03.27.25 Team Eblast

Spring FTC Event Reg-Spots still open  l  Changes to FLL  l  Key Program Dates  l  SCHECHs for Educators, deadline June 1 l  99h State Grant Status

SPRING FTC EVENT REGISTRATION

Sign-up for spring FiM FTC events is still open. Participation in spring events is optional for teams that competed in the fall season.

    • At Capacity: 5/16-Detroit and 5/16-Troy MAYhem Spring events are at capacity.
    • Open Spots Available: 5/16-Belding and 5/30-Midland Spring Events still have open spots. There are also open spots at the two All Girls events.
    • Stay tuned for news on a potential Upper Peninsula FTC spring event!

There are TWO SEPARATE spring event forms.
One form is to sign up for the FiM FTC traditional, full-scale spring events. The other is for the FTC All-Girls events. Note that participation in an All Girls event, as they are not full-scale events, does not satisfy the competition requirement that accompanies grants.

If your team still needs to compete in a FiM FTC official event in the 2025-26 season to satisfy the competition requirement that accompanies grants (rookie grants, 99h state grant, FiM sponsor-specific grants) the team must sign up for a Spring FIM FTC Traditional Event.

Spring FTC Event Info
Spring events are posted on the FiM FTC EVENTS site page: https://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/events/. All spring events will play the DECODE game.

Spring event placement will be emailed to Lead Coach 1 and 2 after the team’s form is processed. Placements are also posted on the FiM FTC EVENTS site page: https://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/events/.

Spring FiM FTC Traditional, Full Scale Events
Traditional, full-scale events include match play, judging, elimination rounds, and awards. The spring event fee is $100 paid directly to the event host at event check-in.

Off-Season All-Girls FTC Events
These events will not have a judging component. The event is $100 paid directly to the host at event check-in. Off-season event registration forms will be processed on a first come-first served basis until event capacity is reached.

Event Specifics: Drive teams should consist of all girls (with the exception of the drive coach) and, while all genders are more than welcome to support, girls are encouraged to take a leading role in the pits as well. Not enough girls on your team? Invite a few friends from another team or girls who will be transitioning from FLLC to FTC. Team merging is allowed!

Spring Event Readiness
FIRST HQ and FiM FTC things to verify:

  • Team is registered for the 2025-26 season with FIRST HQ.
  • All team event participants (coaches/mentors/team members) have electronically signed a FIRST HQ Consent/Release (C/R) form.
  • Team has both a Lead Coach/Mentor 1 and 2 listed on the Team Dashboard and both have completed their FIRST background screening. The Team Roster will not be accessible until these steps have been completed.
  • Email the event host the team’s FIRST Team Dashboard Roster by Monday of the event week. This needs to be done for every event where the team participates. More info on this once teams are assigned to an event.
    • To download the team roster: On the Team Dashboard, under Team Contacts/Roster section, click “Contact Options”, choose “Print Team Roster”. On Team Contacts page, click “Print Roster”
  • Visit the EVENT READINESS site page for the tasks that must be done for a team to be FIRST HQ and FIRST in Michigan “Event Ready”.
CHANGES TO FLL STARTING IN 2027-28

The recent announcement about the partnership between FIRST and LEGO coming to an end may feel unexpected, and for many of us, a little emotional. FIRST LEGO League has been such a meaningful part of how Michigan’s elementary school-aged students first discover robotics, teamwork, and problem-solving.

While FLL will look the same for one more season, FIRST in Michigan will transition to FIRST’s new elementary program beginning in 2027-28. We are excited to see what that will look like. The door is open to endless possibilities. We are certain that whatever FIRST unveils will integrate perfectly into their stellar lineup of current STEM programs for middle and high school students. As always, FIRST in Michigan will be there to support our teams and continue delivering high-quality, accessible FIRST events across the state.

We will update you as information is released on the new program.

 UPCOMING KEY PROGRAM DATES

Please make note of the following key program dates per FIRST HQ:

  • May 1: DECODE season registration and FTC Storefront closes. Last day to use any remaining 2025-26 grants still in the team’s FTC Storefront.
  • May 27: Season Registration opens for 2026-27 season.
  • Sept. 12: 2026-27 FTC Season Kickoff (game revealed).
  • Oct. 19: Earliest event date for Qualifiers/League Meets
SCECHs FOR EDUCATORS

Educators serving as coaches or mentors for the Robotics Competition Grant have the opportunity to earn State Continuing Education Clock Hours or SCECHs. These hours can be used for renewal and progression of certificates and licenses issued by MDE.

Requirements to Earn SCECHs

  • Applications for SCECHs under the Robotics Competition Grant must be submitted by the educator serving as a coach or mentor.
  • Applicants must include their Personal Identification Code (PIC) within their application. Directions to determine your PIC are included in the application.
  • Applicants may only claim hours as a coach or mentor for teams that participated in one competition.
  • Time spent at competitions does not count toward SCECHs and should not be logged.

SCECH Calculation

For every ten hours of contact, one SCECH is awarded. A maximum number of 40 SCECHs can be awarded for robotics coaching. Time spent at a competition or event does not count toward SCECHs and should not be included in your log.

1 SCECH = 10 hours of service

SCECH Log and Application Instructions

All Robotics Competition Grant SCECH applications are due June 1, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted. Submitted SCECH applications will not be processed until after the June 1, 2026, due date. Please allow at least two weeks after the due date for your SCECH hours to update.

  1. Record your eligible coaching hours using the SCECH Log. Eligible coaching hours are outlined in the Requirements section above.
  2. Complete the SCECH Application by June 1, 2026. In the application, please upload your completed SCECH Log.

Please direct all questions to the MDE at MDE-EdTech@Michigan.gov.

99h STATE GRANT STATUS

A quick status of 99h: We do not yet know when the MDE will be posting the 99h state grant awards. It is anticipated that it will be in early April. Stay tuned for team eblasts for more information as it is made available to us.