2. 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

3. Grades 7-12

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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. The FIRST Tech Challenge

9. 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

10. 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™

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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

15. FTC® Growth
Program Growth
24 %
OVER YEAR 2012

16. 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.

17. 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