IOChamps3: Into High Orbit

Congratulations Champions!

Mission Topics:

1. DO NOT FORGET YOUR ROSTER!
2. Kids Do the Work
3. Everyone Needs Core Values
4. Parents/Teens Needed to Volunteer!
5. It's all on the Tournament Website
6. Leave your kit at home, bring the rest!

To read this email as a blog

1) DO NOT FORGET YOUR ROSTER!

Let's make sure every team starts the championship tournament on a high note. Check-in is a blurry-eyed early morning exercise in preparation. Follow these steps to make your morning flow smoothly.

• Print your Roster from the FIRST DASHBOARD - print this even if the team is using paper forms. 
• Make sure you have any additional consent forms for team members or CHAPERONES stapled to the roster (roster on top).
• Put this packet of papers where you can easily get to it. As the lead coach turning these papers in is your first task of the day.
• Instruct the rest of the team to meet in the Commons at a table or along the wall and wait for you. They do not need to stand in line and that just makes things crowded. 
• Make sure the team has all their props, robot, etc and takes it to the Commons, so you are in line with just the roster.
• KNOW YOUR TEAM NUMBER! The lines will be by team number as will all your information for the day.

2) Kids Do the Work

From arrival to departure the kids do the work, just like every team meeting. This is their show and their showcase. The kids need to be carrying their props, carrying their robot, and generally be responsible for their team and their team's decisions. Adults can ask questions, but your hands should stay in your pockets (real or virtual). 

The day can be intense, loud, and stressful for team members. We want to ensure everyone has a fun time! Only a few teams will be recognized with awards. Only a handful of teams will go on. So please help your teams to relax, to learn from other teams, to share their ideas with others. We are preparing for an AMAZING weekend full of LEGO fun, Oregon Style!

3) Everyone Needs Core Values

Core Values is not just for the kids and definitely not just for the judging room. We expect all our guests, coaches, parents, team members, siblings, and volunteers to use FIRST Core Values of Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and Fun throughout our entire event. Please make sure all of your supporters are aware of this. Inappropriate behavior, even by an adult will not be tolerated and could result in a negative Core Values report for the team. 

I'm very honored that Oregon has a remarkable foundation of Core Values and that this has not been a problem at our state championships, but at more and more FIRST events around the world, not everyone has been made aware of the way we play here. We want everyone to enjoy the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament presented by Collins Aerospace, adhering to our code of conduct will help everyone feel welcome and included. Please make sure your fans, parents, and supporters know how to behave in the competition arena.

4) Parents/Teens Needed to Volunteer!

We still need adults and teens to fill some critical, but flexible volunteer roles. These are the perfect jobs for parents who would rather have a job to do than sit in the stands all day. We especially need people to help as Security/Hall helpers and as Judge Queuers. In addition to an awesome ORTOP Volunteer t-shirt volunteers receive a catered lunch by Taste of Excellence. If your team has a parent or teen who can help out and still take breaks to watch your team compete, please encourage them to sign up on the FIRST website!

• Security provides guidance to guests about public events and makes sure that only people with the appropriate wristbands can go into closed areas. - they also can wave, high-five, or cheer on teams in the hall and see all the fun props, costumes, and cool robots.
• Judge Queuers time the judging rooms so that the judges stay on schedule. They greet teams and let them in and out of the judging rooms. This job only lasts for half of the day!

Saturday Volunteers           Sunday Volunteers

5) It's all on the Tournament Website

EVERYTHING is on the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament presented by Collins Aerospace.  What to bring - it's there. When your teams compete, sure. Judging schedule, yup. How to print your Roster, check. Judging and Robot Game information - two links! Everything you should need to know for this weekend's event is on the tournament website.  (Ok, the Livestream links are still pending, but they will be posted there before Saturday!).  If you can't find what you need, please feel free to email me, but I am away from keyboard often as there are many boxes to be packed and taken to Liberty High School!  (those aren't on the website 😢)

6) Leave your kit at home, bring the rest!

I'm sure your team has a long list of things they don't want to forget for the tournament. So instead of giving you another list of things to bring, I'd like to remind you of what to leave behind. This is not an exhaustive list, please consult the tournament website and pre-tournament letter for more information!

Don't Bring Any of the Following Items:

• Do not bring any part of the INTO ORBIT Challenge kit, do not bring extra models, do not bring an extra astronaut figure. Leave anything that came in the INTO ORBIT box from LEGO at home. 
• Yes, we will make the presentation exception for sharing a how your robot interacts with models in Robot Design judging, but these models MUST be left in a closed box while in the pit and practice rooms. 
• Do not bring live animals who are not serving in the active role of a service animal. Sorry, it's a school gym thing.
• Do not bring small children who are not members of the team. Well ok, they can come, but they do need separate adult supervision.
• Do not bring live viruses - please, no one really wants a zombie apocalypse.
• Do not bring a grumpy attitude - remember we are going to have FUN!!!

Make sure you do look at the list of things you should bring on the tournament website!

See you this weekend!

Best Wishes,

Loridee