Update for FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon

FIRST Tech Challenge National Registration 
As of  today, September 26th, FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon has 119 registered and paid teams. There are an additional 7 teams with temporary numbers making their way through national registration.
If you have not yet registered your team, or finalized your national registration, please do so soon. It helps us plan the number of needed leagues and tournament events. Really hoping to reach 200 teams. If you need help or assistance, please do not hesitate to email me.

LINK TO NATIONAL REGISTRATION PAGE with Registration Instructions. These instructions include how to invite coaches.
FIRST Storefront Instructions - Paying for the Registration and purchasing product in the FIRST Storefront

 Youth Team Member Registration System
(formerly known as STIMS - Student Team Information Management System) 
 Youth Team Member Registration System will replace STIMS as the application FIRST uses for Coaches to issue invitations to parents of team members, to be part of the team. Parents fill out an form and electronically sign a FIRST Consent and Release Form required to participate in meets and tournaments.  The Coach will generate a Youth Team Member Roster(formerly known as STIMS Roster showing all team members) listing the team members and a checkbox showing the student's parent/guardian has electronically submitted a FIRST Consent & Release Form.
PLEASE NOTE: The Youth Team Member Registration System has not yet launched. We expect launch in early October.

SIGN UP to Join a FIRST Tech Challenge League or Non-league Qualifying Tournament
Change to Launch Date: At kickoff I announced Sign-ups would start on October 1. I didn't realize that was a Sunday, an inconvenient day. I'm moving our launch date to Tuesday, October 3rd at 5:00 pm. 
What you need to know prior to signing-up for a league or tournament. 

•  Your team must be nationally registered and Paid ($275) prior to signing up for an Oregon FIRST Tech Challenge League or Non-League Qualifying Tournament. 
• You'll be asked to select your preference to Join a League or attend a  non-league qualifying tournament. It's one or the other, but not both. 
•  The Sign-up Form is going to ask for information about your team. #of students and demographic profile. Please be prepared to answer those questions. We need it for awards ordering and grant reports. 
•  There is a separate charge for being part of a League or competing at a Non-League Qualifying Tournament. Those payments are made to ORTOP (Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program). Please know that when you make a payment, you are helping to pay for more than just that event. Expenses for FTC Oregon include events and much more to make this happen. We have office space, storage space, insurance, staff, equipment purchases to name a few.   
• ORTOP has a sliding payment scale for FIRST Tech Challenge events. It ranges from the Full Cost of the Program (FCP) to a minimum amount. We understand that not all teams can afford to pay the Full Cost of the Program. Assess your situation and pay what you can afford. We try to find sponsors to pay what teams cannot afford to pay. 
• League Participation - includes all Meets and League Qualifying Tournament  
• Full Cost of Program - $400  <---------> $200 Minimum payment 
• Non-League Qualifying Tournament 
• Full Cost of Program - $300  <---------> $150 Minimum payment 
• If your team advances to the Super-Qualifier level 
• Full Cost of Program - $400 <----------> $200 Minimum payment 
• And if your team advances to the FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon Championship!!! 
• Full Cost of Program - $500 <-----------> $250 Minimum payment 

TEAM SUPPORT AWARD FUNDING UPDATE
ORTOP Team Support Award - Round One is closed. Applicants will be notified sometime on Friday, September 29th if your team(s) were or were not selected to receive an award.  
ORTOP Team Support Award - Round Two applications will be accepted until midnight Saturday, September 30th.  Click here for application information

National FTC Veteran and Rookie Grants - FIRST HQ is giving out grant credit to cover the $275 national registration. If your team has not yet paid for their $275 national registration, you are eligible to apply and receive a grant credit. Click here for more information 

BENSON BOT FEST - October 21st 
Save the Date  - Preference given to Rookie Teams for the Workshops
Volunteer Training for Head Referees, Referees, Scorekeepers, FTA, Inspectors
Time: Check-in at 9:00 am - runs to about 3:00 pm / Schedule of Event: TBA
*****Looking for 4 Veteran Teams to run a 30 second Autonomous Program into Teleop to give the Referees a chance to practice the new format change.  Autonomous does not need to accomplish much, just run for 30 seconds and shut down using the proper SDK protocol.  Email Cathy Swider to commit.