VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FIRST TECH CHALLENGE (FTC) ROBOTICS

Save to Favorites

What is FTC Robotics?

A division within the MSP Robotics League where 7th to 12th grade students join a robotics team and participate in the annual themed FTC competition. Teams are tasked with operating their robot to compete in up to two Qualifier Play tournaments. Robot Game, Engineering Portfolio and Community Outreach are the three main competition components contributing to a team’s total performance and potential advancement at the event(s).

FIRST Philosophies

Gracious Professionalism : Demonstrating high-quality work, highlighting the value of others and respecting individuals and the community.

Coopertition : A fusion of the words "Cooperation" and "Competition", demonstrating that learning is more important than winning. Teams can help others even as they compete.

Core Values

There are six (6) FIRST Core Values that each team should practice among team members and demonstrate at the FTC competitive events.

DISCOVERY : We explore new skills and ideas.

INNOVATION : We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.

IMPACT : We apply what we learn to improve.

INCLUSION : We respect each other and embrace our differences.

TEAMWORK : We are stronger when we work together.

FUN : We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

Teams are also encouraged to express the Core Values through Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition which will be evaluated throughout FTC competitions. It is advantageous for teams to spend 15-20 minutes each practice completing teambuilding exercises, preparing them to readily demonstrate teamwork to judges at a tournament.

Robot Game

Each team will design and build a robot from the REV Robotics kit series. Teams will also write code to control their robot using a variety of visual block-based programming tools such as FTC Blocks Development hosted by the Robot Controller (Robot C). More advanced teams may consider using other tools such as FTC OnBot Java Programming which is a block coding and curses programming mode with limited parameter modifications.

The teams will strategize and program their robot to compete in multiple 3-minute matches. The matches will take place on a 12’ x 12’ playing field in an alliance format. The alliances consist of two teams, selected at random along with the order of the matches where the Iterative Design Process is encouraged.

Engineering Portfolio

Each team will document their robot design iterations, programming changes, community outreach, team brainstorming sessions and team meetings that occur throughout the season. They will then summarize their documentation into a 15-page Engineering Portfolio to be submitted at competition.

Teams will give a short demonstration prepared in advance for the judges. All team members should be ready to respond to any of the judges during the presentation, successfully explaining the significance of their robot’s design, build, coding, etc.

Community Outreach

Teams are encouraged to build connections with their local and engineering community, especially within Minnesota STEM Partnership! A great way of doing so is through mentoring other MSP robotics teams, demonstrating robotics at events, volunteering with MSP, etc.

ROBOTICS SEASON EXPECTATIONS OF MSP VOLUNTEERS

Commitment & Consistency

♦ Fall Season: September - January → Saturdays (10:00am - 2:00pm)

MSP Robotics Practice Locations

♦ Saint Paul → 1063 Iglehart Street, 55104

♦ Minneapolis → 2131 North 12th Avenue, 55411

AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

♦ Technical Coach

→ Provide guidance to your team as they design, construct, and program their competition robot.

→ Support your team with various components of their Engineering Portfolio that are to be documented.

→ Assist your team with strategy for the Robot Game Qualifier Play tournaments.

♦ Non-Technical Coach (Mentor)

→ Support your team as they summarize their Engineering Portfolio to be submitted at the competition.

→ Assist your team with setting up opportunities to do Community Outreach at MSP events and activities.

VOLUNTEERS MUST:

→ Provide a positive STEM experience, especially for all our BIPOC youth MSP participants.

→ Enjoy working with both middle and high school students. *Up to five (5) students per team.

→ Facilitate team practices at an assigned MSP location during the scheduled times.

→ Have the ability to support youth in team building activities, research, projects, and presentations.

→ Provide your own transportation. *Coaches and Mentors are not required to transport students.

→ Pass a Youth Screening and Background Check.

MSP WILL:

♦ Provide all the resources necessary for you to focus on helping your team learn the fundamentals of research, group presentations and teamwork which includes but is not limited to:

→ Recruiting and assigning students to your team as well as providing practice and training space.

→ Taking care of administrative tasks such as team communication and coordination.

→ Handling fundraising efforts along with competition registration, fees, team t-shirts, etc.

→ Providing FTC competition equipment and materials (i.e., laptop, office & crafting supplies, etc.).

→ Identifying other MSP volunteers, staff and interns that are to be considered additional support.

INTERESTED?

Become an MSP Volunteer! Go to the MSP website (mnstempartners.org) to complete the MSP membership registration. Already a member? Email your preferred volunteer role to MSP Volunteer Manager Janelle Rose (Janelle@mnstempartners.org or Volunteer@mnstempartners.org). Email any additional information requests, questions or concerns to info@mnstempartners.org . We look forward to hearing from you!

Abbreviation Key:

♦ MSP → Minnesota STEM Partnership

♦ BIPOC → Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color

♦ STEM → Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics