It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
And we SO appreciate our Teacher Mentors and Volunteers. You are amazing. Your dedication to your students, the red tape and paperwork you wade through to make it happen,  the extra mile you go to help your students experience and  succeed in this unconventional learning program we call FIRST.  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Springing into fall.....
Before you know it, FIRST Tech Challenge Kickoff  for ROVER RUCKUS will be here on September 8th at 9:00 am PDT and soon we'll all be rolling across some unknown planetary surface picking up rocks, digging up soil, taking cool selfies....having tons of fun. 

• National registration will be open soon. How soon? Although I do not have an exact date, I imagine it will open in the next 2 weeks, if not sooner.   
• ORTOP is MAY 15 as the targeted date to open ORTOP Team Support Award Application. 
• Again, we'll have a one application that covers the Oregon Department of Education funding as well as corporate and private foundation funding.  
• JULY 1 - Mark your calendars! Rover Ruckus Game Manual 1 is released. Take it to the beach and read it.
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Preparing for the new season 

• If your team is offering a summer camp for FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST LEGO League, let us know and we'll promote it for you. Send pdf flyer for posting to Cathy Swider. 

• Chick Tech/ ORTOP - Robotics Bootcamp for Girls - July 16 - 20, 2018 - PCC Rock Creek Campus 
• Designed for middle school and high school young women interested in or plan to be on a FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition team for the first time in fall 2018.  Hands-on fun for this fall's rookie team members! 
• Link with more information and sign-up! 
• PCC Rock Creek - Robotics Shop Training 
• CO-ED Camp: July 23 - 27 
• Girls Only: August 6 - 10 
• only two team members per FTC or FRC team will be accepted (read application) 
•  only open to FIRST team members 14 years of age or older. 
• Deadline to apply is May 30th 
• Link with more information and sign-up 

AND HAVE YOU SAVED THE DATES? 
 We're working with OMSI in Portland to have an exclusive ORTOP night at the museum, including the Robot Revolution exhibit! Mark your calendars for June 4th! Details to follow.  All FIRST Teams, mentors, volunteers, sponsors, family and friend supporters in Oregon are invited. Online Registration will be required-- target date is May 15 to open up ticket sign-ups.  I saw the exhibit a few  weeks ago. It is AMAZING!

In connection with the Robot Revolution exhibit, ORTOP has been asked to contribute to an add-on special event on June 16th and 17th. We'll be looking for teams to be at our table and demo a bot and talk to the public about being involved in FIRST. Will be setting up shifts.  Interested? email Cathy Swider.

FACEBOOK FUN!! LIKE US   - And see us first  :-)   (sorry, I'm not much of a tweeter)

 Interesting links, see what other FTC Programs are doing, informative tutorials, see helpful news that is not usually included in the blog.