This year’s Los Angeles regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics competition has just convened, with teenage winners coming from Hope Chapel Academy in Hermosa Beach, Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, and L A’s High Tech High School. The victors will be competing in the FIRST Robotic Championship in Atlanta in April.

Contenders got the chance to participate in “Rack ‘N’ Roll” as their bots grabbed colored rings and put them on a 10 foot high circular rack located at the arena’s center. Although we would have preferred a bout of Rock’em Sock’em Robots, we think it’s great that students this young are getting an early start in robotics.