2020-21 FTC TEAM REGISTRATION

It is NOT TOO LATE to get your middle school FTC team going this season! To recap, our FIM FTC season has been pushed back and extended to give teams more time to figure out how to work and play no matter the scenario in place. Our sponsors and legislators are sending a loud message through their grant dollars – keep growing the next generation of leaders and innovators. We need them now more than ever!

Scroll down for the veteran/rookie team registration process procedures.

2020-21 MDE FIRST Robotics State Grant

The MDE FIRST Robotics state grant has been approved!  Total funding this season is $4.4 million for public school districts and $300,000 for non-public school districts. The grant is expected to open November 12 and close in mid December. Teams MUST be registered with FIRST for the 2020-21 season in order to be eligible for the grant.

Listed below are the tentative funding numbers that have been submitted for final approval. The approved numbers will be in the RFP (Request for Proposal) which will be posted to techplan.org, shortly before the grant officially opens. 

HIGH SCHOOL
FIRST Robotics Competition teams will get a maximum of:
$9,000  Yr 1
$8,000  Yr 2
$7,000  Yr 3
$6,000  Yr 4
$5,000  Yr 5 and beyond
PLUS $1,500  Coach Stipend (one per building, per program level)
*Actual stipend and team support amounts may change based on availability of funding

MIDDLE SCHOOL
FIRST Tech Challenge teams will get a maximum of:
$4,000  Rookie
$3,000  Returning teams
PLUS $1,500  Coach Stipend (one per building, per program level)
*Actual stipend and team support amounts may change based on availability of funding

UPPER ELEMENTARY
FIRST LEGO League-Challenge teams will get a maximum of:
$800  Rookie
$500  Returning teams
PLUS $1,500  Coach Stipend (one per building, per program level)
*Actual stipend and team support amounts may change based on availability of funding

LOWER ELEMENTARY K-3
FIRST LEGO League-Explore teams will get a maximum of:
$350  Rookie
$200  Returning teams
PLUS $1,500 Coach Stipend (one per building, per program level)
*Actual stipend and team support amounts may change based on availability of funding

PRE-K
FIRST LEGO League-Discover teams will get a maximum of:
$400    All teams
PLUS $1,500 Coach Stipend (one per building, per program level)
*Actual stipend and team support amounts may change based on availability of funding

As noted in the asterisks, the actual award amounts may be adjusted based on the availability of funding once the grant closes and the MDE goes through an administrative review of all applications received. The stipend amounts currently reflect the language of the grant, which provides simply for stipends “up to $1,500 for coaching per building per program level”. It is anticipated that stipend awards across all 99(h) programs may look more like 2019-20 funding levels​.

This funding is exceptional! Share this news with your administrations. Our Governor and legislators want your teams to stay engaged, new teams to form, and more students in our state involved in FIRST.

TEAM EVENT READINESS

Please fill out the form linked below so that we can assess and work towards accommodating teams with when/how they can “play” this season. A form is needed from ALL teams – both registered and not yet registered for the 2020-21 season.

Team Event Readiness form (link)

This information captured in this form will enable us to know when teams feel they will be ready to compete and where to position hub locations in support of the events. It additionally gives teams the opportunity to share their unique situation and challenges. As always, please reach out to me directly if you have questions or issues.

FTC Innovation Challenge

FIRST is introducing another opportunity for registered FIRST Tech Challenge teams to participate this season through the Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm. Teams will be tasked with identifying a real-world problem related to this season’s theme, FIRST Game Changers powered by Star Wars: Force for Change. Teams will then design a solution to their identified problem, build a business model, and deliver a pitch to compete with other FIRST Tech Challenge teams for judged awards. This new challenge will have an advancement track, culminating in the Global Innovation Awards, a multi-day experience where students showcase their
innovations, participate in workshops, and receive mentorship from experts, and compete for awards. This activity can be done 100% virtually. FIRST will be sharing more information about this engagement opportunity later this month.

2020-21 FTC SEASON EVENTS

We’ve been dragging our feet a bit regarding event planning hoping that things would return to a more “normal” state. As that doesn’t seem to be happening, FIRST in Michigan FTC will move forward with the remote event rollout for official events occurring in January and February. We will continue to monitor conditions to see if/when we can transition to traditional events. It’s too early to “call” the format of our spring (usually mid May) season.

Visit the remote event versions of Game Manual 1 and 2 for details on the remote event rollout. In addition, FIRST has created resources to help teams navigate the new remote event platform:

• Remote Team Resources Overview Blog
• Remote Team Resources Videos
• Remote Event Scoring for Teams Videos
• Scoring System – Team Guide
• Team Webinar Recordings

Field Configuration
A key distinction between the traditional and remote event rollout is the field configuration which, for a remote event, is a 2/3 perimeter (12’ x 8’) and a half field of game elements (either red or blue). This is the configuration teams should use for practice and when running their 6 official matches as part of a remote event. This will be the configuration that will be in place at area FiM hub locations.

Alliances
The remote event rollout, to accommodate social distancing and gathering size constraints, does not use an alliance format for match play. Teams will run their 6 official matches “solo”. A team’s match scores will determine their ranking for an event.

FIRST Remote Event System & FTC Live
FTC teams will be interfacing with two new systems as part of the remote event rollout: FIRST Remote Event Hub system and FTC Live scoring system. A brief overview of how these systems integrate is below:

• FTC Live:
  • Teams will use this cloud-based (Internet-hosted) system to score their matches from a team home/build site or from a FiM hub location. If internet access is an issue, teams will also be able to use a paper version of the scoresheet and upload to the FTC Live system afterward.
  • Teams will be able to use this system in “practice mode”.
• FIRST Remote Event Hub system:
  • System through which a remote event is managed. Match results and awards information from a remote event will be available via this system once an event has concluded. The upload of team documents for use in a remote event’s virtual judging session will also be done through this system.
  • This system will be live in December.

FIM FTC will be organizing a few remote scrimmages in December so that teams can practice using the new systems. Teams do not need a running robot to participate in a scrimmage.

Qualifying Event Process Overview

This is work in progress!

• FiM will oversee the qualifying event registration process as usual.
• Based on the results of the above linked “Event Readiness” form, FiM will organize the appropriate number of remote qualifying events.
• Teams will sign up for a remote qualifying event through a FIRST in Michigan Google form (as usual).
• FiM will make the team’s remote qualifying event assignment based on the team’s preferences constrained by the event capacity, Event size will not exceed 36 teams.
• FiM will then upload a remote event’s teams to the assigned remote qualifying event via the FIRST Remote Event Hub system. Teams WILL be able to see their assigned remote event(s) on their Team Dashboard. WOOHOO!
• A remote qualifying event timeframe will span 7 days. Teams assigned to a remote qualifying event must complete and score their 6 official matches and participate in a virtual judging session within that 7 day time span.
• Robot match play:
  • FiM Hub location: Teams can make an appointment to visit a local FIM hub location to run their 6 official matches. Hub locations will have an official game field (remote version) on site and will be staffed with volunteers certified as inspector/referee/FTA to assist teams. Hub locations will abide by all local guidelines regarding PPE usage, social distancing, gathering size constraints.
  • If the team is more constrained or can’t travel, the team can run their 6 official matches on their “home” field. A coach/mentor/parent will have to take/pass the inspector/referee certification tests.
    • It will be highly recommended and encouraged that teams videotape their official matches when playing from a “home” field for sharing with FiM FTC.
• As part of the remote event, teams will participate in a virtual judging session using a conference call platform such as Zoom/Google Meets. Teams will upload the engineering portfolio and other team judging documents directly to the FIRST Remote Event Hub system.
• At the end of the 7 day time span of the remote qualifying event, judges will deliberate on awards and match play results will be tabulated. Awards will be determined and announced via the FIRST Remote Event Hub system.
• FIRST mandated advancement criteria is published in Remote Event Game Manual 1. Remote qualifying events will be allocated a predetermined number of advancement spots.
• It is anticipated the FiM FTC State Championship event(s) will use the remote event rollout. More details will be shared at a later time.

Remote Events and Hub Locations
Note that a FiM hub location and the remote event are two separate things.

Remote events will still need event hosts with roles such as Event Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, Judge Advisor, Judges. So, there are still opportunities to engage our community on the event side! The event end is more of managing teams through the FIRST Remote Event system i.e. ordering trophies, making sure teams are uploading required documents for awards, ensure teams are running their 6 official matches within the 7-day event range, identifying JA/Judges and scheduling judging sessions, pulling together the awards ceremony (as simple as a powerpoint).

Teams that are in the same remote event can run their 6 official matches at any hub or on their “home” field. There isn’t a geographic restriction (like factoring in team commute time) to an event population under the remote event rollout.

FiM HUB LOCATIONS:

More on the FiM hub location concept is outlined below. If you think that your location could serve as a FiM hub location, please fill out the linked Google form below. Hub locations aren’t limited to FTC – we would love to find sites that could accommodate our full progression of programs!

FIRST in Michigan hub locations will be physical locations where teams can make an appointment to access an official game field and run official matches per the remote event rollout.

FiM HUB LOCATION FORM (link)

• FiM hub locations will be identified all around the state.
• FiM will either place an official game field at a hub location and/or utilize a hub host supplied official game field. Due to the limits on gathering size, we will need many more hub locations than previous traditional event locations in order to service our teams.
• Hub locations and on site personnel will follow sanitizing protocol and adhere to PPE usage, social distancing, and gathering limits per state/local/venue ordinances.
• Hub hosts will have volunteers on site trained to fill roles such as FTA/CSA/Inspector/Referee to assist teams. Depending on the gathering limits in play, a maximum of two volunteers might have to cover these roles.
• Hub venue ideas:
  • Traditional event venues can transition to hubs and possibly run multiple remote events at the same time as space/gathering size allows.
  • Venues that have been too small to host large scale traditional events can likely work as a hub.
  • As hub equipment needs are less with a rather small footprint, hubs can move physical locations as needed.
  • School/sponsor/community sites such as an indoor sports arena, large conference room, venue birthday party room, church hall, etc.

TEAM MEETING IDEAS TO SHARE

FIRST FTC has developed an FTC Team Guidance document that provides tips and suggestions on ways that teams can meet and build given COVID-19 interruptions.

Teams that have developed remote/virtual team meeting plans that they are willing to share with our FiM FTC community can upload them to the Google folder listed below or email them to tammy@firstinmichigan.org for uploading. These plans will create a virtual library of ideas and serve as a source of inspiration for teams looking to keep their teams connected, figure out how to design/build/test their robot, and continue with outreach in our currently constricted environments.

FTC Team Meeting Plans and Ideas Google folder (link)

This folder does provide “edit” access to allow uploading so please use care when uploading/accessing the documents.

PROGRAM INFORMATION