If you are new to this email this is the place where you will find all of the Washington specificFIRSTLEGO League information. Coaches and team administrators in theFIRSTsystem for the CITY SHAPER season will be added weekly. Starting this season, every email from me will be numbered. That number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update youcan find it on our website.

I have 6 items for you today-

1. Team Name Changes

2. Event Assignments Posted

3. Event Registration Invoices

4. Volunteer Recruitment for Events

5. FIRST Washington Judging Updates for this Season

6. Upcoming FLL Scrimmages

Team Name Changes

If your team needs to change their name, or has previously changed their name on the team dashboard and it is showing up wrong on the event assignments list, please fill out this form to submit name changes-https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/4ea574d5470040298b680238c81916e2

I will only be accepting name changes until 11/18. After 11/18 whatever I have is what will be listed on the team list at your event.

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Event Assignments Posted

Event Assignments are posted online here- https://firstwa.org/Team-Resources/FIRST-LEGO-League-Team-Resources/Team-Status-2019-2020.

If you do not see your team listed, check below the assignments to see if you filled out a preference in the status section. If you have a red x I have not received a preference for you, or you filled out your preference with a temporary or incorrect team number. I have emailed those who have filled out event registrations with temporary or incorrect numbers, so check your inbox.

Payment is due by 11/13, which is different than the date on the invoice. If payment is not received by 11/13, teams will be dropped from their events on 11/18. I will not be emailing individual teams with reminders who have not paid before I drop them, they will just be dropped.

There is a link to the event pages at the bottom of the page under Important Links.

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Event Registration Invoices

Everyone should have received their invoice by now. Invoices were sent to the Team Admin or the Main Coach if there is no Team Admin listed. If you applied for the FIRST Washington grant and received one, it will show up on your invoice.

Check with the Team Admin or Head coach if you cannot find your invoice. You can also check with the person who submitted your grants, some were sent to those people by mistake.

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Volunteer Requirement for Events

Each team is expected to recruit or provide at least one adult volunteer to work a full day at a FIRST LEGO League Qualifier event this season.

Consider this:

· In Washington, we have over 650 FLL teams

· Each event requires approximately 55 volunteers (for a 1 day commitment)

· Washington hosts 23 events over the first 2 weekends in December

· That means there areOVER 1,200 volunteer rolls that need to be filled over those two weekends!!!

· We are in need of adult volunteers, but we especially need adult judges! (20-30 per event approximately)

· Pleasereach out to your mentors/parents/teachers/neighbors/community and help us fill all of these rolls.

· This is the best way for coaches to learn about the judging process.

· We want to inspire these young students to be technology leaders!

Recruited volunteers should go to the FIRST website, www.firstinspires.organd create an account or log in. Volunteers will complete the process for background screening and should select the event where they want to volunteer.

Volunteers with an affiliation to your team should work at an event where the team is not competing. When you fill out your event registration, coaches will be asked to provide the name of your volunteer for this season. Start recruiting now!

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FIRST Washington Judging Updates for this Season

This season you need to be aware of some changes to the judging process.

We will no longer have tables in the Robot Design judging rooms. Instead we will have a large laminated print out of the mat for teams to write on if they want to show the judges the paths their robots take. I also highly recommend teams print out copies of their code to show the judges. You should still plan to bring your robots and attachments to show the judges. A Robot Design Executive Summary is required at all levels this season, using either this worksheet – RDES-CityShaper.pdf or your own format. A prepared presentation is not expected.

Core Values posters will not be required at any level of competition in Washington.

Teams should be aware of changes FIRST HQ made to the Champion’s Award and advancement criteria this season. To review all of the FIRST LEGO League frequently asked judging questions-http://www.firstlegoleague.org/sites/default/files/into-orbit/judging-faq.pdf

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Upcoming FLL Scrimmage

Check this out! Thanks Saints Robotics!

· Saints Robotics FRC 1899 will host an FLL scrimmage on Sunday Nov 24th (morning session 10am-1pm, afternoon session from 2-5pm) at the Ivanhoe Sports Fields, Bellevue. Please mark your calendars. This is a wonderful opportunity to have your robot on tables other than your own. Even if your robot is not ready for competition (it never is!), it’s good for teams (specially rookie teams) to get an idea of what other teams are doing, meet other team members, coaches etc. We will setup mock judging sessions for robot design, Core Values & Project. Questions? Email scrimmage@saintsrobotics.com 

Check out the flyer- 2019 FLL Scrimmage Flyer.pdf

Upcoming Events/Dates

· December 7&8: Qualifier Tournaments

· December 14&15: Qualifier Tournaments

· January 18&19: Semifinals

· January ?: Eastern State Championships

· January 26: Western State Championships

Useful Contacts

· National Team Registration, Youth Protection, Student Registration, Challenge Information:firstlegoleague@firstinspires.orgorwww.firstinspires.org

· Tournament Registration & Participation, Local Information, Facebook:Jacque Grimm,jacqueg@firstwa.org

· Robot Game Questions: WA Regional Head Referee, Kevin Torrico,fllheadreferee@firstwa.org

· FIRSTGame Questions:fllrobotgame@firstinspires.org

· Fundraising, Grants, Advocacy:FIRSTWashington President, Erin McCallum,erin@firstwa.org

· Booster Accounts (setup or using funds), Invoices and Payments:FIRSTWashington Accounting,accounting@firstwa.org

Important Links

· Event Pages: https://firstwa.org/Team-Resources/FIRST-LEGO-League-Team-Resources/Events

· Past Coach Communications:https://firstwa.org/Team-Resources/FIRST-LEGO-League-Team-Resources/Communications-Questions-2019-20-Season

· City Shaper Challenge:https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/fll/challenge-and-resources

· FIRST Steps:http://info.firstinspires.org/fll-first-steps-request

· Youth Registration Overview: https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/youth-team-member-consent-and-release-form

Jacqueline Grimm

Program Supervisor,

FIRSTLEGO League andFIRSTLEGO League Jr.

FIRST Washington

p: (253) 210-0466