FRC Update: Safety Animation Award Submission Deadline TODAY @ 12 Noon, TIMS, 2013 Mentor Certificate of Appreciation, Scholarships & More!

FRCicon_RGBGreetings Teams:
Safety Animation Award Submission Deadline: The deadline to submit Safety Animation submissions is today, 12/13/12 at 12 pm (noon) ET in STIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/stims/site.lasso.
Team Profile Information in TIMS will be exported on Monday, 12/19/12: This information is used for program books that are distributed to visitors, VIPS and teams at events. To make sure that you have the most up to date information included in your profile:
2) Under Teams I can Administer, click the Edit button for your team.
3) The Team Profile section, click the Edit/View button for Team Information.
2013 Mentor Certificate of Appreciation: Please be sure to invite all of your FRC mentors to your team’s TIMS record so they can receive their 2013 recognition certificate and pin in January during National Mentor Month. In order for team mentors to receive their recognition items, they must be registered as a mentor in TIMS by tomorrow, 12/14/12.
2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunity Updates:  Find out about recently confirmed scholarships, a recently discontinued scholarship, and all FIRST Scholarships with deadlines in January.  Juniors and Educators, take note of a special leadership training and scholarship opportunity to attend the 2013 Aspen Ideas Festival. See all at:http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Scholarships/2013_Assets/FIRST_Scholarship_News_12-13-12.pdf.
Consent and Release Forms: If you haven’t done so already, please consider which 2013 FIRST Consent and Release form your team members will be submitting this season.  Remember, electronic Consent and Release forms “cover” individuals at all 2013FIRST 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”.
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 Kickoff, and 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.
Surrogate Kit Pickup Reminder: If a team is unable to pick up its KoP at the Local Kickoff selected, an alternate, or “Surrogate” team may be designated to do so. The team must provide FIRST with an authorized Surrogate Kit Pickup letter, signed by the main or alternate contact, on school or sponsor letterhead that follows this template: http://tinyurl.com/cy6kkfr.
All Surrogate Kit Pickup letters must be received at FIRST no later than 5:00 pm ET on 12/31/12.  
The surrogate letter should be sent or faxed to: 

FIRST 
Attn: FRC Team Support/Operations

200 Bedford Street

Manchester, NH 03101

Fax #: 603-666-3907
Or scanned and emailed to frcteams@usfirst.org .
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

 

FRC Update: Important Deadlines, TIMS Purchaser Role, Team Profile Information in TIMS, Dean Kamen’s Slingshot Water Purification Device and More!

Greetings Teams:
FIRST Headquarters will close at 3 PM ET today, 11/21/12 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.  Our regular business hours will resume Monday, 11/26/12 at 8:30 AM ET.
Important deadlines are approaching!
·         Thursday, 12/06/12 at 12 PM (noon) ET: Regional event registration closes; Championship registration closes
·         Thursday, 12/06/12 at 12 PM (noon) ET: Kit & Kickoff registration closes
·         Friday, 12/07/12: Payment deadline for initial regional event registration
·         Friday, 12/07/12: Bag and tag exemption request deadline
·         Thursday, 12/13/12 at 12PM (noon) ET: Deadline to submit Safety Animation submissions (via STIMS)
A complete list of important 2013 dates and deadlines can be found on our season calendar:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/calendar/list
TIMS Purchaser Role: Team main and alternate contacts can now designate a “purchaser” in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. After they accept their TIMS invitation, the purchaser will be able to pay their team’s registration balance via credit card. To invite a purchaser in TIMS, please login:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso, click on the team summary button and click on the edit/view button in the team contacts field.
Team Profile Information in TIMS: Team profile information is used for program books that are distributed to visitors, VIPS and teams at events. This information will be exported from your team’s TIMS profile on Thursday, 12/20/12. To update your team’s information:
·         Login to TIMS https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso;
·         Under “teams I can administer”, click the edit button for your team;
·         In the team profile section, click the edit/view button to update team information.
Ask an Expert Call: Join Expert Joe Passofaro and FIRST Senior Mentor Renee Becker for the Ask an Expert call “The Junior Varsity Model for FRC”. The call will be taking place on Wednesday, 11/28/12 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.
Dean Kamen’s Slingshot Water Purification Device: Dean and his Slingshot water purification device are being featured in a short film by FRC Game Design Committee member Paul Lazarus.  The film was entered in a competition designed to highlight big ideas – and we can help this big idea get the recognition it deserves by voting for it online!  Check out the details here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-11-15-12.
Stay up on the latest FRC news! We send weekly email blasts to keep you well-informed on the latest FRC news.  Be sure to check your inbox each Thursday for the FRC email blast and if you’ve missed any, you can find an email blast archive on the FRC Season News and Email Blasts page:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/emailblastarchive.aspx. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed to receive alerts when this page is updated!
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 Update: Initial Event Registration Payment Deadline/Important Kit and Kickoff Reminder, Bag and Tag Exemptions, and More!

Greetings Teams:
FIRST HQ Closed 11/22/12-11/23/12: FIRST HQ will be closed next Thursday and Friday (11/22/12-11/23/12) in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday.  Consequently, the Email Blast will be sent on Wednesday of next week.
Initial Event Registration Payment Deadline 12/7/12: Remember that the payment deadline for your first Regional event or first and second District event is Friday, 12/7/12 at 5 pm ET.  If you have not already, please review our pricing structure and payment terms for the 2013 FRC Season here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/frc-payment-terms.
Important Kit & Kickoff Reminder: The deadline to select your team’s Kit of Parts (KoP) and Kickoff location in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso is Thursday, 12/6/12 at 12 pm (noon) ET.
Founder’s Reception: Founder’s Reception registration is now open in the Kit & Kickoff section in TIMS:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. Teams can register up to two (2) adult mentors to attend Founder’s Reception in Manchester, New Hampshire on Friday, 1/4/13. For details on the 2013 Founder’s Reception, please visit:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/founders-reception.
2013 Mentor Certificate of Appreciation: Please be sure to invite all of your FRC mentors to your team’s TIMS record so they can receive their 2013 recognition certificate and pin in January during National Mentor Month. In order for team mentors to receive their recognition items, they must be registered as a mentor in TIMS by Friday, 12/14/12.
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.
Stay up on the latest FRC news! We send weekly email blasts to keep you well-informed on the latest FRC news.  Be sure to check your inbox each Thursday for the FRC email blast and if you’ve missed any, you can find an email blast archive on the FRC Season News and Email Blasts page:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/emailblastarchive.aspx. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed to receive alerts when this page is updated!
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 Update: Kit & Kickoff Section in TIMS Opens Today @ 12 pm EST, FIRST CMP Registration for Pre-Qualified Teams, 2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunities & More

Greetings Teams:

Kit and Kickoff Section in TIMS Opens Today, 10/4/12 @ 12 pm (noon) EST:The Kit & Kickoff section in TIMS opens today:https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso*Please find additional information about choosing your Kit & Kickoff preferences at the bottom of this email.

Second District Event Registration: Second district event registration opens Thursday, 10/11/12 at 12 pm EST in TIMS: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/site.lasso. At this time, district teams will be able to register for their second district event.

FIRST Championship Registration for Pre-Qualified Teams: Championship registration for pre-qualified teams opens Thursday, 10/11/12 at 12 pm EST 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.

Announcing 2013 FIRST Scholarship Opportunities valued at over $14 million: Find out more about the 2013 college scholarship opportunities for FIRSTstudents at:http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Scholarships/2013_Assets/FIRST_Scholarship_News_10-4-12.pdf.

2013 Mentor Certificate of Appreciation: Please be sure to invite all of your FRC mentors to your team’s TIMS record so they can receive their 2013 recognition certificate and pin in January during National Mentor Month. In order for team mentors to receive their recognition items, they must be registered as a mentor in TIMS by Friday, 12/14/12. An additional benefit of adding mentors in TIMS is that they are able to opt-in to the FRC email blast.

Important Motor Controller Information: Please visit the FRC Blog for information regarding motor controllers here:http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog.

*“Kit and Kickoff Preferences” (in TIMS) is where you indicate how your team wants to pickup/receive the Kit of Parts (KoP) and where/if your team plans to attend Kickoff. Please note the following before making your selections:

  1. Picking up your KoP at a Kickoff will save your team shipping costs;
  2. If your team chooses not to attend any Kickoff, the KoP will be shipped to your 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;
  3. Your team may attend more than one Kickoff.  For example, you can send members to the Kickoff in Manchester, NH, while others can attend a Kickoff in your area.  However, you must indicate only one Kickoff for KoP pickup.

Surrogate Kit Pickup Option:

If your team is unable to pick up its KoP at a Kickoff, and you do not wish to incur shipping charges to have it mailed, an alternate team may pick up your KoP at a Kickoff.  You must provide FIRST with an authorization letter, signed by the main contact, on school or sponsor letterhead in order for us to release the kit.  You can find a template for this letter here: http://tinyurl.com/cy6kkfr.

Fax the letter to Team Support at 603-666-3907 no later than 5:00 pm EST on 12/31/12 or send a hard copy to FIRST, Attn: Team Support, 200 Bedford Street, Manchester, NH 03101.  The letter must include the following:

1.) Your Team Number and the Kickoff pick up location;
2.) The name and team number of the representative picking up the KoP;
3.) Provide a copy of the Surrogate Kit Pickup letter to the team representative picking up the KoP for your team.  This representative must bring the letter to the appropriate Kickoff.

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 Teams: Senior Mentor Call Tonight/Policy Regarding Team Contact Changes/FRC Award Survey

Greetings Teams:

FRC Mentor Orientation 101- Senior Mentor Call TONIGHT @ 7 p.m. EST: Join Senior Mentors Mike Henry and Mike Siegel for the Senior Mentor call taking place tonight, Thursday, 9/22 at 7 pm EST. You may find details and an outline of the call here: http://tinyurl.com/3h94c24.

Clarification of Policy for Changing Team Contacts in TIMS: Main and Alternate Contacts may invite a replacement in TIMS within the “Team Contacts” field.  Please do not email FIRST requesting that we change the contacts for you—we do not touch teams’ personal information unless there are special circumstances.

If your main contact has switched schools, moved, or otherwise cannot be reached, you must contact your Regional Director and request that they authorize FIRST to manually make a team contact change.  You can search for your Regional Director here: http://www.usfirst.org/regionalcontact.aspx .

FRC Award Structure Survey: We are looking for your input regarding the existing FRC award structure. Please encourage everyone you know in FRC to complete this survey by Wednesday, September 28th at 12 p.m. EST.

Go Teams!

FRC Team Support

FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)

200 Bedford Street

Manchester, NH 03101

Phone: (603) 666-3906  Fax: (603) 666-3907

http://www.usfirst.org

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