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

Rookie teams in blue

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

Key FTC Links

• 2015 QCESC FTC Kickoff
• 2014 QCESC FTC League Championship Results
• FIRST Illinois Robotics
• FTC Iowa
• FIRST FTC Website
• John Deere FIRST Grant Application