Event Registration Details

• The assigned home event list is now posted and can be found linked in the “Home Event Assignment” box on the Event Registration page. Event registration – where you will confirm that you (hopefully) accept your home event or request to be moved to one of a ranked list of alternates if possible – will open on October 8. All event details and event registration information is linked from the Michigan FLLC Events page.
• Two key points to remember when registration opens:
  • You must fill out a registration form, even if you are accepting your home event. It also collects team size, accessibility requests, and emergency contact info.
  • No event registration requests are accepted by email or phone/text, only on the form. There is a place on the form for additional details; please don’t email or text them separately as they won’t be processed.
• You may not be assigned to the event(s) closest to you. All teams must be scheduled into an event, so often teams must be adjusted one way or another to fit everyone, or an event may be full from teams within the immediate area. You may also be assigned to a different event than last year, as teams and events change each year.
• Remember that we cannot use the FIRST Dashboard to register FLLC teams for events, so you won’t see events listed there.
• Visit the links at the top of the Michigan FLLC Events page for the Michigan Event Guide and the Event Registration page. Reading through the information will help you understand the registration and event process!
• Make sure your team is deciding on a name now so that it is final in the FIRSTinspires.org Dashboard by October 12 when event registration closes. A list of names will be pulled the next day and then no name changes will be updated after that time even if you change it in the Dashboard.

New Event Fee

• After 10 years at $75, the event registration fee has increased this year to $100.
• The event fee is paid directly to your event host; remittance instructions will be available at the event page on the FIRST in Michigan website and in an email from your host after event registration has ended.

Team Paperwork

• Now is the time to start getting your team’s “paperwork” in order. It can take time to get coaches screened and consent forms signed, so start now. Rosters will be due the Monday before your event. You can find directions for completing your team’s required roster and consent forms at the Event Readiness page. If you have any questions on this process after reading through the Event Readiness page fully, please let me know.
• If you have 3rd graders on your team, you will not be able to register them through the FIRST Dashboard with this usual process. Email angela@firstinmichigan.org for alternate instructions for those students (because FIRST’s process has changed for this year, you cannot use last year’s instructions/form.)

Project Training & Resources

• Coaching the project (Oct. 8): For new coaches or anyone who wants to improve their team’s project experience, a walk through of the project process plus tips gathered from experienced coaches with successful projects last year
• You can find project resources for this year’s UNEARTHED challenge at the FLL Challenge Resources page under the ‘Project Resources’ heading.

Participation Reminder

• In Michigan, we run a slightly different progression of programs from FIRST. In Michigan, FIRST LEGO League is an elementary school only program with teams comprised solely of elementary school aged/grade team members. To attend an event or receive any grants, teams must be aligned to the FIRST in Michigan progression of programs, consisting ONLY of: All students in grades 4-5, as well as students in grade 6 (maximum) IF they attend an elementary school, and individual students in grade 3 who are “playing up” because it is a better fit for them.
• FIRST LEGO League Challenge team size is capped at 10. No exceptions are made, and smaller teams than this are highly encouraged (6-8 students.) Multiple teams out of a given school/organization are welcome, and we have grants which can fully fund additional teams at a school. Let me know if you would like more teams!
• If you have middle school students who would like to participate in robotics, please reach out the Tammy Damrath at tammy@firstinmichigan.org for more information about FTC teams.

Register Your Teams

• If you have not yet, get your team registered now to be able to participate this season! When you register a team located in Michigan with FIRST, you are automatically a part of the FIRST in Michigan (FIM) team family! There is no additional registration required until October when event registration begins.
• Teams keep their number from year to year, so please re-register all current teams before registering a new team at your school/district. Rookie status for grants or other purposes is not determined by team number.
• Each team will need two registered, screened coaches in order to register for events in Michigan. Coaches can be registered to multiple teams. All email communication will be sent to the two registered coaches, as well as the team admin if there is one registered.

Grants

• Details are coming soon on the MDE 99h grant!
• Donors Choose:Through generous support from 3M, FIRST® related DonorsChoose project funding is now available to any US-based full-time educators and school district employees who work directly with students at least 75% of the time from Public Schools, Public Charter School, Head Start Centers, and Bureau of Indian Education Schools. FIRST educators will create a project on DonorsChoose and once the project is live, they must complete this form to be considered for this selective funding opportunity. Projects will be reviewed to ensure they meet donor intent and partial funding will be allocated accordingly. For more information, please visit this page.

MICHIGAN RESOURCES

These four important pages have all the information you need to run a Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge team each year:

• Resources page – annotated, organized list of links to everything for running a team and this season
• Events page – important pages linked at the top to help you register for an attend an event
• Run-a-Team page – step-by-step guide to running a team from registration to attending an event
• Grants page – information about all grants available to new or returning teams

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