Get Involved in FTC
Are you interested in getting involved in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), but not sure where to start or what to do? Here you’ll find everything you need to get underway.
Please read below to learn about the options, and how to contact us for further information. We look forward to having you with us!
- How do I start a team?
- How do I become a Team or Event Sponsor, or a Supplier?
- How do I mentor a Team?
- How do I volunteer?
- How do I make a donation?
- How do I sign up for the mailing list?
- NEW! How can my FTC Team Help an FRC Team build a Minibot?
1) Start a Team
"The secret of building a successful team is not to assemble the largest team possible, but rather to assemble a team that can work well together." - Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST.
We feel it is important that you learn all you can about the FIRST Tech Challenge before committing to forming a team. One way to do this is to find a local team or two, and follow their progress through a competition season. Attending an event will allow you to gauge the impact of the program for yourself. You can meet with the team leaders and students, speak with their sponsors, and see the robots first-hand. Visit What events and teams are in my area to find events near you.
Once you are ready to start an FTC team, your job is to form the partnerships you will need with team mentors and sponsors. Local manufacturing and technology companies are ideal candidates for mentors and sponsorship, as are local colleges, universities and technical schools. Many local chapters of professional organizations support FIRST through volunteer help from their engineers, scientists and technologists. More info on starting an FTC Team.
2) Become a Team or Event Sponsor, or a Supplier
We recommend visiting What events and teams are in my area to learn the date and location of a nearby FIRST Tech Challenge events. Attend an event with one or more of the decision makers from your company to witness the impact of FIRST. Companies that support FIRST reap many benefits, including stocking the talent pool, building community relations and corporate awareness, and providing team building and training opportunities for employees.
If you are interested in becoming a Team Sponsor and would like to know the teams in your area, please visit What events and teams are in my area. If there isn''t a team nearby, we recommend contacting your local high school principal and math and science teachers to raise their interest in forming a team. We can also put you in touch with the local Affiliate Partner who works with the teams.
For additional information please Contact Us. We will be happy to assist you further.
3) Mentor a Team
If you are interested in becoming a FIRST Mentor, we recommend visiting What events and teams are in my area to find an event in your area. Attendance is free and you will be able to see a competition first-hand.
We also recommend you introduce yourself to the FIRST Affiliate Partner closest to you. These people are likely to know about new teams forming in the area, and rookie teams especially benefit from strong professional mentoring.
4) Volunteer
Each competition event depends on an abundance of volunteers with a broad spectrum of talents to support operating needs and competition demands. Visit the Volunteer section to learn more.
Parental cooperation and support is invaluable to FTC team members. Parents can act as a resource as well as volunteers to assist with transportation, refreshments, fundraising, etc. Asking a parent/volunteer to work with teams in her/his area of expertise provides valuable one-on-one interaction. For example, an engineer can speak to the team as a whole, and then provide direction to the builders and programmers on the robot''s design. A graphic artist or illustrator can offer advice to the team for creating its logo and/or team t-shirts.
5) How do I make a donation?
Click here to go to the Donation page.
6.) Join our mailing list
If you would like more information about FIRST, please e-mail us at customerservice@usfirst.org
Please also visit our Press Room where you can view and download key FTC materials.
