Volunteers Needed Quad City area 2024 – 2025 FIRST Events 
Following is information for multiple events, with links for technical and non-technical volunteer roles. No prior experience is necessary for most volunteer positions. College and high school students are welcome to volunteer.
Are you looking for a way to share your skills and talents, have fun and positively impact the lives of students ages 4-18 in the Quad Cities? It doesn’t matter which FIRST program you volunteer for, at the end of the day you will always walk away with a sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that you have helped our youth experience something special that they would not have without FIRST and without your support. Volunteers can easily see, FIRST is much more than robots.
Individuals with technical and non-technical backgrounds are being sought for the below upcoming in-person events. No prior experience is required for most volunteer roles, including judges or referees. Training is provided where needed. Please apply and indicate the volunteer positions you are interested in supporting.
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 SUBMERGED challenge, teams will dive into the oceanic abyss, addressing real-world problems faced by ocean explorers. You may watch the season teaser here.
for 2024, four Quad City area FIRST LEGO League Challenge qualifying events with total capacity to support 128 teams from Iowa and Illinois which you can apply to support as a volunteer.
If new to FIRST, you will need to create a free profile with FIRST in their volunteer management system.
Sat, 7Dec24 Quad Cities – Davenport Qualifier, Putnam Museum & Science Center
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST system
- Event schedule and team listing
Sun, 8Dec24 Quad Cities – Davenport Qualifier at Putnam Museum & Science Center
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST system
- Event schedule and team listing
Sat, 14Dec24 Quad Cites – Moline Qualifier, John Deere World Headquarters
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST System
Sun, 15Dec24 Quad Cites – Moline Qualifier, John Deere World Headquarters
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST System
11-26Jan25 – State of Illinois Sectional Tournaments – Details TBA
Sat, 1Feb25 – State of Iowa Championship – Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
- Link to sign-up to volunteer in FIRST System
Sat, 15Feb25 (tentative) – State of Illinois Championships – Details TBA
Quad Cities FIRST LEGO League Event Planning Team:
- Pat Barnes
- Susan Eckert
- Nama Ganesh
- Kelly Lao
- Dale Marrow
- Sanchia Horst Sommer
- Anne Ryerson
- Beth Ullmark
- Sankari Sankari
FIRST Tech Challenge Events:
FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming. In this year’s challenge, INTO THE DEEP, teams will use their STEM and collaboration skills to explore life beneath the surface of the ocean. Along the way, we’ll uncover the potential in each of us to strengthen our community and innovate for a better world with healthy oceans.
Dates/locations of meets are currently being finalized. Listed below currently known events needing volunteers with more to be added as announced:
- Sat, 9Nov24 – Western Illinois League Meet 1 – Moline Senior High School
- Sat, 7Dec24 – Western Illinois League Meet 2 – Orion High School
- Sat, 4Jan25 – Western Illinois League Meet 3 – Orion High School
- Sat, 15Feb25 – Iowa Adriatic League Tournament – Bettendorf, High School
- Fri-Sat, 28Feb – 1Mar25 – State of Illinois State Championship – Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL
- Fri-Sat,28Feb – 1Mar25 – State of Iowa State Championship – Xtream Arena & Greenstate Fieldhouse Coralville, IA
Please note that tournaments and championships provide the most volunteering opportunities.
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 to you for the background check. The background check is done the first time you apply and thereafter ,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.
FIRST History:
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 about volunteering with FIRST:
- Volunteering with FIRST is an introductory learning module for mentors, coaches, and event volunteers that explores what FIRST is and what it means to volunteer with FIRST.
- Key information with links on being a FIRST volunteer
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]