Students in Hartford Public Schools have been participating in FIRST since 1997.  Mentored by engineers from Pratt & Whitney, teachers, and community volunteers, the team has won 24 prestigious regional and national awards.

In 2003, the Birds of Prey moved out its Nest in Hartford Public High School to their own space in the Parkville area of Hartford, CT.  This gave the team a chance to open up the FIRST experience to students from ALL of the Hartford public high schools.  This year we have students from Bulkeley High School, Hartford Public High School, Pathways to Technology, University High School, and Weaver High School.

The real success story for the Birds of Prey is that 24 out of 26 robotics team members between 2001 and 2005 are attending college, most of them in engineering or science related programs. Also, more than one D average student has been converted to the honor roll in a year's time.  Three current mentors for the team attended Hartford Public High School and are now engineers at Pratt & Whitney!

FIRST team members attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Bentley College, Central Connecticut State University, University of Connecticut, Trinity College, University of New Hampshire, University of Hartford, Union College, William and Mary College, Manchester Community College, Howard University, Sacred Heart University, Capital Community College, Columbia University, Albright College, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, and Kansas State University.

FIRST redefines winning. Teams are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome obstacles.  Scoring the most points is a secondary goal.