First Tech Challenge
Expectations and Guidelines
2024-2025
First Tech Challenge (FTC) is an international robotics competition sponsored by the FIRST organization. Students design, build, and program robots to compete in a game setting, following a complex set of rules to complete specific tasks. FTC is a school sponsored co-curricular activity and students need to know and agree to the following expectations and rules to participate in FTC. FTC is free and open to all students.
● Follow all eligibility and code of conduct rules put forth by the school district’s athletic handbook.
● Be an active participant in all areas of FTC.
● Be organized with robot parts and clean up after each practice and meet.
● Be willing and attempt to learn building, programming, outreach, and all areas of FTC.
● Effective communication with coaches and mentors through face-to-face decisions and email.
● Cooperate and participate during meets and practices.
● Ask coach and teammates questions when uncertain about tasks or responsibilities.
● Complete assigned duties in a timely manner and meet deadlines.
● Follow all aspects of the FIRST Core Values.
● Put forth constant effort towards the goals of GCFTC.
Goals of GC FTC:
● Compete at the highest levels of FTC with the goal of being one of the best teams in Iowa.
● Increase student understanding of engineering, computer science, mobile technologies, and STEM
education.
● Promote STEM concepts in our district, community and state.
● Increase student ability to communicate their ideas, work with teammates and colleagues constructively, and promote themselves with the highest level of character.
● Provide a learning environment that promotes creativity, intellectual growth, and STEM education in a rigorous competition setting.
● Prepare students for a career in a STEM related field.
FTC Core Values:
We express the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition through our Core Values:
Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!
Following these core values is not negotiable. Students that continue to disregard these core values will be dismissed from the team.
FTC is a rigorous program, requiring a full commitment. Students will spend hundreds of hours building and programming the robots. Students that participate in other extracurricular activities, sports, and work after school must carefully consider if their schedule will allow a full commitment to FTC. Students will also need to complete an engineering portfolio as a team collaborative project. This portfolio will need to be completed by the deadline assigned by FIRST. All students must contribute to all aspects of FTC or will be asked to leave the team.
FTC Support Staff:
Rob Gingery–team administrator, coach 13186
Sarah Steinmeyer–coach 10069/parent
Daniel Butler–coach 14375/parent
Mentors:
Jim Lynch–community member
Brady North–Collins Aerospace
Jared Melcher–community member
Danille Hansen–community member/parent/staff
Practice Schedule: Each team will create their own practice schedule using a shared Google calendar.
Meet Schedule: Meet schedule is released in mid September. Meets happen on Saturdays, late November through January.
Kick Off: This season's kick off will be Saturday, Sept 6th at 11:30 in the FTC area.
League Championships: All teams must have enough qualifying points to participate. Normally league championships are the 2nd weekend in January.
Super Qualifier and State: Times and locations will be announced later in the season.
Extra Time: Many teams will choose to work on FTC outside the normal practice schedule. Robots can go home with students, but a plan MUST be made for robot modifications. All team members must sign off on robot modifications plans prior to robots leaving the school building.
Organization: We have limited space for robotics. Students must clean up after each practice and meet. Teams that are not organized and leave the work area a mess will be dropped from the next competition.
Team Cooperation: FTC can be a stressful activity. When you combine designing and building a robot with completing a formal presentation and engineering notebook, within a limited time frame, while competing with other hard working teams, situations can become stressful. Students must dedicate themselves to working as a team, treating teammates with dignity and respect. All students have different levels of commitment to FTC, so please be prepared to work hard while working together as a team.
Dismissal from team for any of the following reasons:
Refusal to attend and participate during scheduled practices.
Ongoing arguing or harassment of teammates. Both face to face, online, or text messages.
Vandalism or stealing of school property, robotic equipment, items from restaurants or other school district’s property.
Misconduct at meets: including rude comments, harassment or disrespect of competitors, judges, or officials.
Ongoing rude comments, jokes, or language not appropriate for school.
Safety: All participants must follow all safety rules:
● Safety glasses must be worn at all times when working with the robot. Including programming and in the pit area during meets.
● All students must follow safety guidelines for all hand and power tools.
● Students must make the coach aware of any injury immediately.
● Students and parents must sign safety forms.
Parent Responsibility:
Parents must sign and return all required forms in a timely manner. Complete all online forms with help from your student. Parents must also support the Core Values set forth by FIRST.
I agree with all the expectations for FTC listed above.
Student Name___________________________________ Date:___________________
Student Signature:_______________________________
Parent Name:___________________________________ Date:___________________
Parent Signature:________________________________