NE FIRST

Out to New England FRC teams...


NE FIRST Things FIRST

Week of October 19, 2015

 

 
NE FIRST University Day at UMass Amherst: Call for Presenters
 
NE FIRST University Day at UMass Amherst is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.If there is any topic you want to learn more about, or one you haven't gotten a chance to see at the other University Day events, let us know! Email FIRST Senior Mentor Dana Henry at [email protected] or FIRST VISTA Lauren Jefferson at [email protected] with your requests.

 
2016 Safety Animation
There will be a Safety Animation Award for the 2016 season. FIRST hopes to be able to announce information on the award shortly, along with format and length requirements. Thank you for your patience and stay tuned for more information!
 
  
TIMS Registration & Mentor Recognition Reminder
 
Please remember to invite all of your FRC Team Mentors in TIMS by Friday, Dec. 18. Registration will allow Mentors to receive this season's certificate and pin during National Mentor Month in January. Mentors will also be able to opt-in to weekly communications from FIRST and NE FIRST. Head to the Team Profile section of your TIMS account to invite mentors and contact [email protected] with any questions.


NIDays Boston 2015
 
NIDays, the largest regional technology and innovation event series held by NI, brings together thousands of engineers and scientists worldwide to experience true innovation in a single day. The event will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston and is free to attend.
 
More information about the event, including how to register, can be found here. If your team is interested in setting up a display for the event, please contact Steve Cremer at [email protected]. Teams demonstrating at the event should register under "FIRST New England" and participating team members, in addition to being provided with free lunch, will still be able to attend any of the sessions.


Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faire Events
 
In partnership with Make: Magazine, creators of the Maker Faire, Barnes & Noble is putting on a Mini Maker Faire in all Barnes & Noble stores nationwide on Nov. 6-8. Several locations still have open spots for makers! If your team or a team you know is interested in doing a Meet the Maker session, reach out to your local Barnes & Noble to see if they are still accepting makers for the event.

 
Youth Team Member Registration Information
 
Youth team members are required to be registered through the Youth Team Information System starting this year. Team members must complete registration and sign the FIRST Consent and Release form prior to their initial FIRST competition or event. For the FRC program, it needs to be completed prior to Kickoff.
 
The process is outlined here:
  • The Lead Coach/Mentor may send the youth team member a link to start the registration process.
  • The Youth Team Member follows the registration link and creates a user account.
  • Once the youth team member creates a user account, he/she will provide the parent/guardian email address. The parent/guardian must then finish the registration process.
  • Parents complete the registration and sign the FIRST Consent and Release Form electronically.
  • Lead Mentors accept the youth team member onto the team and the parent receives a confirmation email.
  • If a parent cannot access the documents through the Internet, registration paperwork can be requested in hard copy.
A list of frequently asked questions about registering students in the Youth Team Information System can be found here.

 
myRIO Expansion Port - It's back!
 
The myRIO Expansion Port, or MXP, rules will remain the same for the 2016 FRC season (see last year's blog introducing the MXP and R43, R57, and R58 from the 2015 Competition Manual). These rules were written so teams can create custom circuitry and use the MXP for sensors, lights, or anything else that isn't going to actually move or cause movement.
 
FIRST is interested in approving additional devices for the 2016 rules. If your team would like to submit a proposal, follow the steps outlined in Kate Pilotte's blog post by Friday, Nov. 27.
 
A forum has been created in the 2016 FRC Beta Test Forum specifically for MXP discussion. Please post your thoughts and questions there. If you're interested in developing an Active Device and have questions about the approval process or your specific device, please send your question to [email protected].
 
See the original blog post for more details.


PTC Robotalk 2015 Reminder
The 2015 season of Robotalk is in full swing! Robotalk is a series of weekly webinars with FIRST and PTC Experts who lead attendees through discussions on both technical topics like CAD and IoT (Internet of Things) and non-technical FIRST topics like fundraising and community outreach.
The webinars will be held on Wednesday evenings, from Sept. 23 - Nov. 18 from 7-8 p.m.
Topics planned for coming weeks include:
  • October 28, 2015 - 3D Printing with PTC Creo
  • November 4, 2015 - Using PTC Windchill to Manage Your CAD
  • November 11, 2015 - Using PTC Resources to Help Your FIRST Community
  • November 18, 2015 - What is the Internet of Things!
You can register to attend the Robotalk seminars here.

 
FIRST Alliance Gazette
 
Curious about the projects FIRST has been working on with its alliance partners? Check out the first edition of the Alliance Gazette, which highlights FIRST Strategic Alliance happenings around the country. Please note that the deadline for the student NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award has been extended to Wednesday, Nov. 4.


Upcoming Important Dates

NE FIRST Website Photo Contest!
Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m.
NE FIRST is looking for a photo from the 2015 District Championship to feature on the new NE FIRST website! Submissions should be sent to [email protected] and we will credit you and/or your team for the photo on the NE FIRST website.
 
Society of Women Engineers Grant
Friday, Oct. 23, 11:59 p.m.
Notification: Friday, Oct. 30
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) grant will again be offered for the 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) season. Generously funded through the Motorola Foundation, this grant is meant torecognize teams for their concerted efforts in creating (rookie) and/or maintaining (veteran) team gender equality in their roster. Questions regarding this grant opportunity should be directed to [email protected]For more information, visit the FRC grants page.
 
FIRST Future Innovator Award
Friday, Oct. 30, noon
The FIRST Future Innovator Award (FFIA) recognizes creativity in effectively solving a real-world, complex problem through the invention of a unique solution beyond the requirements of the FIRST competition season. The FFIA competition is open to all FRC and FTC team membersfor the current 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. More information about the award can be found on the website and questions can be submitted to [email protected].

FRC Rookie Grant
Monday, Nov. 2, 11:59 p.m.
Notification: Friday, Nov. 13
Awarded teams will receive $6,000 (to be used for registration) over the course of two seasons. Teams can expect $4,000 in season one and $2,000 in season two. Sample fundraising plans, which are required for the grant, can be found in the. The application and more information can be found here.

Additional In-District Event & Unrestricted Regional Registration Opens
Thursday, Nov. 5, noon
District teams may register for an additional In-District event or a Regional event.

Additional Inter-District Event Registration Opens 
Thursday, Nov. 12, noon
District teams are eligible to register for any open spots in other District events. The open spots are identified after all teams within a District have had the opportunity to sign up for two events and any additional plays they may desire. 
 
Payment Due: 1st and 2nd District Event
Monday, Nov. 23, 5 p.m.
Please visit the 2016 FRC Payment Terms for more information, including the full pricing structure and payment terms and instructions. If your team is having trouble coming up with the funds for registration, reach out to your local Regional Director ASAP. Additional resources can be found in the FIRST Fundraising Toolkit.

 
Upcoming Events
 
NH TechFest
Saturday, Oct. 24
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Windham High School,
64 London Bridge Rd, Windham, NH 03087
 
Battle of the Bay
Saturday, Nov. 14
Prospect Mountain High School
242 Suncook Valley Rd, Alton, NH 03809
Volunteer Registration

NE FIRST University Day at UMass Amherst
Saturday, Nov. 14
UMass Amherst
Contact Dana Henry at [email protected] or Lauren Jefferson at [email protected] if you're interested in presenting.
 
NIDays 2015 Boston
Tuesday, Nov. 17
Hynes Convention Center
900 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115
If your team is interested in demonstrating at the event, contact Steve Cremer at [email protected].


Contact Us
 
NE FIRST Executive Director
Bruce Linton ([email protected])
 
NE FIRST Advisor
Jessica Boucher ([email protected])
 
NE FIRST Regional Directors
Connecticut - Carol Scully ([email protected])
Maine - Karen Giles ([email protected])
Massachusetts/Rhode Island - Steve Cremer ([email protected])
New Hampshire/Vermont - Scott Heaton ([email protected])
 
NE FIRST Senior Mentors
Connecticut - Stacey Gray ([email protected])
Massachusetts - Dana Henry ([email protected])
 

 

Archives of NE FIRST Things FIRST are available on the NE FIRST site under "News." Submissions can be sent to [email protected].

 

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