Spring Event Registration l Jump Start FTC extended l Certificate of Participation l FRC Events l MDE Grant Update l 2020-21 Season Reg l REV Control Hub
SPRING FTC EVENT REGISTRATION
FTC Spring events are posted on the FIRST in Michigan FTC website’s EVENTS page: http://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/events/.
The spring event registration form will open for submission on Wednesday, March 4 at 7:00AM. Direct link to the registration form: 2020 Spring FTC Event Registration Form
Participating in a spring event checks the box on the competition requirement that accompanies FIRST in Michigan grants (includes sponsor specific grants) and the MDE FIRST Robotics state grant.
The spring events will be listed as scrimmages on the FIRST FTC national site but they will operate as regular season events (without an advancement component, though) with judging, match play, elimination rounds, awards.
Event assignment order protocol:
- Teams that are directly affiliated with the host organization.
- Teams that did not compete in the FIRST in Michigan FTC fall season that still need to compete in order to satisfy grant requirements.
- Teams that have repopulated for the 2nd semester i.e. classroom-based teams.
- Remaining spots are open to teams that competed in the regular season that would like to compete again.
- Entries are date/time stamped and each order of assignment category will additionally use these attributes as a factor.
- Teams must be officially registered for the 2019-2020 season with FIRST FTC national and be comprised solely of MI middle school aged team members OR team members who will be middle school aged in the 2020-2021 season (matriculating FLL to FTC).
- The event fee for spring events is the same as for fall events, $100. This fee is paid directly to the host usually at team check-in for the event and is the basis of the event’s budget. This fee is not covered by any grants i.e. FIRST or FIRST in Michigan.
- Participation in a spring event is optional for teams that have already competed in the 2019-2020 regular season.
- Spring events will play the SKYSTONE game (same as fall).
For details about the event registration process, visit this link: http://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/event-registration/.
FTC JUMP START EXTENDED
FIRST FTC HQ has extended its Jump Start registration offer through March 16, 11:59 pm ET. Register a team now for early access to problem-solving, skill-building, and thrilling robotics challenges. Jump Start teams receive a $275 grant to cover the cost of their 2020-2021 season registration.
FIRST FTC HQ also has its needs-based grants available (through March 16) which provide a newly forming team with $275 towards the team’s FTC season registration fee and $225 towards their robot kit of parts purchase made through the FTC Storefront.
New teams affiliated with a school or youth enrichment 501c3 organization are also eligible for the FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant which covers the team’s remaining out of pocket costs (season reg. fee + robot kit of parts purchased through FTC Storefront). Teams accepting this grant must compete in a spring event as participation in a competition is a requirement of the grant.
Visit the GRANTS page on the FIRST in Michigan site for details on applying for all grants: http://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/grants/.
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION
The 2019-2020 season FTC Participation Certificate is available for download at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hMBr6bcT9NTeOE8EIgX2ap4HSMIK-fNl/view. This is a fillable pdf that can be customized for your team members.
REV CONTROL HUB
The REV Control Hub will be a legal part for the 2020-21 FTC season. The Control Hub combines the functionality of the existing Expansion Hub and the Android phone on the robot. Jump Start teams will receive the REV Control Hub as part of their electronics set purchased through the FTC Storefront. Veteran teams will be able to order the REV Control Hub at a discounted price ($239) through the FTC Storefront beginning in mid May when 2020-21 season registration opens. The REV Control Hub is also available “over the counter” through the REV Robotics website for $300. The REV Expansion Hub and Robot Controller phone combo will still be a legal configuration for 2020-21.
MDE FIRST Robotics State Grant Update
MDE FIRST Robotics awarded grants began payout in late January. This payout is made directly to the school with their monthly school aid remittance. Teams awarded the grant should work with their school’s finance dept. to access the funds. The funds can only be used in support of the team.
There was a system glitch at the MDE which caused some award letters (issued through the MEGS+ grant system) to show a zero award amount. The MDE is working on reissuing those erroneous letters. The proper award amount should be reflected in the MEGS+ system. The MDE has also been working with districts to fix incorrect or missing award amounts. Currently, the award recipient list on https://www.techplan.org/rdi/first-robotics/ does not reflect the “fixes”. FIRST in Michigan is currently working with the MDE to verify the fixed awards. Corrected award amounts are slated to go out with the April school aid remittance.
FRC EVENTS
High School FRC events are in full swing! Visit the FIRST in Michigan FRC events page to find an event near you: http://firstinmichigan.us/FRC/events/, Many events are still looking for volunteers which is a great way to see the next step for our middle school students and experience the impact of the program. Step by Step Guide to Volunteer Registration (with screenshots).
Serving as a judge at an FRC event is the very best way to see the program from the “inside” and hear directly from the students. An outline of the judge role:
- Two day commitment Friday and Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm (est.) each day.
- Judges should be at least 25 years of age.
- Judges should not have a mentor/coach/parent relationship with any MI FRC team within the last 3 years.
- Technical and non-technnical backgrounds are welcome. There are both “machine” and “team attribute” awards.
2020-2021 SEASON REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2020-21 season will open in mid May. Stay tuned for details!
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Links to program information on the FIRST in Michigan (FiM) and FIRST HQ websites:
- Run a Team – Addresses many FAQs
- Resources – Links to FIRST HQ resources, parts, and vendors, logos, etc.
- Grants – information will be updated as grants become available; check back periodically
- Team Eblast Archive
- FIRST FTC HQ Blog – latest program announcements
- FTC Curriculum – Free curriculum; can be used as a stand-alone course or as a supplement to areas where the team needs extra support.
PROGRAM PARTICULARS
- Alignment: In Michigan, we run a slightly different progression of programs from FIRST national. In Michigan, FTC is a middle school only program with teams comprised solely of MI middle school aged/grade team members. Teams must be properly aligned in order to be eligible for FiM FTC grants and to participate in FIRST in Michigan FTC events.
- Team Size: FTC team size is capped at 15. Multiple teams out of a given school/organization are welcome and can be eligible for all grants. Please review grant requirements in the above linked doc.
- Team Eblasts. FIRST in Michigan FTC team eblasts (sent from michiganftc@gmail.com) are sent to the Team Administrator and Lead Coach 1 and 2 for each team. The eblast distribution list is pulled from the FIRST Team Registration System, per FIRST HQ protocol, so additional email addresses cannot be added to the FIRST in Michigan FTC eblast list.
