FLL UNEARTHED Blog: Volume 1

In this weeks Blog-

Job Opportunities 

FIRST Washington Registration

Coaches Chat Survey

Make sure you read the entire blog!

Job Opportunities with FIRST Washington
We have 3 new job listings with FIRST Washington:
  • Event Manager
  • Volunteer Manager
  • Marketing and Communications Manager
If you are interested in joining our amazing team, click here to access the job postings and apply!  Feel free to share this information with anyone in your network who might be interested in working for FIRST Washington.

FIRST Washington Registration is open!

FIRST Washington registration is now open.  Please take a moment to register if your team plans to participate this year.

This form also gives you access to the FIRST Washington Registration grants that are used to lower your registration.

Registration form link: 

Challengehttps://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/c5f3e7b49ea6400b823696be6b954a59

Explorehttps://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d11d85351cff4889b0cf634d0e0a6018 

FLL Coaches Chat Format Survey!

This season I am considering switching up the format of the FLL coaches chat. Please fill out the following 3 question survey to let me know your thoughts on the format going forward! I am doing this to try and better serve coaches like you! Thanks for all of your help!

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/dcfe720351d946b590dcfc8bd3d268c6 

 

Important Dates & Deadlines

  • Open Now – FIRST Washington Registration
  • August 5th – FLL Challenge Released 

More From FLL

FTC DECODE Blog: Volume 1

Good Afternoon Teams! I hope you are enjoying your summer! 

This blog contains lots of information, so be sure to read the entire thing. 

Job Opportunities with FIRST Washington
We have 3 new job listings with FIRST Washington:
  • Event Manager
  • Volunteer Manager
  • Marketing and Communications Manager
If you are interested in joining our amazing team, click here to access the job postings and apply!  Feel free to share this information with anyone in your network who might be interested in working for FIRST Washington.

FIRST Washington Registration is open!

FIRST Washington registration is now open.  Please take a moment to register if your team plans to participate this year.  

This form also gives you access to the FIRST Washington Registration grants that are used to lower your registration.

Registration form link:  https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/aa05160be9cb49ec94f3b61b272443a1

Attention FIRST Washington Class of 2025!

We want to celebrate you!  Please fill out the following survey so that we can share your successes with our community of supporters: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d38e9ac9af0c48a4863aef810cdd26a4

FTC Kickoff Registration is now open! 

Yes, it is that time already.  Time to prepare for FTC Kickoff!!  Once again, we have 5 kickoff locations though there have been some changes in venues for specific areas.  Here is the high level kickoff info: 

 –

Auburn High School 711 E Main St. Auburn, WA 98002 

8:30 am: Doors open 

9:00 am: Game reveal with Q&A and workshops to follow 

12:30 pm: Event ends 

–  

BrickCon 2025! Meydenbauer Center 11100 NE 6th St. Bellevue, WA 98004 

8:30 am: Doors open 

9:00 am: Game reveal with Q&A and workshops to follow 

12:00 pm: Event ends 

–  

Kennewick High School 560 W Sixth Ave, Kennewick, WA 99336 *new location

8:30 am: Doors open 

8:30-9:00 am: Ice Breaker/Games to get to know the teams 

9:00 am: Game reveal with Q&A and brainstorming sessions 

– 

Saint Martin’s University 5000 Abbey Way SE Lacey, WA 98503 *new location

8:30 am: Doors open 

9:00 am: Game reveal with Q&A and brainstorming sessions to follow 

12:00 pm: Event ends 

–  

Ridgeline High School 20150 E. Country Vista Dr. Liberty Lake, WA 98019 

8:30 am: Doors open 

9:00 am: Game reveal 

10:00 am: Field reveal, rules Q&A 

10:30 am: Workshops 

12:00 pm: Event ends 

– 

Click here to register for a kickoff.  We are looking forward to another great season! 

Important Dates & Deadlines

FRC REBUILT Blog: Volume 1

 Good Afternoon Teams! I hope you are enjoying your summer! 

This blog contains lots of information, so be sure to read the entire thing. 

    Job Opportunities with FIRST Washington

    We have 3 new job listings with FIRST Washington:

    • Event Manager
    • Volunteer Manager
    • Marketing and Communications Manager

    If you are interested in joining our amazing team, click here to access the job postings and apply!  Feel free to share this information with anyone in your network who might be interested in working for FIRST Washington.

      PNW FRC Registration is open! 

      PNW FRC registration is now open.  Please take a moment to register if your team plans to participate this year.  For FRC teams, this is the best way for us to know you plan to participate prior to when team preferencing ends the beginning of October. 

      This form also gives you access to the FIRST Washington Registration grants that are used to lower your registration. 

      Just a reminder that the District Championship fees have been decoupled from the season registration fees so the season registration fee is now $11,800.  Teams that qualify for District Championship will be charged an additional $4000.  We hope to have some funding available to defray the District Championship registration grants. 

      Registration form link:  https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/3913797ab2d24190ae51da675f49b3b5  

      Attention FIRST Washington Class of 2025!

      We want to celebrate you!  Please fill out the following survey so that we can share your successes with our community of supporters: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d38e9ac9af0c48a4863aef810cdd26a4

      Next FRC Coaches Chat scheduled for 7:00 pm Thursday, 8-21 

      Based on feedback the two coaches chats we had this summer, we will be having a coaches chat in August that focuses specifically on becoming a 501c3.  Emil Anderson from 2928 will be presenting and will be joined by some other FRC teams that have gone through the process of becoming a 501c3 

      Unlike our other two coaches chats, we will record and post this meeting but I believe much of the value is gained by participating so I strongly recommend you plan to attend if interested.  

      Click here for the meeting link. 

      Booster Policy Update 

      We have revised our Booster policy as of June 30, 2025 and it will be effective as of July, 1,2025. 

        Please review and sign off on the current booster policy here: CLICK HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT 

       *Please also note that effective July 1,2025 the link to our team donation page has been updated: 

       https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/WAFIRSTBoosters/TeamDonationForm 

       Going forward please share this link with anyone who wants to donate directly to your team! 

       Please feel free to reach out to us at accounting@firstwa.org with any questions! 

       

      Off-Season Event Registration 

      Looking for a fun way to have new members experience an event, try out a new mechanism, or network with other teams? Register to attend an off-season event this fall! 

      Off-season events are hosted and run by individual FRC teams, not FIRST Washington. This means each event’s participation requirement(s), fees, and timelines may vary. All events will utilize the Reefscape game. 

       –

      Block Party hosted by Team 2910 – Sept 6 & 7 

       Location: Mill Creek, WA 

      Fee: $400 (additional $100 for a second robot if space permits) 

      Register for Block Party 

      For questions, contact Steve Kaneb at steve.kaneb@gmail.com 

      Oregon Girls’ Generation / FIRST Chance hosted by Team 1425 – Oct 4 & 5 

      Oregon Girls’ Gen is a girl-focused event, run as a one-day competition. Oregon FIRST Chance is a one-day event for all students and aimed at providing an opportunity for students new to FRC to attend a pre-season event. 

      Location: Wilsonville High School in Wilsonville, OR 

      Registration information coming soon! 

      For questions, contact Tom Sommerville Jr at tom.sommerville@gmail.com 

      Uplift Challenge hosted by Teams 4125 and 8532 – Oct 10 & 11 

      Save the date for the Uplift Challenge! This off-season event is open to teams in schools of 500 students and below. Teams in small schools have unique challenges and strengths. This is a chance for us to come together, share ideas, learn about new resources- and of course, have an-off season competition. 

      Location: Umatilla, OR 

      Fee: $100 

      Register for Uplift Challenge 

      For questions, contact Heidi Sipe at sipeh@umatillasd.org 

      –  

      2025 Bordie Blast: Bordie at Sea hosted by Team 2412 – Oct 11 & 12 

      Load-in Friday Oct 10th 

      Location: Sammamish High School in Bellevue, WA 

      Fee: $300 (additional $100 for a second robot if space permits) 

      Register for Bordie at Sea 

      Volunteer sign-up form 

      Event Website 

      For questions, contact Kim Herzog at HerzogK@bsd405.org 

      – 

      Washington Girls’ Generation hosted by Team 2046 – Oct 18 & 19 

      The goal for Girls’ Generation is to provide an inclusive experience for underrepresented communities in STEM. In that spirit, we welcome all to participate. 

      Optional load-in Friday Oct 17th 

      Location: Tahoma Senior High School in Maple Valley, WA 

      Fee: $300 

      Register for WA Girls’ Gen 

      Volunteer sign-up form 

      Event Website 

      For questions, contact Darren Collins at dcollins@tahomasd.us 

      –  

      StormSurge hosted by Teams 2811 and 9567 – Oct 25 

      Location: Skyview High School in Vancouver, WA 

      Fee: $250 (one robot), $350 (two robots) 

      Register for StormSurge 

      For questions, contact Luke Glassett at lukeglassett@gmail.com

       

      Important Dates

      FRC REEFSCAPE Blog: Volume 23

      Good morning teams!  I know most of you have either just started or are getting ready to start your summer break. I hope you all have a fantastic summer break!

      I have 2 things for you this morning:

       

      1. A reminder of our coaches chat next Tuesday 6/24 at 7:00 pm.  Once again, this meeting will have a focus on fundraising brainstorming and sharing of challenges and successes. 

      2. Please make sure we have an email address that you will be checking over the summer, we want to make sure you receive any important communications that we send out! 

      Important Dates

      • June 24th, 7-8PM:  Coaches ChatFundraising Brainstorm Continued

      FRC Reefscape Blog: Volume 21

      Coaches Chat tonight- OSPI listening and brainstorming session

      I just want to remind coaches about our FRC Coaches Chat tonight at 7:00 pm.  We will be focusing on brainstorming solutions to help make sure all teams can participate even with the loss of the OSPI funds in Washington.  All teams are welcome because  everyone can benefit from fundraising brainstorming whether you are impacted by the OSPI funding cuts or not!
      Also, a reminder, if you have not filled out our Impact Survey related to the OSPI funding cuts, please do that ASAP.  It will help us to figure out how to deploy our resources and help us to be proactive with team support if we understand how this loss of funding affects your ability to participate.
      Click here for the survey link if you did not fill it out last week.

      FRC 2025 Season Retrospective Survey – Feedback Wanted

      As we wrap up the 2025 FRC season, we are collecting feedback to better understand your team’s experience. This retrospective survey is an opportunity to let FIRSTWA know what went well, what challenges you faced, what support you need moving forward, and whether you’re interested in hosting events in future years. Please take a few minutes to fill it out by Friday June 6th. Thank you for being part of our community!
       

      Important Dates

      • May 27th:  Coaches ChatOSPI listening and brainstorming session