Current Countries with FIRST Programs ★United Kingdom ★ Faroe Islands ★ Czech Republic ★Scandinavia ★ Norway ★ Estonia Ireland ★ ★ Sweden ★Netherlands ★Russia Iceland ★ ★Lithuania ★ Canada Denmark ★ ★Luxembourg Germany ★ ★Poland ★Slovakia Belgium ★ ★Romania ★Bosnia/ Herzegovina France ★ Austria ★ ★United States Spain★ ★Turkey ★Japan Hungary ★ ★ China Portugal ★ ★ Syria ★Philippines Palestine★ ★South Korea Mexico ★ Lebanon★ ★India ★ Taiwan, R.O.C. Benelux ★ Jordan ★ ★Hong Kong Columbia ★ ★Haiti ★ Thailand ★ Slovenia ★Bahrain ★Malaysia ★ Switzerland ★ Qatar Peru ★ ★ Brazil Tunisia ★ ★ Kuwait ★Saudi Arabia ★Singapore Sudan ★ ★ Israel Chile ★ ★Yemen ★Australia ★Indonesia ★ Egypt ★ Argentina ★South Africa New Zealand ★ Current Countries with FIRST Programs

Grades 7-12

It’s a competitive sport. It’s a life experience. It’s opportunity. It’s community. It’s amazing.

Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen Devoted to helping young people discover and develop a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 2012/13 295,000+ Students 90,000+ Mentors/Volunteers/Adult Supporters More than 50 countries

For Students (ages 6-18): the hardest fun you’ll ever have. 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.

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.

The FIRST Tech Challenge

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

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 rapid- prototyping 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™

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

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

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)

What is FTC®? FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®): 2013-2014 Season 2,900 North American teams (projected) 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

FTC® Growth Program Growth 24 % OVER YEAR 2012

2012/2013 Game FTC BLOCK PARTY!sm is played on a 12’x12’ square Field. Two randomly selected teams are paired together as an Alliance to play one match against a second Alliance. Alliances are designated as either “Red” or “Blue.” During autonomous and driver-operated periods, Teams use their Robots to balance their pendulum goal by scoring blocks into buckets. During the final seconds of each match, Teams may continue to score blocks, raise their Alliance Flag, drive up the ramp and do a pull-up.

FTC® Season What is FTC®? Organizations Cost Season Overview 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 $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 – early April……………....Super-Regionals April …………………………..World Championship