FTC Oregon Teams,

I've been trying to send only one email a week, but we've hit serious tournament season.
Key items:
1. You can now access the QUICK GUIDE to League and Non-League Qualifying Tournament Preparation - CLICK HERE  . Please read it and share with your team members. It is in your best interest to do so.

2. As of last night the FIRST LEGO League Championships were needing to fill 70% of the logistics roles for the tournaments this weekend at Liberty HS in Hillsboro. Please help if you can. Not all roles are all day.  

• This includes team check-in, judge door assistants, pit runners, Game Announcers.  All of these can be filled by FTC kids or adults.  
• If your team or some team members can volunteer, please do so. 
• We are letting you hit the easy button and send an email to Pat Schafer at
  fll-vol-coordinators@ortop.org.  Send her a list of names of kids and what they can do. 
• Printing a Team Roster showing the team member has a FIRST Consent form electronicatlly signed or attaching a paper one will do for check in.  
• Also still needed are adults for Sunday Judges - Robot Design and Core Values. 

3. FIRST Tech Challenge Super-Qualifier Host  Application Process 

Let me preface this by saying, I can't pull off the Super-Qualifiers without the help of the FTC Oregon Community.  I'm a staff of one FTC person at ORTOP.  Please consider if your team(s) can step up to be a SQ Host. 

• • Application Process is open from January 12 - Jan 19.  Opening on Jan 12 to allow teams adequate time to discuss the opportunity prior to submitting an application.  SQ Hosts to be announced on January 22nd to allow them to get started on their planning process. 
  • ONLINE LINK TO APPLICATION WILL BE OPEN AT 10:00 AM ON JANUARY 12th  - CLICK HERE to PREVIEW THE QUESTIONS (but not submit responses). I really want teams to discuss and think about it before applying. This is a group decision, not one-person's decision to apply and then tell everyone else they are doing it if chosen. 
  PLEASE READ THE SQ-HOST DESCRIPTION BELOW PRIOR to reviewing the application questions.  
  
  • Accepting applications for 3 FTC teams to be SQ Hosts for the 3 SQ events on February 10 & 11 at Evergreen MS in Hillsboro and February 11 at Benson HS in Portland.
  • Successful execution of SQ Hosting, determined after an assessment post-event, will earn the team an automatic slot at the FTC Oregon State Championship. 
  • Eligibility 
    • Hosts can be a single team OR  multiple teams banded together from one school (Host Group) considered as one SQ Host for a single event but only one advancement slot to the championship can be extended. 
    • Teams that did not advance out of their league or non-league event are eligible to apply as SQ Hosts and would earn a slot at the championship with a successful post-event assessment. 
    • If a team has advanced from their league or non-league tournament, they must compete at a different SQ event than they are hosting and would earn a slot at the championship with a successful post-event assessment. In the event the team advances via merit to the Championship from the SQs, the Host invitation is not transferable to another team unless the team is part of a Host Group for the same SQ.  This is a hard and fast rule. 
  • Team Host Responsibilities 
    • Load-in/Load-out and set-up of venue/tear down of venue  - rounding up about 12  people for both load-in/load-out. Having transport vehicles are a bonus. Must be willing to come to ORTOP (Beaverton)  to pick-up tournament equipment/materials or come back to ORTOP (Beaverton)to bring back  tournament equipment/materials.  
    • Recruitment of logistics volunteers from their own team, other teams or the outside community (judge door assistants, pit runners, Pit Admin, time keepers, field queuers, emcees/game announcers etc. )
    • Judges, Referees, FTAs to be recruited by ORTOP Staff.  Help from SQ Hosts asked to recruit Inspectors. 
    • Complete planning, management and implementation of volunteer hospitality (partially catered volunteer food) for breakfast and lunch. Must name an adult willing to be the SQ Hospitality Manger for the event.  Budget and some guidance provided by ORTOP staff. 
    • Lead SQ Host Adult(s) must be willing to attend online weekly planning meetings. 
  • If chosen, understand the level of responsibility and commitment needed. Teams are encouraged to discuss the opportunity with team members, mentors, team parents and others that would be your core group of volunteers prior to applying.  It is acceptable to name a willing Team Parent (not a team mentor/coach) as your Lead Adult SQ point person. Team Members need to be  involved in age appropriate roles as it is their SQ Host Slot. 

Cathy Swider
FIRST Tech Challenge, Affiliate Partner, Oregon

cathy-swider@ortop.org

Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program - www.ortop.org

FIRST LEGO League Junior / FIRST LEGO League
FIRST Tech Challenge / FIRST Robotics Competition

503.486.7622 VM / 888-653-2552 fax