ULTIMATE GOAL Coach Email Volume 4 9/22/20 Coaches chat Sept 22nd
Greetings Coaches!
If you are new to this email this is the place where you will find all of the Washington specific FIRST Tech Challenge information. Coaches in the FIRST system for the ULTIMATE GOAL season will be added weekly. Every email from me will be numbered and that number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update you can find it on our website.
Here is what I have for you today:
- Coaches Chat tonight 7:00 pm
- Current event plans for the 2020/21 season
- iGrants are now open!
- Amazon Cyber Robotics Challenge!
Coaches Chat tonight 7:00 pm
We will be having our second coaches chat at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, Sept 22. For this meeting we will be using zoom rather than GoTo Meeting so that it can be more of a conversation. One topic we would like to discuss now that everyone has seen the challenge for this year is: What are people’s thoughts on transitioning from remote events to in person events (if that is a possibility this year) recognizing that robot designs and function will differ greatly between the two.
We plan to start having these meetings monthly so mark you calendar for the 4th Tuesday of every month!
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83531834522
Current event plans for the 2020/21 season
I know that everyone has been busy with the start of school. I don’t have any new information as to our plans for the season but wanted to re-send what went out in an earlier team blast just to make sure everyone is aware of the timeline for this season:
- Our current plan is to leave registration open until the beginning of January
- We don’t plan to start running events until the end of February at the earliest.
- Based on the information we have at this time, we plan to run fully remote events in the spring though we will monitor things throughout the year and if it is safe in some areas we could move to in person events. At this time, however, you should plan on competing remotely. After kickoff, when we have our next coaches meeting (which is tonight’s meeting), we can chat more about what exactly that will look like.
Like everyone else, we are trying to make plans while hitting a moving target. It would help us know how to support you if we understand what your plans and your challenges are. If you could take a brief moment to fill out this survey we would be so grateful! I know several of you have sent me an email with your team status (Thank you!) Even though you emailed me, if you could just take a moment to fill this survey out, it will put all of the info in one place and help me with tracking. (We are surveying over 1000 teams so it can be hard to track if the info isn’t all in one place.)
iGrants are now open!
I know many of you have been watching and waiting; iGrants have opened and are available to any team affiliated with a public school. Please contact your building admin to find out more about how to apply for an iGrant. The deadline to submit a grant for your building is Monday, November 2nd. After your grant is submitted, it will need to be approved by your district so don’t wait until the last minute to apply!
Amazon Cyber Robotics Challenge!
Bring real-world industry to your class this fall with the Amazon Cyber Robotics Challenge!
We know that back-to-school is exceptionally challenging this year and keeping students engaged and inspired is top of mind for all teachers. Try out this free, 3-hour virtual challenge to teach your students the power of coding while uncovering how Amazon uses computer science and robotics daily to deliver customer orders.
The Amazon Cyber Robotics Challenge is free, open to anyone, and recommended for grades 4 and up. Register students with your unique class codes to track and celebrate progress throughout the challenge.
Meet Ashley and Abakir, two Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship recipients, as they introduce this year’s challenge. They will guide students through the challenge and speak about their own computer science journeys.
The challenge can be broken into four 45 minute or three 60 minute lessons for any class (Intro to CS, AP CSP, science, math, etc). Review lesson objectives, agendas, and all materials to prepare for great in-person or virtual instruction.
Stay Tuned for Awards and Prizes!
Complete the challenge with your classroom by December 18, 2020, and be eligible to win $250 for your class. Each month from August- December, Amazon Future Engineer will raffle off five $250 gift cards to classrooms that have completed the challenge and final survey with at least 12 students. Want more information? See here for all details.
Learn more at AmazonFutureEngineer.com
Important Dates and Deadlines
11-2: iGrant Due
Kevin Emery
FTC Program Delivery Partner
FIRST Washington
Adrienne Rime
Sr. Program Manager
FIRST Washington