November FRC Link: Stay Informed and Connected!
- Bonnie Crites
- 12 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Check out this month's highlights and reminders!
Queuing Up - Gear Up With the Latest News
Start Your Volunteer Outreach
Volunteer at FTC Events
FRC Coach Chat Schedule
Requesting Field Carpet Process
New Kickoff Worksheet - Prepare for the New Game
Spread the Word - Grants, Fundraising and Outreach
Women in STEM Scholarship
She Leads FIRST Award Nomination
Now Hiring - Warehouse Associate
Watch the Replay - Key Topics from Last Month
FIRST Learning Management System is LIVE!
Safety Animation Award
FRC Resource Hub
Outreach & Fundraising Opportunity: FLL-E Maryland
Event Volunteers Needed!
FIRST events can only happen with the help of dedicated and engaged volunteers! Start talking with your community now to help fill the many necessary roles. Direct interested potential volunteers to the link below for more information and how to apply.
Volunteer for December FTC Qualifiers!
December FTC Qualifiers in vital need for volunteers! FTC Qualifiers begin in just a few weeks. Follow the links below to apply for all positions today!
Click the link below to see available volunteer positions at FRC Events near you!
New to FRC Coaching?
FIRST Chesapeake now offers Coach Chat Sessions for new coaches or coaches looking for a place to engage with fellow mentors for Q & A.
Save the dates and click on each session for full details:
Topic: Build Season Management and Team Governance and Structure
Topic: Preparing for Competition
Topic: Building a Sustainable Team
Mark your calendars and join us!
If you miss a session, each chat will be recorded, and can be accessed from our public drives via the link below
New Process for Requesting Field Carpet
FIRST Chesapeake has a new, streamlined process for teams to request retired FRC field carpet after events
How it works
Submit the FRC Carpet Request Form linked below: Tell us your event preference(s) and how much carpet you’d like (full roll, half roll, or full field).
First come, first served: Allocation is based on submission time and responsiveness, so please submit early.
Event-day pickup only: Carpet is released after field teardown (typically 1–3 hours post-event).
Bring enough people to roll, remove, and transport the carpet. Staff/volunteers cannot assist.
On-site check-in and approval from the Lead FTA are required.
Carpet specs
Full roll: ~15’ wide × 75’ long, ~400 lb
Half rolls may be available
Important notes
We cannot store carpet for later pickup.
Teams receiving carpet are expected to assist with field teardown.
If you complete the form, we’ll confirm availability tied to your selected event and keep you posted on pickup logistics. Questions welcome at events@firstchesapeake.org.
Full Event Preferencing Timeline
Kickoff Preparation Worksheet
FRC Kickoff introduces teams to a heap of information. How do team members determine what's old hat, and what's the pathway to victory?
Introducing the Kickoff Worksheet, based on the work of mentors and alumni from FRC 2791, this worksheet includes all the questions teams should be asking themselves at kickoff - How have the rules changed? What scores points? How is strategy affected? If you want your team to attend Kickoff with purpose, print out a few copies of the worksheet in preparation for January.
Women in STEM Scholarship
Sponsored by Dominion Energy
Please share this opportunity with your students.
Calling all female students in the FIRST Chesapeake district! If you’re a junior or senior on an FTC or FRC team, this scholarship is for you.
Who Can Apply
Current junior or senior FTC/FRC team members in the FIRST Chesapeake district
Anyone who identifies as a young woman and is active in the FIRST community
Key Dates
Application Deadline: Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM (ET)
Semifinalist Interviews (Virtual): January 2026 — details TBA
Required Attendance: Women in STEM Event, Saturday, April 11, VSU Multipurpose Center (Petersburg, VA)
Apply Now
Women in STEM Scholarship Application
Please share with eligible students on your team, and help us celebrate and support young women in STEM across the FIRST Chesapeake community! 💙
Nominations Open: She Leads FIRST Award
Help us honor outstanding women in STEM who uplift the FIRST Chesapeake community.
Who We’re Seeking
Women who lead with excellence in STEM
Mentors who inspire FIRST students—especially girls and underrepresented groups
Community builders who give back to the FIRST Chesapeake community
Advocates for STEM education and opportunity
Role models who demonstrate leadership, integrity, and perseverance
We're Hiring! - Warehouse Associate
FIRST Chesapeake is looking for a Warehouse Associate to join our team in Savage, MD.
Seeking a dependable, hands-on Warehouse Associate to support our warehouse and logistics activities. The ideal candidate will take ownership of warehouse operations—including inventory control, shipping and receiving, and equipment management—while also assisting with general logistics, IT, and event preparation. Role can be structured as full-time or part-time, offering flexibility for individuals seeking to contribute meaningfully to a mission-driven organization while balancing other commitments.
Highlights:
Full- or part-time (flexible scheduling)
In-person 2–5 days/week
Great benefits + mission-driven team
Join us and help power STEM inspiration across the region!
FRC Safety Animation Award - Unearth Safety!
Teams are invited to dig deep to create an animated message that champions safe, sustainable fieldwork.
Make an animation that:
Runs ≤ 40 seconds (incl. opening & credits)
Is animated (any style, incl. stop-motion). Live video only if paired with virtual/AR animation; no live people on camera
Uses music you own/have written permission for or properly licensed Creative Commons (with attribution); no explicit/suggestive lyrics
Lists students’ first name + last initial only
Submission Requirements and Process
Who submits: A student Award Submitter or Lead Coach 1 or 2 must submit via the team’s FIRST Dashboard.
The student submitter must have a signed FIRST Consent & Release and be marked as an award submitter.
File types: .AVI, .MPEG, .MP4, or .WMV.
Submission window (ET): October 13, 2025, 12:00 PM → November 20, 2025, 3:00 PM. (Note: dates shown in Eastern Time.)
Awards (UL Solutions): Restricted grants—Winner: $500; 2 Finalists: $250 each—applied toward 2027 season registration.
For complete details visit the FIRST website.
FIRST Learning Management System is LIVE!
For Coaches: Become Mentor Ready!
Mentor Ready is a self-paced path of 4 trainings:
Welcome to FIRST
Youth Protection Training
Role of a Mentor
Data Privacy for Mentors
Mentor Ready is designed to align onboarding and safety for all mentors. It takes less than 2 hours total to complete. You can complete it in one sitting or module-by-module. Access the training via your FIRST Dashboard → FIRST Training. You’ll earn a digital badge upon completion.
Note: Mentor Ready training is highly recommended for this season. It will be required for all mentors beginning May 2026.
In addition, level up your skills with the FIRST Learning Management System: short, self-paced modules. Modules can also be completed by students.
Topics Include:
Introduction to FIRST Robotics
Introduction to CAD and 3D Printing
Fabrication Tools and Safety
Preparing for Build Season
and more...
Perfect for off-season or early-season training.
For Volunteers: Become Volunteer Ready!
Volunteer Ready is a quick, optional path of 2 trainings:
Welcome to FIRST
Youth Protection Training
It is designed to help new and returning event volunteers get oriented and confident. Access the training in your FIRST Dashboard → FIRST Training after you apply to volunteer. Volunteer Ready is optional this season, but highly encouraged.
FRC Resource Hub
Need to Decode the FIRST Robotics Competition? Click the button below! FIRST Chesapeake has compiled resources on every facet of program, from team management and fundraising to building and competitions. Check out the hub for new guides and grants too!
Outreach & Fundraising Opportunity with FIRST LEGO League Explore - Maryland
Is your team looking for a fun and meaningful way to give back? FIRST LEGO League Explore introduces children ages 6–10 to the exciting world of STEM and FIRST—and your team can be part of that journey!
Opportunities include starting a team, mentoring existing teams, or hosting an FLL Explore Festival. Supporting FLL Explore is a great way to inspire future innovators and strengthen your team’s outreach and fundraising efforts.
See this slide deck to learn more about the benefits of supporting FLL Explore Festivals and Teams.
Intrigued? Connect with Maryland’s FLL Explore Program Delivery Partner, Amber Driesman at adriesman@firstchesapeake.org.
Miss Something From Last Month?
Visit the FIRST Chesapeake Blog to read:
VITAL Dates for Registration and Preference Selection
Full Event Preferencing Timeline
FIRST Chesapeake 2026 District Event Schedule
Grants and Fundraising
And more!
Thank you,
FIRST Chesapeake Team
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