04.22.20 Team Eblast

MDE Grant Update  l  SCECH Logs due April 30 l  Dashboard Regrants deadline June 30  l  PTC Onshape Challenge l  1 Million PPE Challenge l  Online Coding Camp  l  FIRST Virtual Showcase  l  2020-21 Season Registration

MDE GRANT UPDATE 

The Michigan Dept. of Education (MDE) is waiving the 2019-2020 competition requirement component of the 2019-2020 MDE FIRST Robotics State Grant for teams that will not be able to fulfill this requirement due to Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-11 issued on March 17, 2020. This order has prohibited large assemblages/events and mandated the temporary closure of schools.

Notification of this decision was sent to all Local and Intermediate School District Superintendents and Public School Academy Directors. The memo can be found at this link: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/FIRST_Robotics-Covid-19_686492_7.pdf.

Teams should connect with their school/district finance person to work a plan on accessing/using any remaining 2019-2020 grant funds so that these funds are not absorbed by the school/district at the end of the school’s fiscal year (often the end of June).

Ideas for uses of the funds:

  • Pay the team’s $275 2020-21 FTC Season Registration Fee when new season registration opens in mid-May.
  • Purchase the new REV Control Hub ($239 before taxes/shipping) which will be available on the FTC Storefront when new season registration opens.
  • Buy spare and additional parts (batteries, motors, wheels, etc.) Don’t forget that discount codes are available to all teams towards the purchase of TETRIX (through Pitsco) and REV Robotics parts. See the RESOURCES page on this site under “Parts and Vendors” for how to access the vendor discount codes via the FTC Storefront.
  • Earmark funds for 2020-21 team budget items such as event fees, team shirts, future game elements, transportation, etc.
SCECHS LOGS DUE APRIL 30

Coaches and mentors that would like to submit FIRST Robotics Coaching Logs for State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs), across all programs, may still submit their logs to Ashley Arras at arrasa@michigan.gov for review and processing. The event field on the log should be left blank. MDE will process the SCECHs applications beginning April 30. For more information and to download a SCECH log, visit  https://www.techplan.org/professional-development/first-robotics-sb-ceu/.

FIRST DASHBOARD REGRANTS – deadline June 30th

Teams that have unused grant funds in their FIRST Dashboard must apply to have those funds regranted to the team’s fiscal partner (W9 is needed) before June 30 or the funds will revert to FIRST HQs general fund. Regrants can be initiated through the team’s dashboard by clicking on the “Finance Options” button in the “Team Finances” section. Visit the FIRST regrants site page for more information on the regrant process including the link to apply for a regrant (bottom of page):   https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/regranting-process-procedures-and-w-9.

PTC ONSHAPE CHALLENGE – closes May 15

Please share this opportunity with team members and their families! PTC’s Onshape is a free, web-based CAD system. Team members can participate as a group through safe “cloud” collaboration. It’s a great way to have some fun and learn CAD skills. Plus, a chance to earn some grant funds for your team!

FIRST in Michigan is excited to jump onboard PTC’s recently announced ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE challenge! FIRST teams around the world are invited to participate in a virtual design competition where they solve a current world problem using their robotics skills. Students will use Onshape – a web-based CAD system used by professionals and available free to FIRST teams. Using Onshape, teams will design a robot that helps to solve a current world problem.

For FIRST in Michigan FRC and FTC Teams. Earlier in the season, FIRST in Michigan received a grant from PTC which was to be used in part for advancement fees to States and Worlds. In light of the suspension of the season, FIRST in Michigan will use the money to make grants to Michigan FRC/FTC teams towards next season’s registration fees and, additionally for FTC teams, the new REV Control Hub. There will be six $1,000 awards to FRC teams and five $525 awards to FTC teams. Part of the grant’s criteria will include the team’s participation in the Onshape Challenge. The grant application is available on the GRANTS page. These grants are not associated in any way with the Onshape Challenge’s award component.

For details about the PTC Onshape Challenge: https://www.onshape.com/robots-to-the-rescue or visit the 04.08.20 FiM FTC Team Eblast.

Join our 1 MILLION PPE Challenge!

Please share this opportunity with team members, their families, and team sponsors! FIRST in Michigan’s 1 MILLION PPE CHALLENGE hit a milestone yesterday with over 30,000 PPE items donated! The challenge’s intent is to provide much needed personal protection equipment (PPE) like face shields, face masks, and safety glasses to our hospitals and first responders. This item donation tracking site brings together PPE items donated across all levels of FIRST in one central place. Other FIRST organizations have joined in the challenge and the scope has been increased to track item donations made by FIRST teams around the world!

LET’S MAKE OUR IMPACT LOUD!!!

Many FRC, FTC, FLL and FLL Jr teams are already making and donating hand-sewn face masks, 3D respirator type masks, and face shields. You can start by logging an estimate of what you have already donated. Then add to it each time you make a new item donation. The donations are logged by the recipient’s name (who you made the donation to) so if you donated to different places you will have to create a separate log for each place.

Since everyone on your team will be creating the PPE from their own home, the idea is that each individual member of the team will use the site to log their own donations under your team number.

Follow these simple steps to participate:

  1. USE OUR LISTS to decide what to make and where to donate it.
    – List of hospital needs: https://firstinmichigan.us/FRC/hospital-needs/
    – Library of designs: https://firstinmichigan.us/FRC/maker-files/
    – We have a small group of people updating the hospital lists every few days. If you would like to help with the hospitals in your area, contact Lisa Savage at lisaperez@gmail.com.
  2. RECRUIT YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY to make PPE. Your team, parents, mentors, sponsors, and whole companies, churches, associations. THINK BIG.
  3. DONATE ITEMS, THEN LOG the donations under your team number on our website. Be sure to every member of your expanded team your team number and program (FRC, FTC, FLL, FLLJr).
  4. TO LOG YOUR DONATIONS use these links:
    – Customize this link with YOUR program and YOUR team number so both are filled in automatically when any member of your team signs in: https://www.firstinmichigan-ppechallenge.org/signup/<insert program>/<insert team number>

EXAMPLE
FTC Team 1222 would send this out to the team to use
https://www.firstinmichigan-ppechallenge.org/signup/FTC/1222

You can also log in just by going to https://www.firstinmichigan-ppechallenge.org or by clicking on the link on our landing page at firstinmichigan.org.

STAY HOME. STAY SAFE. Above all, protect your health and obey the stay-at-home and social distancing rules while participating. Good luck and let’s get to 1 MILLION in a hurry!

ONLINE ROBOTICS CODING CAMP [Edited 04.23]

Please share this opportunity with team members and families! Introducing a free online robotics camp for students from 2nd grade through high school. Elementary students will get a chance to work on virtual LEGO EV3 Robots, middle school and high school students will be able to build basic robotics skills or learn advanced skills. This is self-paced, free, and open to all residents of Michigan. This is a great opportunity for our student body to learn more about robotics so they can participate in future activities. Thank you to Amanda Gibbons with Breitung Township Schools for creating this camp and to Amazon Future Engineers and CODERZ for the great content. If you have questions, please reach out to Amanda at connect@kingsford.org.

Due to popular demand for our Online Robotics camp, class seats filled quickly. As of 04/23, 800 more seats have been added. Coaches and students should now follow this link https://play.gocoderz.com:443/login/#/joinclass/blackstring and choose from the appropriate class levels.

Anyone experiencing errors should email Amanda at connect@kingsford.org and she will add capacity so that all students can participate.

FIRST in MICHIGAN FRC AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT [added 04.27.20]

FIRST in Michigan will announce the 15 FRC Dean’s List Finalists, the Woodie Flowers Award winner, and the 29 District Chairman’s Award winners on Facebook Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 pm. We may post it on YouTube as well. Details to follow. Please save the date!

FIRST VIRTUAL SHOWCASE MAY 2ND

Please share this with team members and families! FIRST Virtual Showcase presented by Qualcomm will be taking place on May 2nd – a gathering of the FIRST® community to recognize the achievements of FIRST teams, mentors, and volunteers around the world during the FIRST RISE powered by Star Wars: Force for Change season!

Tune in to FIRSTtv on May 2 at 10:00 a.m. ET as we explore how FIRST teams have become forces for change this year. Check out highlights of FIRST events and recognition of teams and volunteers around the world.

FIRST teams are a Force for Change. Use #FIRSTFFC to highlight your team’s favorite moments during the FIRST RISE season. Follow along as we compile these posts from our community around the world with FIRST RISE Rewind.

2020-2021 SEASON REGISTRATION & KICKOFF

Registration for the 2020-21 season will be opening in mid-May.  The 2020-21 FTC season kickoff is slated to be in early September. FIRST in Michigan will share updates regarding new season registration and kickoff as they’re made available to us.

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.