rank 15th
  • Game Design Challenge
    • Molybdenum Group
  • Rambotics Invitational

2020 – INFINITE RECHARGE

  • Miami Valley Regional – 2-7-0
    • Imagery Award
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Jimmy Nichols

2019 – DESTINATION DEEP SPACE

  • Miami Valley Regional – 5-4-0
  • Wisconsin Regional – 6-5-1
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
    • Industrial Design Award
  • Steel City Showdown – 5-8-0
    • Event Round Robin – 0-5-0
  • MVRC – 3-2-0
  • CORI Robotics Invitational – 10-2-1
    • Winning Alliance Captain

2018 – FIRST POWER UP

  • Miami Valley Regional – 5-4-0
  • Smoky Mountains Regional – 6-6-0
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
  • WVROX – 13-14-1
    • Event Quarter-finalists
  • CORI Robotics Invitational – 2-4-0
    • Event Quarter-finalists

2017 – FIRST STEAMWORKS

  • Miami Valley Regional – 7-7-0
    • Regional Quarter-Finalists
    • Gracious Professionalism Award Winner
  • Buckeye Regional – 5-4-0
    • Industrial Design Award
  • WOW Championship
    • Third Place Winner
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2016 – FIRST STRONGHOLD

  • Central Illinois Regional – 4-6-0
  • Queen City Regional – 6-5-1
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
  • Ohio FRC State Championship – 3-4-0
    • Championship Quarter-finalists
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2015 – RECYCLE RUSH

  • Queen City Regional
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
    • Imagery Award Winner
    • Volunteer of the Year – Paul George
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2014 – AERIAL ASSIST

  • Crossroads Regional – 5-7-0
  • Queen City Regional – 6-6-0
  • MVRC
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2013 – ULTIMATE ASCENT

  • Queen City Regional – 7-5-1
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Paul George
  • Crossroads Regional – 4-7-1
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
    • Team Spirit Award
  • Ohio FRC State Championship
    • Championship Winners
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2012 – REBOUND RUMBLE

  • Smoky Mountains Regional – 4-5-2
    • Regional Quarter-Finalist
    • Engineering Inspiration Award
  • Queen City Regional – 9-9-0
    • Regional Finalist
    • Volunteer of the Year – Jimmy Nichols
    • Team Spirit Award
  • Championship – 7-2-0
    • Galileo Division
  • CORI Robotics Invitational

2011 – LOGO MOTION

  • Pittsburgh Regional – 9-5-0
    • Regional Semi-finalist
  • Buckeye Regional – 12-2-0
    • Regional Semi-Finalist
    • Engineering Excellence Award
    • Coopertition Award
  • CORI Robotics Invitational
  • Indiana Robotics Invitational – 1-8-0

2010 – BREAKAWAY

  • Pittsburgh Regional – 6-6-2
    • Regional Quarter-finalists
    • Judge’s Award
  • Buckeye Regional – 12-5-0
    • Regional Finalists
    • Industrial Design Awards
  • CORI Robotics Invitational
  • Indiana Robotics Invitational – 4-3-1

2009 – LUNACY

  • Buckeye Regional –13-1-0
    • Regional Champions
    • GM Industrial Design Award
  • Championship – 4-3-0
    • Newton Division
  • Indiana Robotics Invitational – 3-5-0

2008 – FIRST Overdrive

  • Midwest Regional – 5-5-2
    • Engineering Inspiration Award Winner
    • Quarter-Finalists
  • Championship – 2-5-0
    • Galileo Division
  • Indiana Robotics Invitational – 5-3-0

2007 – Rack “N” Roll

  • Pittsburgh Regional – 11-7-0
    • Regional Finalist
    • Motorola Quality Award
  • Buckeye Regional –10-6-1
    • Finalist
    • Rockwell Automation Leadership in Controls Award
  • Championship – 2-6-1
    • Newton Division Quarter-Finalists
  • Indiana Robotics Invitational – 2-6-0

2006 – Aim High

  • Pittsburgh Regional – 12-6-0
    • Regional Champions
    • Delphi’s Driving Tomorrow’s Technology Award
  • Boilermaker Regional – 10-6-0
    • Regional Semi-finalist
  • Championship – 5-6-0
    • Galileo Division – Semi-finalist
    • FIRST Website of Excellence Award

2005 – Triple Play

  • Boilermaker Regional – 0-0-0
    • Delphi Driving Tomorrow’s Technology Award
  • Championship – 2-4-1
    • Newton Division

2004 – FIRST Frenzy

  • Buckeye Regional – 9-4-0
    • Regional Finalist
    • Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Bill Vinnage
  • Championship – 12-3-0
    • Curie Division Champions
    • World Semi-finalist

2003 – Stack Attack

  • Buckeye Regional – 3-3-1
    • Leadership in Controls Award
    • Website Design Award
    • AutoDesk Visualization Award
  • Championship – 4-3-1
    • Galileo Division Quarter-Finalists

Program Awards

Lakota Robotics also offers four annual awards:

The Vinnage / Reiboldt Student Achievement Award

Named after Bill Vinnage and Norm Reiboldt. These two mentors contributed over 30 years together towards the continuous improvement and growth of students through the FIRST Robotics program. This award is given to a student team member for continuous commitment to the FIRST Robotics program and complete understanding of the program as a whole.

Recipients:

  • 2025 – Lorelei Choate
  • 2024 – Annika Harris
  • 2023 – Rohan Nambiar
  • 2022 – Colin Rakel
  • 2021 – Courtney Lyden
  • 2020 – Noah Clippinger
  • 2019 – Braedon Flamm
  • 2018 – Jillian Becker
  • 2017 – Jessica Townsend
  • 2016 – Sammy Tanner
  • 2015 – Sara James
  • 2014 – Jeromy Schmidt
  • 2013 – Austin LoPiccolo
  • 2012 – Braden Fullington
  • 2011 – Katy Doyle
  • 2010 – Matt Eroskey
  • 2009 – Shril Patel
  • 2008 – Emma “ED” Dorgan

The Paul George Mentor Award

Recipients:

  • 2025 – Patrick Carroll and David Sharp
  • 2024 –Bryan Harris and Brian Woods
  • 2023 – Michael Knowlin and Captain Awesome
  • 2022 – Becca Trumble, Greg Klein, Wes Reed, Robert Weekly, and Tom Bennett
  • 2021 – Kristyna Mason
  • 2020 – Linda Cassidy and Sean O’Grady

The Campbell / Healey Founder’s Award

Named after David Campbell and Pat Healey who were instrumental in the start of the Lakota Robotics team and continuous growth of the team and the FIRST Robotics program through coaching, personnel and financial commitments. This award is given to an adult who has contributed to the continuous prosperity and/or growth of Lakota Robotics and/or FIRST Robotics in the local area.

Recipients:

  • 2025 – Greg Klein
  • 2024 – G&W Machinery Sales
  • 2023 – Salvignini America
  • 2022 – Su Reese
  • 2021 – Butler Tech
  • 2020 – Barbara George and Family
  • 2019 – Matt Miller
  • 2018 – Mission Communications
  • 2017 – Dan Deganis
  • 2016 – Ray Noxsel
  • 2015 – Robin & Cliff James
  • 2014 – Mike Fullington
  • 2013 – Jimmy Nichols & Family
  • 2012 – Paul George
  • 2011 – Rick Oliver
  • 2010 – Jennifer Noxsel
  • 2009 – Mary Jo Oliver
  • 2008 – Dave Campbell & Family

FLL Volunteer of the Year Award

An additional award offering is the FLL Thunderhawks Volunteer of the Year Award. This is an annual award given out at our FLL Thunderhawks Regional in which we honor the student who has given the most of his/her time volunteering for activities throughout the year.

Recipients:

  • 2024 – Griffin Lamb
  • 2023 – Rohan Nambiar
  • 2022 – Nithya Kothnur
  • 2020 – JoJo Reese
  • 2019 – Cortney Lyden
  • 2018 – Braydon Cheek
  • 2017 – Wes Reed
  • 2016 – Jillian Becker
  • 2015 – Sammy Tanner
  • 2014 – Alec Conyers and Sara James
  • 2013 – Nick Starr
  • 2012 – Jeromy Schmid
  • 2011 – Austin LoPicollo
  • 2010 – Katy Doyle
  • 2009 – David Robertson
  • 2008 – Heather Rogers
  • 2007 – Phil Leuck
  • 2006 – Emma “ED” Dorgan