Congratulations to all the QC FIRST Teams that qualified for World this year!
FTC team #11142 Robo Minions
Congratulations to the Quad Cities FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team #11142 Robo Minions who qualified for the FIRST World Championship in Houston. They received the 2nd place Inspire Award at the State of Iowa FTC Championship. Thanks to Ramgopal Vedula, Sravanthi Vedula, Sumukh Bahulekar, Andrew Jarvie. and Rami Katreddy who are coaches/mentors for the team!
FTC team #8813 The Winter Soldiers
Congratulations to the Quad Cities FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team #8813 The Winter Soldiers who qualified for the FIRST World Championship in Houston. They received the 1st place Inspire Award at the State of Iowa FTC Championship. Thanks to Paul Yaklin, Jackie Norman-Gray, John Andrios, and Murali Annavajjula who are coaches/mentors for the team!
FRC Team #6420 Fire Island Robotics
Congratulations to the Quad Cities area Muscatine FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team #6420 Fire Island Robotics who qualified for the FIRST World Championship in Houston (20-23Apr22). They received the Engineering Inspiration Award at the recent Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional in Minneapolis with 55 teams. Thanks to Kyle Hoffman and Caleb Hoffman who are mentors for the team! It’s interested to note that Kyle was a founding member of the team in 2017.
Volunteers Needed 2021 – 2022 Quad City area FIRST Events
To Support Student age 4-18 on FIRST Teams
Are you Looking for a way to share your skills, talents, passion having fun and positively impact the lives of students age 4-18 in our community? It doesn’t matter which FIRST program you volunteer for, you will always walk away at the end of the day with a sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that you have helped children experience something special that they never might have without FIRST and without your support.
No prior experience is required for most volunteer roles including as judges and referees with both technical and non-technical backgrounds welcome. Volunteers are being sought for the below upcoming events. The events will be in person with special provisions taken to minimize risks with COVID-19 making the events look different than normal.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge Events
Friendly competition is at the heart of Challenge, as teams of students ages 9-14 engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. For this year’s CARGO CONNECT challenge, teams will be presenting their innovative solutions for improving transportation to be faster, more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable. This could include from the shipment of packages in rural and urban areas, to disaster relief delivery and high-tech air transit.
Quad City events were held in November & December with results below.
Upcoming events seeking volunteers
FIRST Tech Challenge Events:
- 5Feb22 – Eastern Iowa Iowa Super Qualifier
- Hosted at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf
- Teams will seeking to qualify for the State of Iowa FTC Championship 18-19Feb22 in Coralville
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST volunteer system.
Quad City 2021 – 2022 FIRST events that already occurred:
- FLL Challenge Sat, 20Nov21 Quad Cities – Davenport Qualifier
- Hosted at the Putnam Musuem & Science Center
- 10 teams supported by ~25 volunteers
- Link to event photos
- Robot scores & Awards
- Virtual award ceremony
- FTC 20Nov21 – Western Illinois League Meet 1 FTC
- Hosted at Moline High School
- FTC 30Nov21 – Iowa Blue League Meet
- Hosted at Pleasant Valley High School
- FLL Challenge Sat, 4Dec21 Quad Cities – Moline Qualifier
- Hosted at the John Deere Pavilion – Moline
- 22 teams competed supported by ~ 30 volunteers
- Link to event photos
- Robot scores & Awards
- FTC 11Dec21 – Iowa Blue League Meet
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- Hosted at Davenport Central High School
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- FLL Challenge Sat, 11Dec21 Dewitt Qualifier FLL Challenge
- Held at Central Dewitt Community Schools
- FTC 18Dec21 – Western Illinois League Meet 2
- Hosted at Riverdale High School – Port Byron
- 8Jan22 – Iowa League Tournament
- Hosted at Bettendorf High School
- Click here for more info or to sign-up to a volunteer
- 15Jan22 – Western Illinois League Meet 3
- Hosted at Orion High School
- Click here for more info or to sign-up to a volunteer
Need help signing up to volunteer Download the Volunteer Registration User Guide
Note: In order be assigned to a volunteer position, adult volunteers will need to pass the background check initially the first time they create an account and apply as part of FIRST’s Youth Protection Program. Note: you are not required to provide your social security number and there is no cost for the background check to you. The background check is done the first time you apply and there after every three years. A background check for minors is not required.
Volunteers will receive an e-mail when you have been assigned to a role.
Further details on COVID-19 by FIRST program including guidelines for teams meeting safely is available here.
FIRST Background:
FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway) with their mission to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that is much #MoreThanRobots by building science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
(Link to amazing FIRST student impacts)
Links to key information on volunteer at FIRST events:
- Sample of event volunteer roles by program
(Note: not all roles needed for QC Events) - Key information with links on being a FIRST volunteer
- Short video on FIRST event volunteering
Links to further information on FIRST programs:
- FIRST LEGO League Discover – Students in Grades Prek-1 (age 4-6). Available with class pack supporting up to 30 students.
- FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLL Jr previously) – Students Grades K-4 (age 6-10) with teams of up to six students
- FIRST LEGO League Challenge – Students Grades 4-8th (age 9-14 in North American & 9-16 globally) with teams of up to 10 students
- FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) – Students grades 7-12th (age 12-18) with students up to 15 students
- FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) – Students Grade 9-12th (age 14 – 18) with unlimited size teams (average 23 students per team)
If you have any questions regarding volunteering at Quad City area FIRST events, send an e-mail to [email protected]