CS14 - Each Completion is a New Beginning

Greetings FIRST LEGO League Oregon,

In today's FIRST LEGO League Oregon Update we will cover these items:

1.  Coach Survey - Your Response is Needed!
2. Teams Needed for FIRST LEGO Leauge Jr Demos
3. Stay Sharp with Oregon Game Project
4. Volunteer Workshop Trainers Needed
5. Avoid the Spring Brain Slush
6. FIRST Tech Challenge Information

Use this link to read this update as a blog post

  If you are new to this email or blog this is the place where you will find all of the OREGON specific FIRST LEGO League information, as well as helpful guides to get your team through the CITY SHAPER FIRST LEGO League season. Coaches and team administrators in the FIRST system for the CITY SHAPER season will be added every Monday until March, automatically. Every update this season begins with CS (CITY SHAPER) and a number, that number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update you can find it on our blog. 

1) Coach Survey - Your Response is Needed!

Watch your inbox.  If you are registered as a coach for the 2019-2020 CITY SHAPER season you will be receiving an email from Survey Monkey through Bruce-Schafer@ortop.org.  This is the coach end of year survey.  Your response is critical to building and strengthening the FIRST LEGO League Oregon program for all. Even if everything is great now, we need to know that (because why change what's not broken?) The survey length will vary based on your experiences this season, but all effort is being taken to keep it short.  If you do not see your survey request by March 1, please email Loridee-Wetzel@ortop.org

2) Teams Needed for FIRST LEGO Leauge Jr Demos

FIRST LEGO League Jr Expos will be running April through June.  At each expo we like to have 1-2 FIRST LEGO League teams to share what the next level is like with our teams. This is a great opportunity for your team to share their enjoyment of FIRST, help new team members learn some public speaking skills, and help put FIRST LEGO League Jr coaches at ease before they start FIRST LEGO League in the near future. We like to share all of FIRST LEGO League, so we encourage your team to bring a robot, any project materials, and Core Values materials they have made over the year to share.  There will be a table and space for your team.

If you would like to join us please sign up on this form.

FIRST LEGO League Jr Expos are:

• April 4 - Centro Cultural in Cornelius from 9-Noon and 1-5pm
• May 9 - Horizon Christian School in Hood River from Noon-4pm
• May 23 - Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville from 9-Noon and 1-5pm
• June 6 - Buckingham Elementary School in Bend from 9-Noon

3) Stay Sharp with Oregon Game Project Challenge

Is your team looking for something new to do in the FIRST LEGO League offseason? The Oregon Game Project Challenge is a video game development competition for middle and high school students that is in its 13th year. OGPC is a great way to continue developing some of the same skills that FIRST LEGO League participants require - teamwork, project management, programming, public speaking - as well as to develop some new skills in art, music, and game design.

Teams have until May 16th to build a game exploring this year's theme: Diverse. On May 16th, teams will gather at Western Oregon University to share their projects with judges and peers and hear presentations from industry professionals.

You can learn more at:

https://www.ogpc.info/  

Or by checking out the Coach QuickStart video:

https://www.ogpc.info/participate/#coach  

4) Volunteer Workshop Trainers Needed

Have you attended an ORTOP Coach, Mentor, & Parents workshop in the past and found it exceptionally helpful? Do you wish more people had the opportunity to attend ORTOP workshops but didn't know how to get involved? We are looking to grow our pool of volunteer workshop trainers.  The next ORTOP trainer may be you!  We are looking for interested individuals who like to help adults get started in FIRST LEGO League. We will provide training and get you started!  Applicants are needed across the state of Oregon!

If this is you, please fill out this very short form.

5) Avoid the Spring Brain Slush

It's really tempting to put FIRST LEGO League and robotics on the backburner for the spring, however; there are still tasks to complete so your team is ready to begin again next fall (or this summer). If you've made it this far into the email you are already doing a really good job! Now is the time to make sure your team will have space, funds, and coaches for next season.  It is also the time to find team members to replace outgoing members. Here is ORTOP's timeline to help you stay on top of everything as the pressure and urgency isn't there to carry you this time of year. We are solidly in the Spring season! 

6) FIRST Tech Challenge Information

FIRST Tech Challenge Jumpstart will close on March 1.  If your team is looking to move up to the next level of FIRST this is a good way to get your hands on the new controller hub and get started moving to FTC Blocks or Java as a programming language. Rookie team grants are available through FIRST.
February 22nd marks the final FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon Super Qualifier at Gladstone MS, robot action will begin at NOON.  Can't make it to Gladstone, watch the livestream!
The FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship will be March 16 at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, I do hope you will come see what this exciting FIRST program can offer your team.

One of the most powerful gifts of FIRST LEGO League is the gift of failure. When we guide our teams through failure we give them a powerful tool for their entire lives. It takes failing and using that failure to grow to get this gift and FIRST LEGO League is one of the best ways I've found to experience it with minimal pain, surrounded by friends and FIRST family. I hope you all have a wonderful February, stay dry, and enjoy all that this spring has to offer here in Oregon!

Best Wishes,

Loridee

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