03.03.25 Team Eblast

Spring FTC Event Reg  l  Upcoming Key Dates  l  SCECHs for Educators  l  99h State Grant Status  l  FRC Event Volunteering, experience what’s next!

SPRING FTC EVENT REGISTRATION

Sign-up for spring FiM FTC events will open on Tuesday, March 10, at 7:00AM. Participation in spring events is optional for teams that competed in the fall season.

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.

List of Spring FTC Events
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 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.

Placement order protocol:

  1. Teams that did not compete in the FIRST in Michigan FTC fall season and still need to compete for the first time this season.
    • NOTE: The team’s spring event registration form must be received within the first 24 hours that the form is open. After this time period, forms are processed in date/timestamp order.
  2. Teams that have repopulated for the 2nd semester i.e. classroom-based teams.
  3. Remaining spots are open to teams that competed in the fall season and would like to compete again as event capacity allows.
    • Form submissions are date/time stamped and each order of assignment category will additionally use its attributes as a factor. Teams must be officially registered for the current season with FIRST HQ and be comprised solely of MI middle school grade team members OR team members who will be in middle school next season.

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”.
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.

FRC EVENT VOLUNTEERING

High School FRC district events begin this weekend! Volunteering at an FRC event is a great way to see the program in action and see “what’s next” in the FIM FIRST Progression. You will be AMAZED!

Sign up to volunteer through your FIRST Account. A list of events can be found at this link: https://firstinmichigan.us/FRC/events/.  There are a variety of roles and shifts available.

Specifically, FRC is looking for volunteers for the CSA (Control System Advisor) and Judging roles.  If you fit any of the roles listed below and are interested in volunteering, please fill out this form: Volunteer interest in being a FRC CSA or Judge

CSA (Control System Advisor)  ROLE REQUIREMENTS:
• Either FIRST or Related Field Experience required
• Minimum age 18 (Post high school)
• Advanced technical experience required; prior team involvement (alumni or mentors) preferred
• Strong assessment and communication skills
• Recent hands-on experience with the control systems is strongly preferred
• More details can be found here: FIRST CSA Role Description

JUDGE ROLE REQUIREMENTS:
• No experience required, all training provided
• Minimum age 25