FIRST World Championship, April 24-27

Championship graphicThe FIRST Championship is the culmination of the season’s FIRST programs, bringing together three separate robotics competitions for the ultimate Sport for the Mind™. The event includes the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship, the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship, and the FIRST LEGO League World Festival. Also featured is the Junior FIRST LEGO League World Festival Expo.

The high-tech spectator events combine the excitement of sport with science and technology. Join students as they showcase the results of weeks of intense preparation, competing in thrilling matches and working on their robots in the “Pits.” This event is open to the public, free of charge.

Teams from all over Florida will be at the event, including:

FRC Teams

79- Tarpon Springs , FL
180 – Stuart, FL
233 -Rockledge/Cocoa Beach, FL
744 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Galileo
801 – Merritt Island, FL
1251 Coconut Creek, FL
1523 – Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens, FL
1902 – Winter Park, FL
2383 – Plantation, FL
3242 – Ocala, FL
3410 – Miami, FL
3627- Sarasota, FL
4471 -Hollywood, FL -

FTC Teams
5070 N.U.T.S. Orlando FL
3846 Maelstrom Tampa FL

FLL Team
10299 Taz Bots RENEGADES 8 H Boca Raton FL

Visit the Official FIRST Championship page for absolutely everything related to the event!  And watch live action streaming throughout the event courtesy of NASA - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/robotics/

FRC Update: Robot Stop Build Day Tuesday, 2/19/13, Important deadlines, 2013 FIRST Scholarship opportunity updates & More!

FRCicon_RGBGreetings Teams:

ROBOT STOP BUILD DAY IS NEXT TUESDAY, 2/19/13! On this day, your team MUST stop work on your robot and seal it in the bag provided in your Kit of Parts (KoP), with the tag from your KoP. You may work on your robot until midnight local time, but the seal must be on the bag when the clock strikes midnight!

Is your team ready? Have you:

  •         Located and printed the Robot Lock-Up form?
  •        Called or emailed Team Support with any questions or concerns?

Important Deadlines:

Award Submission (via STIMS):

  •       *  Website Award: 2/21/13 @ 12 pm (noon) ET 
  •         Chairman’s Award: 2/21/13 @ 12 pm (noon) ET
  •          Woodie Flowers Award: 2/21/13 @ 12 pm (noon) ET

Award Submission (via TIMS):

  •         Dean’s List Award: 2/21/13 @12 pm (noon) ET

FIRST Future Innovator Award Submission (via http://www.allthingspatent.com/FRC/): 2/21/13 @ 12 pm (noon) ET

FRC Blog: There have been several important updates posted on the FRC Blog recently. Please review a recent post on wireless security here:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-wireless-security-karthik-at-tedx-and-a-pop-safety-quiz. In case you missed last month’s important blog about safety and the announcement of our Safety Animation Award winner – you can find it here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-safety-safety-safety.

2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunity Updates:  Find out about new scholarships, and all FIRST Scholarships with deadlines in March at:http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Scholarships/2013_Assets/FIRST_Scholarship_News_2-14-13.pdf

Go Teams!

FRC Team Support

FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Public Charity

V 1(800)871-8326

F 603-666-3907

E frcteams@usfirst.org

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*There was an error in today’s FRC email blast regarding 2013 FRC Award submissions. Please note: There is no FRC Website Award this year. In addition to the Chairman’s Award and Woodie Flowers Award submissions, Entrepreneurship Award submissions are due via STIMS on 2/21/13 @ 12 pm (noon) ET. We apologize for the miscommunication.

FRC Update: Payments for additional Regional Events & Championship Deadline,2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunity Updates, FIRST Virtual Technical Advisor and Much More!

FRCicon_RGBGreetings Teams:

Payments for Additional Regional Events & Championship Deadline: Payments for additional regional events and Championship are due Friday, 1/25/13 – please confirm withFIRST Finance you have the funding for the events for which you are registered,  if they are not paid at this time. If you do not have the funding, please email ar@usfirst.org as to your status. We do have a waitlist of teams wanting to go to specific events, so if you do not have the funding to attend please let us know so we can give another team the opportunity.

2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunity Updates:  Find out about recently confirmed scholarships, the new Bart Kamen FIRST Memorial Scholarship Fund, and all FIRSTScholarships with deadlines in February.  See all at: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Scholarships/2013_Assets/FIRST_Scholarship_News_1-17-13.pdf.

Team Updates: Team Updates will be available every Tuesday and Friday through Thursday, 2/14/13, then every Tuesday through Championship. Team Updates can be found here: http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/Updates/0.

FRC Blog: Please visit the FRC Blog: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-team-update-1-15-2013 for important information on a recent Team Update.

FIRST® Virtual Technical Advisor: Are you looking for help with your robot? Do you have technical experience and want to help a team? We have the solution! FIRST Virtual Technical Advisor (VTA) is here to help! Sign up to find/give support from anywhere in the world!https://my.usfirst.org/FIRSTPortal/Login/Virtual_login.aspx.

Consent and Release Forms: If you haven’t done so already, please consider which 2013FIRST Consent and Release form your team members will be submitting this season.  Remember, if you choose to submit the electronic Consent and Release form you will only need to do so once to attend the 2013 FRC competition events. Students and their parents access the electronic form in STIMS; adult mentors in TIMS).

If anyone on your team opts to submit a hard-copy Consent and Release form instead, please download at: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/first-student-team-information-members-system-and-consent-form and follow instructions for submission located in the “Process Overview Document”.

If team members submitted hard-copy Consent and Release forms for Kickoff, please note that they will need to supply another hard-copy Consent and Release form for your team’s competition event. Electronic Consent and Release forms do not need to be resubmitted.

Michigan (FiM) and MAR (Mid-Atlantic Robotics) teams will find instructions specific to their Consent and Release form submissions in the “process overview document” as well.

Print your Team Roster! No matter which method you choose (electronic or hard-copy), you MUST print off your Team Roster from TIMS and bring it with you to your initial competition event. To print the Team Roster:

1)  On the Team Summary page in TIMS, scroll down to the “Student/Roster” field.

2)  Click “View” next to Team Roster.

3) Click Printable Roster.

4) If you have any students/mentors who are providing hard-copy forms, please write in their names on the printed roster and attach their Consent and Release forms.

For more information about the 2013 Consent and Release form, including FAQs and a helpful process overview, please visit: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/first-student-team-information-members-system-and-consent-form.

Go Teams!

FRC Team Support

 

FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Public Charity

V 1(800)871-8326

F 603-666-3907

E frcteams@usfirst.org

http://www.usfirst.org

FRCs Ultimate Ascent Puts all Four FIRST Programs Underway!

FIRST_Homepage_Ascent_graphicsIt’s official – with the kick-off of the 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition, Ultimate Ascent,  earlier today, all four FIRST K-12 programs are underway in Florida and nationwide! The intense six week FRC build, this year throws a bunch of old rules out the building, with new drive train possibilities, new components, and a whole new game!  Teams all over the country and internationally gathered together in schools, arenas, homes, Boys & Girls Clubs, 4H centers, and wherever they could to watch the 2013 Season Kick-off.

At the Orlando Science Schools, one of three kick-off locations in Florida, 14 teams came from across central Florida to pick up their Kit watching Grant Imahara videoof Parts and see the kick off. While they waited for the kick off, they sat in on some great presentations on solid design processes and good drive trains, courtesy of hosting team, Clockwork Mania . We’ll be archiving the presentations on our Library page soon.

considering drive trains Now it’s nose to the grindstone for a frenetic six weeks of building before it’s tools down on February 19.

So right now, all over Florida, students in kindergarten through high school are hard at work researching, designing, building, programming and doing outreach in Jr. FIRST LEGO League (Jr. FLL) , FIRST LEGO League (FLL) , FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC),  with students in the latter three vying for coveted spots, via their Regional events, in the FIRST World Championship in St. Louis, MO in April.

If things are heating up in Florida, it’s all that brain power – the collective intellectual and creative energy of nearly 10,000 young people enthusiastically building and learning as they go, developing the teamwork and technical skills to create a better future for themselves, and for us!

Go teams!

FRC Update: Unrestricted Regional Event Registration Open, FIRST CMP Waitlist Registration for Veteran Teams that DID Compete at the 2012 FIRST CMP Opens 11/8/12 at 12 noon ET

Greetings Teams:
Unrestricted Regional Event Registration Now Open - teams can register for additional regional events in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.
FIRST Championship Waitlist Registration for Veteran Teams that DID Compete at the 2012 FIRST Championship opens Thursday, 11/8/12 at 12 pm (noon) ET: At this time, veteran teams that DID compete at the 2012 FIRST Championship will be able to waitlist register in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.
Teams on Regional Event Waitlists - please read the following to better understand how the waitlist process works:
  • If the event you select is full, your team is added to the waitlist;
  • FIRST reserves slots for late registering rookie teams for every regional event.  Once registration closes on Thursday, 12/6/12 if there are any reserved slots left, waitlisted teams will then be moved in;
  • For each event weekend a team can only sign up or join the waitlist for one event (i.e., a team cannot be registered/waitlisted for two events occurring on the same weekend);
  • FIRST does not issue the waitlist. Teams attending any given regional can change at the last moment as their finances are determined, therefore the number of places available can also change. It is also unknown how many late registering rookies there will be. We do not want teams making definite plans based on their place on a waitlist when information may be changing.
Tip!  If you find yourself on a waitlist, please bear in mind that teams drop out of events for various reasons and many times a waitlisted team is able to get into the event of their choice!
Steele Meetings Hotel Program: This year, 47 FRC Regional Events are participating in the FIRST hotel program. Please visit:http://www.firstchampionshiphousing.com/ for reservation information.
New Lower Bulb Pricing For Fundraising: More great news, teams! To help make it easier than ever before to raise team funds from our ongoing FIRST Green e-watt saver light bulb program,FIRST is announcing NEW PRICING on the 800-lumen bulb –now just $8.50 per bulb, or $204 per case! That’s a price drop of over 40%! PLUS…we’ve lowered the retail sales price to just $20! That means your team profit remains unchanged ($11.50 per bulb minus shipping), but you can attract more customers with this new, lower price. This is a great opportunity to reach new customers while reconnecting with people who declined to buy at the higher price point. Everybody loves a bargain, so take advantage of this new pricing by stocking up today and getting out there with the good news! 

For complete details, please visit: 
www.usfirst.org/e-wattresources. Order today and happy selling!
Kit & Kickoff section in TIMS is open: The Kit & Kickoff section of TIMS is open. If you haven’t done so already, team main and alternate contacts can select your team’s Kit & Kickoff preferences in TIMS now: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.
Please note: Picking up your Kit of Parts (KoP) at a Kickoff will save your team shipping costs. If your team chooses not to attend any Kickoff, the KoP will be shipped to your team’s shipping contact and your team will be responsible for the shipping costs. Teams that choose to have their KoP shipped can expect to receive it sometime during the week after Kickoff.  International teams should be aware that delivery date will depend on customs clearance.
Bag & Tag Exemptions:  If bringing your robot to a competition event presents your team with a substantial hardship – for example, if your team needs to travel a great distance or cross an ocean to get to your event – you may request a bag and tag exemption by sending an email to: frcteams@usfirst.org
In your request, please include as much detail as possible to support why an exemption is required. Please use the subject line: Bag and Tag Exemption Request, Team XXXX, with your team number in place of “XXXX” in your email. Exemption requests must be submitted by Friday, 12/7/12.
Go Teams!
FRC Team Support
 
FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization
V 603-666-3906
F 603-666-3907

FRC Updated: 2nd Regional Event Registration Open, CMP Waitlist Registration for 2012 Non-CMP competing Veteran Teams Open

Second Regional Event Registration Opens Today at 12 pm (noon) ET in TIMS: Beginning at 12 noon ET, teams in the regional model will be able to register for their second regional event in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. District teams who have registered for both of their district events will be able to register for a regional event at this time.
FIRST Championship Waitlist Registration for Veteran Teams that DID NOT compete at the 2012 FIRST Championship Opens Today at 12 pm (noon) ET in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.
During this enrollment period, FRC teams will immediately go onto a waitlist for the FIRST Championship.
This is a change from prior seasons, when some teams were able to get slots immediately for Championship during this period.
As the number of FRC teams and events continue to grow, the number of merit-based qualifying teams also grows. We can’t predict the exact number of slots that will be available to veteran teams through an open registration process, but the number is likely to be small.
We will release FIRST Championship slots to waitlisted teams as the season progresses and we become comfortable that all merit-based qualifying teams (teams winning awards at 2013 events that qualify them to go to Championship, or earn a wild card slot) are being accommodated.
For more information on the Championship eligibility criteria, please visit: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/championship-eligibility-criteria.
Go Teams!
FRC Team Support
 
FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization
V 603-666-3906
F 603-666-3907

Jr.FLL Update: Brain Buster, Owls!, Jr.FLL Online Showcase & World Festival Expo

Jr.FLL Coaches:

Brain Buster

Q – How many different programs does FIRST® have and what are the recommended participation ages?

A- There are 4 different programs. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC®) & FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC®),  14- to 18-year-olds, FIRSTLEGO® League (FLL®), 9- to 14-year-olds,  and Junior FIRST LEGO League (Jr.FLL®), 6- to 9-year-olds.

Owls!

Need something non-LEGO related to break up your meting time with the kids? Make your own SUPER SENIORS℠ Owls!http://bkids.typepad.com/bookhoucraftprojects/2010/11/tetx.html

 Jr.FLL Online Showcase

The Online Showcase is just about ready for launch! We are very excited about the newest addition to the Jr.FLL program. It is going to be a great way to share your team’s work with everyone and connect with other Jr.FLL teams from around the world!! Watch your email for more information on the launch of the website and how to access it.

World Festival Expo

It is never too early to start thinking about this season’s World Festival Expo!  The Expo will once again take place in St. Louis in April.  Talk to your team now.  If you’re interested in attending this year the application will be posted on the Jr.FLL website in October.  Teams are chosen to attend via lottery, so all interested teams are encouraged to apply. Don’t know what the World Festival Expo is?  Learn about it here, and don’t forget to check out the pictures from last year!

 Questions?

As always if you have any questions at all drop us a note at jrfllteams@usfirst.org.

 Helpful Links

Links - YouTube Jr.FLL Marketing Tools TeamUp Forums

Email - jrfllteams@usfirst.org

Phone # 1-800-871-8326 x 0

 

LEGO Education

www.legoeducation.us

1-800-362-4308

FRC Update: Message From Dean Kamen- E-Watt Saver Light Bulbs, 2nd District Event Registration Open, CMP Registration and more!

Greetings Teams:

Message from Dean Kamen – E-Watt Saver Light Bulbs: Great news! To help you raise even more money for your teams from our ongoing and highly successful FIRST E-Watt Saver light bulb fundraiser program (you’re out there selling, I hope) — FIRST(R) is making this special, limited time offer: Now through November 30 ─ Buy one case of bulbs, get a second case absolutely FREE! (Teams must pay shipping on each case delivered.)

Wow…think about it…twice the revenue at half the cost! To boost sales, you can even set your own price on your free bulbs. This is a tremendous opportunity to help fund your team activities, so I urge you to take advantage of it. But you must act soon! This offer ends November 30 and will not be repeated.

For complete details, please visit: www.usfirst.org/e-wattresources. Order today…and happy selling!

Second District Event Registration Opens Today, 10/11/12 at 12 (noon) ET: Second district event registration opens today, 10/11/12 at 12 pm ET in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.

FIRST Championship Registration for Pre-Qualified Teams Opens Today, 10/11/12 at 12 (noon) ET: Championship registration for pre-qualified teams opens today, 10/11/12 at 12 pm ET in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. For information on Championship eligibility, please visit: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/championship-eligibility-criteria.

Second Regional Event Registration: Second regional event registration will open on Thursday, 10/25/12 at 12 pm ET in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso.

Kit of Parts Drive System Options for Veterans: New this season, veterans have an option regarding the Kit Drive System. Veteran teams must
make a selection in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso by Thursday, 10/18/12. For details, please visit: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-09-07-12.

2013 Safety Animation Contest: 2013 Safety Animation contest details are now available: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/safety-video-and-manual.  The submission portal in STMS: https://my.usfirst.org/stims/site.lasso opens today, 10/11/12 at 12 pm ET and will remain open until Friday, 12/13/12 at 12 pm ET.

Customizable Posters: Looking for ways to promote your team? New, customizable team recruitment and event posters are available here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/marketing-tools/frc/frc-promotional-fliers-brochures-annual-report-presentations-scholarships.

Ask an Expert Call: Join Collin Fultz, FRC Kit of Parts Engineer and Senior Mentor Lia Schwinghammer for the Ask an Expert call “FRC Quick Build Sessions at Kickoff”. The call will be taking place on Wednesday, 10/17/12 at 7 pm ET. You can find details on all of this season’s Ask an Expert calls here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/frc-senior-mentor-teleconference-recordings.

Go Teams!

FRC Team Support

FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization

V 603-666-3906

F 603-666-3907

E frcteams@usfirst.org

www.usfirst.org

FRC Update: 2013 Championship Registration, 2013 FRC Season Dates, Ask an Expert

Greetings Teams:

2013 Championship Registration: Championship Registration for Pre-Qualifying Teams opens on 10/11/12 at noon EST in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. Pre-Qualifying teams are as follows:

  • ·         Hall of Fame teams
  • ·         Original and Sustaining teams
  • ·         2012 Championship Engineering Inspiration Award winner
  • ·         2012 Einstein teams

New this season: Open Championship registration has changed to open Championship wait list registration. During this enrollment period, FRC teams will immediately go onto a wait list for the FIRST Championship.

As the number of FRC teams and events continue to grow, the number of merit-based qualifying teams also grows. We can’t predict the exact number of slots that will be available to veteran teams through an open registration process, but the number is likely to be small.

We will release FIRST Championship slots to wait listed teams as the season progresses and we become comfortable that all merit-based qualifying teams (teams winning awards at 2013 events that qualify them to go to Championship) are being accommodated.

For more information on Championship registration, including information on wait list registration dates, please visit:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/championship-eligibility-criteria.

As a reminder, initial regional and initial qualifying event registration opens on Thursday, 9/27/12 at noon EST.

2013 FRC Season Dates and Deadlines: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/calendar/.

Ask an Expert Call: Join Senior Mentors Mike Siegel and Mike Henry for the Ask an Expert call “FRC Team Mentor Orientation 101”. The call will be taking place on Wednesday, 9/19/12 at 7 pm EST. You can find details on all of this season’s Ask an Expert calls here:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/frc-senior-mentor-teleconference-recordings.

Go Teams!

FRC Team Support

 

FIRST® is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization

V 603-666-3906

F 603-666-3907

E frcteams@usfirst.org

www.usfirst.org

2011-12 FIRST Championship in Photos!

There was Will.I.Am and Dean Kamen and Dr. Woody Flowers and Kareem Abdul Jabbar! There were epic battles and tornadoes!  It was a FIRST Championship like no other, and the biggest storm was Florida! Enjoy this photographic look at the FIRST Championship!  Congratulations to all the great teams who participated in the event, and a huge thank you to everyone who made it possible, from FIRST and event staff to the hundreds of volunteers who handled everything from inspection to judging to field operations!   You’re FIRST in our hearts!  Can’t wait to do it all over again!

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