FIRST Technology Challenge

FIRST is a community that allows for a lifetime of opportunities to become involved. For Sarah Fogwell, her volunteering career started early. As a 7 th grader, Sarah stepped in and found a way to do more than just compete during the FIRST Tech Challeng e season. She reached out and had a fellow volunteer teach her “the field control system and set up, and [she] took off from there.” “My first thoughts about volunteering at a robotics competition were, whoa, I went from competing to now running competitions, how much nerdier can I get?” But that's not how the rest of the world sees Sarah. JoAnn Halloran, FTC Program Manager, describes Sarah as someone who shows "willingness to step out of her comfort zone, to lend a hand, to try new things and to encourage those around her to do the same. She is a remarkable team member, and an even more remarkable volunteer." When asked to name one of the highlights from her volunteer experience, she recalls her first year at World Ch...

Mark Seidman, a computer engineer in Rhode Island, was already familiar with FIRST and robotics clubs when he was approached to provide technical support at the state FTC Championship. Mark Seidman, center, works to setup an FTC field at a Rhode Island competition. As a member of the Newport, RI, Aquidneck Island Robotics 4-H club, Mark had already mentored Air Strike, a FIRST Robotics Competition team, since 2008 and was also familiar with FIRST  LEGO League.  Erin Flynn, the state FTC Affiliate Partner, was looking for someone to take the role of Field Technical Adviser and Mark agreed to take on the role. "Mark stepped in and, with his quiet way, helped me figure out how the game should be run, how teams should prepare and what needed to be done at the tournament," Erin said. While Mark was familiar with robotics, he said his first tournament was nerve racking because he had never been on the organizing side of a robotics competition. "After I realized what position I...

Nine years ago, when Rita van der Lee was coaching FIRST  LEGO League for the second time, she joined forces with Doede ten Cate, an enthusiastic and energetic team dad. "Together, we were a perfect coaching duo.  Nothing was too crazy for us and Doede knew how to look forward and think outside of the box," said Rita. As Doede's sons grew older, he learned about other FIRST  programs, and was especially interested in FTC.  He poured a lot of effort, time and money into getting the first Netherlands teams established and starting a tournament in The Hague.  Rita said his goal was to host a tournament with more than 40 teams and he visited schools and personally made sure they had the materials they needed to compete. Tragically, Doede was killed in an accident in 2011. Rita van der Lee After the passing of her friend, Rita was inspired to help make Doede's vision a reality.  When FIRST Brabant , which is also the FLL partner in the Netherlands, became the FT...

Travis Menghini was already a two-year veteran FIRST  Robotics Competition student when he joined the newly-formed FTC Team at his Missouri high school during his junior year in 2011.  When his team did not advance to the state championship, Travis signed on to help run the Field Control System. Travis Menghini, learning the ropes of being an FTA from Tom McGovern Travis, who was planning to attend the championship to watch his friend's team compete, figured "I was going to be there anyway, why not volunteer and give back to the program? After that first experience, he was hooked.  In addition to his duties on FTC Team 5095, the Leptons, Travis continued to explore different volunteer roles, but eventually came under the mentorship of Tom McGovern, the lead Field Technical Adviser (FTA) for Missouri, as an FTA Assistant. Travis graduated from Rockwood Summit High School in 2013 and decided to attend college at Colorado State University.  This didn't deter him fr...