FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon

FIRST Tech Challenge OREGON Kickoff 2016 

Saturday, September 10th - GAME REVEAL  at 9:00 am - Doors open about 15 minutes prior.  

Everyone is invited to attend. Registered teams, non-registered teams, kids and adults wanting to find out more about FIRST Tech Challenge, volunteers and prospective volunteers. Come to a kick-off and bring a friend. Please pass the word about the kickoff to anyone you know that wants to start a team. I don't have those email addresses...yet. 

FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon will host four kickoff events at the following locations. 

• Daimler Trucks North America Headquarters, 4555 N. Channel Avenue, Portland

• The Dalles High School,  220 E. 10th Street, The Dalles

• Summit High School, 2855 Clearwater Drive, Bend

• St. Mary’s School, 816 Black Oak Drive, Medford

Additional Information 

• RSVP by clicking here - we are looking for an approximation for the number of people attending. 
• Details for each Kickoff site - workshops available and other details.
• If your team is unable to attend a kickoff event in person, the game animation and Game Manual 2 will be available on line at 9/10/2016 at 9:00 am PDT.
• ORTOP will also post our FTC Oregon video presentations by key volunteers by Monday, September 12. We will also make available any links to workshop pdfs and videos. 
• Some kickoff sites are planning to live stream. Check the details page for live stream links.

FIRST Tech Challenge curriculum 

NEW THIS SEASON! FIRST Tech Challenge is making FIRST Tech Challenge curriculum available. This is geared for FTC in the classroom but I feel it could benefit any team.  To sign up for access to the curriculum materials - CLICK HERE 

KEY LINKS FOR GETTING YOUR FTC SEASON STARTED

• National Registration Information for FIRST Tech Challenge 
• FTC Oregon Event Fee Restructure Information - please read about these changes for 2016
• FTC Game 2016 Information  - Suggestion! Read Game Manual 1 prior to Kickoff
• FTC Curriculum 
• Southern Oregon Area Robotics (SOAR) FTC Workshop Slide Sets presented by #8372 - TNT, #9851- C4, #7013 Hot Wired. All three teams represented Oregon at the FTC World Championship 
• FTC Oregon 2016 Season Calendar  - scroll the center column 

FUNDING FOR YOUR TEAM 

• 10 veteran FTC Teams and 5 rookie FTC received funding from Daimler Trucks North America: Education in Motion 

• A record number of rookie and veteran FTC Oregon teams received Oregon Department of Education funding. 

• Two more possible sources of funding 

• National Rookie and Veteran Team CREDIT grant

• NOTE: If you have already registered your team and paid, your team is not eligible for this grant. This is only a grant credit. It is offered through the national FIRST Tech Challenge organization in Manchester, NH

• ORTOP Team Support Awards - Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program as the FTC Oregon Affiliate Partner, makes available a small number of Team Support Awards from our own sponsors for both rookie teams and veteran teams. 

• To apply for ORTOP Team Support read the information at this link. 

• NOTE: If your team applied but did not receive a Daimler award, your application for ONE TEAM will be entered into the pool of applicants for an ORTOP Team Support Award. 

• NOTE: If you want to apply for more than one team, you must complete a separate application for each team. If you did not apply for Daimler, you can still submit an application. I expect that all funds will be depleted by Sept. 30th. Applying by Sept. 15th would be wise. 

MAKE FIRST LOUD 

All summer long FIRST Oregon teams at all levels have been out and about in our communities promoting FIRST!  Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program appreciates the time you've encouraging others to Get Involved in FIRST as team members, mentors, coaches or volunteers.
If your team spent time doing outreach or conducted a workshop for rookies we want to hear about it AND we want to acknowledge your good work with a MAKE FIRST LOUD ribbon. 

To apply for a MAKE FIRST LOUD ribbon(s) for an event(s) your team made happen CLICK HERE and FILL OUT THE Make FIRST Loud FORM.  One form per event. 

Here is our MAKE FIRST LOUD team event board (so far) for 2016. Submit a form and have your team recognized. 
Teams can hang their Make FIRST Loud ribbons in their pit at competitions to show everyone your commitment to help others Get Involved in FIRST. 

Only activities that occurred between May 1 - October 1, 2016 are eligible. 

And finally...... look forward to a brand new e-newsletter about everything ORTOP! First edition will be published the first week of September 2016.