Grades 7-12
 It’s a competitive sport.
 It’s a life experience.
 It’s opportunity.
 It’s community.
 It’s amazing.
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen
Devoted to helping young people discover
and develop a passion for Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
295,000+ Students
90,000+ Mentors/Volunteers/Adult
Supporters
More than 50 countries
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Who is it for?
For Students (ages 6-18):
the hardest fun you’ll ever have.
For Mentors, Coaches, Volunteers:
the most rewarding adventure
you’ll ever undertake.
For Sponsors:
the most enlightened investment
you could ever make.
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FIRST learning…
… never stops building upon itself, starting at age 6 and continuing
through middle and high-school levels up to age 18. Young people
can join at any level. Participants master skills and concepts to aid
in learning science and technology through innovative projects and
robotics competitions, while gaining valuable career and life skills.
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The FIRST Tech Challenge
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
What is FTC®?
✔ Head-to-head competition using sports model
✔ Teams design, build and program robots based
on sound engineering principles
✔ Develop strategic problem-solving,
organization, and team-building skills
✔ Mentored by professional engineers
✔ Awards for competition, community outreach
and design
✔ Qualify for $11 million in scholarships
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
What is FTC®?
FTC is a widely accessible, hands-on
robotics program
 INSPIRES children in grades 7-12 to participate in
science and technology
 DESIGN, BUILD AND PROGRAM robots
 GET hands-on programming and rapidprototyping experience
 APPLY real-world math and science concepts
 TEACHES the engineering process
 DEVELOPS strategic problem-solving,
organizational and team-building skills
 LEARN about Gracious Professionalism™
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
What is FTC®?
How It Works
PROBLEM-SOLVING AND TEAM-BUILDING
 Design, build, test and compete with a LEGO MINDSTORMS
NXT-powered robot, built from a reusable kit of parts and a wide
variety of raw materials!
 New engineering-based game challenge presented each year
TEAMS OF CHILDREN AND MENTORS
 Participants learn to work as a team
 Students work alongside adult Mentors to gain practical, hands-on experience
BUILD AND COMPETE
 Follow the engineering process to design, build, program and test a robot
 Compete and cooperate in Alliances at Qualifying and Championship events
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
What is FTC®?
FTC Teams
 APPLY real-world math and science concepts to
research, design, build and program autonomous
and driver-controlled robots
 USE LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology
 GAIN hands-on experience
• Robot Game
• Project-based Learning
 LEARN from and interact with adult mentors
 WORK as a team to overcome obstacles and
meet challenges
 ENGAGE with their communities
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
What is FTC®?
FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®):
Team Growth (North America)
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2,880
2,479
1,997
1,607
799
554
53 130
986
1,111
 2,900 North American teams in 2013
 23,000 middle and high school-age students
 200+ Qualifying and Championship
Tournaments, 4 Super-Regionals, 1 World
Championship
 FTC is international! Over 3200 teams
compete in 16+ countries to advance to the
FTC World Championship in St. Louis
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FTC Impact
Proven Results
78% of FTC participants believe
their desire to do better in school
is a direct result of their
participation in FTC
84% of FTC students cite FTC as
the driving force behind their
interest in majoring in math and
science
FTC is unlocking interest in math
and science (90% of participants
cite FTC as directly responsible)
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FTC® Season
What is FTC®?
Organizations
 Any group can create a team: schools, community
groups, churches, neighborhoods
 Teams are made up of students, grades 7-12, and 2 to 3 adult Mentors
Cost (ESTIMATES)
 $2,500 for new teams; $1,200 for returning teams (U.S.)
Season Overview
 May – October ………………...Online registration
 Early September ………………..Game is revealed
 September – October………..…….Design & build
 November – March...…………Tournament season
 March 26-28, 2015……………....Super-Regionals
 April …………………………..World Championship
FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY