IO Pre-Season 2: Building the Launch Platform

Greetings FIRST LEGO League Oregon,

In this update, you will find:

1. Team Financial Support is Live!
2. Register for Coach, Mentor, or Parent Workshop
3. Free Table - Bethany, Portland
4. Paid Coach Position - Catlin Gabel
5. #Techniques - As Seen at World Festival - Linear Slides / Rack and Pinion
6. Don't Miss Out! Season Celebration @ OMSI
7. SAVE THE DATES!

Use this link to read this update as a blog post

1)  Team Financial Support is Live!

Attention Coaches, Teachers, and Team Administrators! The INTO ORBIT Oregon Team Support Award went live on Friday evening! We will accept applications until September 20, or whenever we run out of funds. If you know you will have a team next season and you know you need funds - apply! Awards will start going out as soon as 20 applications are in and reviewed. Reviewing is a 2-3 week process. You will have 2 weeks to accept or decline your award, please make sure you check the email address you use for the application THIS SUMMER!

This year the application MUST be filled out by a coach of the team. This person does not need to be technical, but we need to know the plans of the people actually working with the team to determine if your team meets the preparation to be funded. If your team has some funded, but not all an ORTOP Team Support Award can be a good way to cover National Registration and Tournament Application Fees!  DO NOT PAY YOUR NATIONAL REGISTRATION FEE WITH FIRST IF YOU PLAN TO APPLY FOR TEAM SUPPORT - ORTOP CAN NOT REIMBURSE YOUR FEE!

The Team Support Application covers all of ORTOP's Team Support Sponsors and the Oregon Department of Education FIRST Grant.  Please fill out ONE application PER team.

Please read ALL OF THE DETAILS on this long website that also has the link to apply!  All applications must be submitted through SurveyMonkey.  If you need accommodation please contact Loridee-Wetzel@ortop.org

2) Register for Coach, Mentor, or Parent Workshop

Coach, Mentor, and Parent workshops begin on June 12 at Intel Aloha. These workshops are free and open to anyone who would like to learn what it takes to work with a FIRST LEGO League workshop. These are adult workshops, but teen mentors in high school are encouraged to attend if they will be working with a FIRST LEGO League team.

Sign Up ONLINE

• Aloha - June 12, June 19, and June 26 Intel Aloha 6-9pm.*does not have a programming workshop
• NE Portland - July 12, July 19, July 26, and Aug 1 Concordia University 6-9pm
• NE Portland - Aug 2, Aug 9, Aug 16, and Aug 23 Concordia University 6-9pm
• Beaverton - August TBA
• SW Portland - Sept 6, Sept 13, Sept 20, and Sept 27 Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington 6-9pm
• Bend - Sept 13, Sept 20, Sept 27, and Oct 4 Mountain View High School 6-9pm
• Hood River TBA
• LaGrande TBA
• Medford TBA
• Salem - Sept 22 Garmin 8:30am-4:30pm 
• Oregon City - Sept 29 Eastham Community Center 8:30am-4:30pm

3) Free Table - Bethany, Portland

Hari has a table available for a team that needs a wooden practice table. The table is in good condition and located in Bethany, Portland.  Please contact Hari if your team could use the table:  <contact available in email version on the update>

4) Paid Coach Position - Catlin Gabel

Catlin Gabel School is looking for a LEGO Robotics Program coordinator to coach 3-4 FIRST LEGO League teams and run after-school open LEGO robotics lab.  You’d have the help of TAs from the school’s well-known FIRST Robotics Competition program, the Flaming Chickens and work with Dale Yocum, the Engineering Program Director at the school.

You’d be responsible for coaching FIRST LEGO League teams and alternating that with open LEGO lab activities.  This is a stipend position (like a sports coach.) Probably around $5K for the Sept-mid January timeframe (exclusive of school holidays.) You’d need to be on campus at Catlin Gabel from 3:00pm to 5:00pm Mon-Friday when school is in session and attend competitions.    

They are looking for someone with previous experience coaching FIRST LEGO League teams through the state level and who is exceptionally good with middle schoolers.  You need not have expert-level technical skills (the TAs and Dale can handle that) but would need to be very good at keeping diverse groups of students on track.

If this is of interest, contact Dale Yocum, Engineering Program Director, Catlin Gabel School.  yocumd@catlin.edu and describe your background.

5) #Techniques - As Seen at World Festival - Linear Slides / Rack and Pinion

If the above video does not play, please try this link. Changing the rotational motion of a LEGO motor to linear motion gives a team the ability to engage in controlled lateral or vertical movement, without needing to move the robot, or while the robot is performing other tasks. One of the ways to do this is seen in the video above using the teeth plates and gears. Another way to create this kind of movement is to use worm gears along an axle, or the worm gearbox that came in all the NXT kits, the WeDo 1.0 set, and various other LEGO retail kits. Using any of these methods you can use a motor to exert fine control over an extending arm. If properly supported this can provide your team with the ability to reach across the LEGO table to drop off, pick up, or push an object without the need to drive to it. This classic mechanical solution is used in many systems we use every day!

Using a system like this can reduce the error that is caused by navigating the LEGO mat. Can your team produce a working arm to solve the rain mission while at the fountain? Can you use this technique to replace the pipe or add the pipe to the shared wall? Post your video results on our Facebook page or as a comment on the blog so everyone can see what you have learned!

6) Don't Miss Out! Season Celebration @ OMSI

It's less than a week away! Make sure ALL of your team members, families, and friends know about this free opportunity to see OMSI and Robot Revolution. Your team does not need to attend as a group, individual members with an adult are welcome. All participants, volunteers, and friends are welcome to join us in celebration. Does your neighbor or friend wonder why you are always doing this robotics stuff? Bring them! Please help us save time at the door by signing up online and bringing your ticket with you when you come!

JUNE 4, 6-8PM - ALL OF OMSI, including ROBOT REVOLUTION!

7) SAVE THE DATES!

We are still booking venues for next season, but as we do they are being added to our public calendar. Here are some important dates to put on your calendar!

• May 25, 2018 - Team Financial Support is OPEN
• Add your workshop date!
• August 1, 2018 - INTO ORBIT Launches!
• September 20? Last possible day to apply for team financial support (may close earlier, do not wait!)
• October 3-10, 2018 - FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament Registration Oregon!  You will need to know who is on the team and what the team name is!
• October 17 & 18, 2018- EXPERT NIGHTS at OMSI's Empirical Theater - watch for more information.
• October 31, 2018 - Last Day to pay FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament Application Fee
• November 1, 2018 - Qualifying Tournament Schedule is posted on www.ortop.org
• December 8, 9, 15, & 16 All Oregon Qualifying Tournaments!
• January 19-20, 2019 - Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournaments (still waiting on venue confirmation)

I will be at the FIRST Global Conference from June 8 through 15th. I will not be returning email during this time. David Perry, ORTOP Executive Director will be available to answer basic questions. 

Best Wishes,

Loridee