Advocacy Featuring Our 2nd Annual FIRST National Advocacy Conference Steve Hyer Team RUSH – Clarkston, MI

What is Advocacy? Advocacy can be for any cause Start Local – Teachers – School – School Board/Supt/School District City/Township/County State Federal/National

Where to begin? What is Your Cause? Educate Yourself on the Issues – Become the Expert Figure out Who and How to Contact Who else shares your thoughts/cause?

History Started Locally with School Board Focused on State Legislature and Dept of Ed Turned attention to Washington, DC – Started in 2009 Goal was to form Relationships and Partnerships Started Developing Partnerships – Continued w/ RUSH Students 1 or 2 times a year – Started Inviting Teams 3 Years Ago – 12 Trips, 270+ Participants, 230+ Meetings

National Advocacy Conference Team RUSH Hosting in Partnership w/ FIRST June 14 – 16 in Washington, DC 1 ½ Days of Training 1 Day of Meeting Your Senators and Members of Congress Advocating for FIRST Legislative Platform and Issues import to you and your school

Federal Government Each State has 2 Senators 435 Members in the House of Representatives Congress Passes Laws and Determines Funding – Elementary and Secondary Education Act – Individuals with Disability Act – eRate – Dedicated STEM Programs United States Education Department – Implements Laws Waivers from ESEA

FIRST Legislative Platform Increase Number of STEM Workers Provide Diverse Pipeline of STEM Inspired Students to Institutions of Higher Learning Can be achieved by: ESEA Amendment to 21 st Century Learning Centers Tax Code Reform – Tax credit to teacher coaches Immigration Reform – Providing H-1B Visa Money to FIRST Teams

Hearing from Participants 1086 – Blue Cheese (VA) 1816 – The Green Machine (MN) 2468 – Team Appreciate (TX)

We Need Your Help! We need about 8 more teams to attend NAC! Looking to diversify geographically We want Congress to take FIRST Seriously As few as one student from a team can come If not your team, seek other teams to come States Represented: CO, GA, IN, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, TX, VA, WA Targeted (but not limited to): SD, TN, UT, WI

For More Information Stop by Team 27’s Pit Ask Questions Now! Steve –