Rock show a FIRST for science event

Written on August 5, 2011

By Donna Goodison  |   Friday, August 5, 2011  | http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1356510 |  Local Coverage

Science rocks - and it's getting its own TV special, to boot.

The ABC-TV event - airing Aug. 14 - chronicles the 20th annual FIRST Championship, an international K-12 science and robotics competition. It's called "i.am.FIRST: Science is Rock and Roll."The show will feature musical performances by the Black Eyed Peas - with frontman will.i.am, a major force behind the TV special - along with Willow Smith and cameos by Justin Bieber, Jack Black, Bono, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake and Steven Tyler.Boston University Academy student Joe Hoffman - a robotics championship contender - believes other kids will be inspired by the TV show, which uses star appeal to promote science, technology, engineering and math education."It was amazing," Hoffman, 17, said of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology competition. "We might only be high school students, but we can really make a difference and build some amazing things."The back-to-school special was the brainchild of will.i.am, who serves as Intel's director of creative innovation.Inventor Dean Kamen, who founded the Manchester, N.H.-based FIRST in 1989, received a call "out of the blue" last year from will.i.am after he heard the Segway creator talk about his work with students."There's no question that for a guy like will.i.am to take on the risk of going up against the stereotype that science and technology is for nerds and isn't cool ... is astounding," Kamen said.Technology and innovation is driving the country's future, yet most U.S. high school students lag way behind in these skills, according to will.i.am."I use technology every day in my creative life and the gear, devices and software I use have all been made possible because smart people with math and science skills created them," he said in an e-mail from Europe. "What blew my mind at my first FIRST event was watching a team of 13 year olds who designed and built a robot from scratch. These kids will be inventors and business leaders of tomorrow."Hoffman's mom credits the BU organization with giving her child - a three-time regional FIRST competitor and vice captain of the team - much more than a love of science and technology."FIRST has done this child an amazing service," Lorraine Horn said. "Joe has learned to be a leader."Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1356510