Quad Cities FIRST Tech Challenge Kickoff

2016 Quad Cities FIRST Tech Challenge Kickoff

Last updated 01 Jan 2017 11:36 AM(check back for updates prior to the event)

Links below for teams and volunteers to pre-register to attend the free kickoff.

Please join us on Saturday, September 10th for the 2nd Annual, Quad Cities FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Kickoff at the John Deere World Headquarters (Moline).  This free event is open to the Quad City area FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams from Illinois & Iowa including students, coaches and mentors.  The event is hosted by John Deere in partnership with the Quad City Engineering and Science Council, Quad Cities FTC Community, FIRST Illinois Robotics and FTC Iowa.  For the 2015 Quad Cities FTC Kickoff,  25 FTC teams attended the kickoff with approximately 250 attendees.

The kickoff offers teams an exciting opportunity to see this year’s game revealed live with the full field setup, network with other FTC teams and key volunteers and strategize about the new season. Breakout sessions will be available to share key knowledge and experiences to help all teams to have a great season.  This includes several returning FTC Teams that have previously participated at the North Super Regional and FIRST World Championship.

TEAMS Pre-Registration:
Sign up here by Wednesday, September 7 to Pre-Register and Suggest/Present Breakout Topics

Consent & Release Forms:
A Lead Coach/ Mentor from each team must provide at team check-in, a Team Roster, printed from the FIRST Team Information Management System (TIMS). If not all parents/guardians have completed the TIMS, coaches/mentors will need to provide printed and signed paper “Consent and Release” forms and “Youth Team Member Registration.”  Link to 3 page Form

Note:  Teams need to provide a list of the people attending the kickoff at check-in on Saturday.

VOLUNTEERS:
Sign up here We will continue to accept applications for volunteers until we fill out of the necessary roles.  Most of the volunteer roles don’t require any past experience.  Volunteers are  needed for check-in, crowd control, photos, and experience judges and mentors for supporting breakout sessions.

Volunteers will need to sign consent forms when checking in at the event.

Event Date:
Saturday, September 10, 2016

Overall Schedule:

  • 8:15 – 8:50 AM Check-In

  • 9:00 – 9:20 AM – Opening & Combustible Lemons FTC Team’s Kenya, Africa Project

  • 9:30 – 10:00 AM – Breakout Session #1

  • 10:00 – 10:30 AM – Networking / Break / Snacks

  • 10:30 – 11:00 AM Breakout Session #2

  • 11:10 AM – 12:00 PM – Keynote Speaker & Game Reveal

Link to detailed schedule including breakout sessions and interactive resource stations (Updated: 01 Jan 2017 11:36 AM)

Location:
John Deere World Headquarters
One John Deere Place
Moline, Illinois

Link to map with information on parking

Below is Facility Layout for the Event:

Our very special guests will include:

Nate Clark, keynote speaker

Nate is the Manager of Enterprise Citizenship for Deere & Company and the Vice President of the John Deere Foundation.In his position, Nate supports John Deere’s Corporate Citizenship Center of Excellence and the John Deere Foundation by creating, developing, and sustaining non-profit relationships that improve the quality of life for people in John Deere home communities and throughout the world. 

 

   
Emmaly Burklund ,supporting breakout & interactive sessions

Emmaly is FIRST Senior Mentor for Iowa. 

She has coached 9 seasons of FIRST teams as start-up coach for FLL, FTC and FRC. Continue reaching out to teams in Iowa and around the world with 1-on-1 coaching and support. Applying personal mission of “creating opportunities for people to apply their passions” through FIRST and beyond with initiative based learning. Entrepreneur, Innovator – fascinated with the neuroscience of teams, and accelerating innovation.

Among the teams Emmaly coached was FTC Team Beta # 3550 from West Des Moines which received the Inspire Award at the 2013 FIRST World Championship in St. Louis.

   
Andy Marshall, supporting breakout & interactive sessions

Andy is FIRST Senior Mentor for Iowa
 

Andy was been involved with FIRST in various volunteer capacities for 10 years.  Andy has had the privilege of working with hundreds of students and adults in their efforts to “learn by doing”. Strengths include software, soft-skills, marketing, mechanical, design, and failing forward.

 
 

Listing of FTC Teams that have Pre-Registered to attend so far:
Last updated 01 Jan 2017 11:36 AM

Total # Teams Total # Attendees # Students # Coaches # Mentors # Volunteers
25 256 181 38 14 23

Rookie teams in blue

Seq City, State School or Organization Team # Team Name Coach/Contact
1 Asbury, IA Tri-State Christian School 8779 BSoD John Kalyanapu
2 Bettendorf, IA Bettendorf High School 8672 UBett Rebecca Carton
3 Bettendorf, IA Pleasant Valley High School 6093 Deviation from the Nrom Grant Housman
4 Bettendorf, IA Pleasant Valley High School 7196 Everything That’s Radical Grant Housman
5 Bettendorf, IA QCESC 8813 The Winter Soldiers Sravanthi vedula
6 Bettendorf, IA QCESC 11142 Robo minions 2.0 Ramagopal Vedula
7 Davenport, IA Central High School 201601041 Central High School Robotics  HIGH Alene Vandermyde
8 Davenport, IA Davenport West High School 5466 Combustible Lemons Greg Smith
9 Davenport, IA Davenport West High School 10547 Mortal Combots Greg Smith
10 Davenport, IA Sudlow Intermediate 10139 Glitch Mob Melanie Adams & Pete Mitrou
11 DeWitt, IA Central DeWitt 8588 The Finger Puppet Mafia Eddie Mercado
12 Dubuque, IA Wahlert Catholic High School 7400 Kryptonian Eagles Bob Oberfoell
13 Dubuque, IA Wahlert Catholic High School 9025 The Crest Bob Oberfoell
14 Durant, IA Durant High School 10082 Mechanicats Joey Kramer
15 East Moline UTHS 7869 The Robo Panthers Robert Apple
16/17 Fulton, IL Riverbend Schools District #2 11177 and 11178 River Bend Red and River Bend Black Stacy Gates
18 Geneseo, IL Geneseo High School 201601027 JAVATOMIC Eric Moore
19 Kewanee, IL Kewanee High School 3640 BoilerBots Lee Bailleu
20 Kewanee, IL Kewanee High School 4298 RoboWarriors Lee Bailleu
21 Knoxville, IL Knox County 4h 10101 Techno bullets Bill Lozier
22 Muscatine, IA Muscatine High School 4160 Muskies Ryan Kitzmann & Kevin Dirth
23 Port Byron, IL Riverdale High School 6597 Robotic Ram Jason Dennhardt
24 Prophetstown, IL Prophetstown High School 11160 THE PROPHET PROGRAMMERS Stephanie Christen
25 Waterloo, IA UNICUE 5445 Trohawks Dick Hurban

2016 QC FTC Kickoff Planning Team:

  • Pat Barnes, John Deere & QCESC
  • Jason Bennehardt, Riverdale High School FTC Coach
  • Rod Brown, John Deere
  • Emmaly Burkland, FIRST Senior Mentor, Iowa
  • Rachel Eckert, FTC Student Member
  • Audrey Knoll, John Deere-
  • Craig Martinson, Retired Rockwell Collins & SE Iowa STEM Board
  • Eddie Mercado, Dewitt Central High School FTC Coach
  • Jeffrey Richland, Alcoa & QCESC
  • Greg Smith, Davenport West High School FTC Coach

NXT Repurpose Project

The NXT Repurpose Project is a venture that takes advantage of the the platform change of the NXT in FLL and FTC to help bring STEM to schools around the world.  To date 26 NXT Kits have been sent to Ghana, Kenya, Serbia and Zimbabwe.   

Over the past several years, teams in both FLL and FTC have transitioned to new platforms.  Your team may find that with the change, your NXT, NXT motors, NXT sensors, cables and other items got boxed up and put on a shelf.  Help bring new life to your old NXT by donating it to help bring STEM to schools in Kenya and Zimbabwe.  Full or partial NXT kits along with standard Technic LEGO parts, complete or partial Field Setup Kits, or even mats alone (link to list of items accepted) can be donated to help put together kits for schools in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Show your Gracious Professionalism, share with those who would not otherwise have STEM opportunities like you do, and be a part of the NXT Repurpose Movement! Please bring everything you would like to donate to the Kickoff. If you would like to donate, but are unable to attend the kickoff, please email us at [email protected].

Key FTC Links