Good Weekend Teams and Volunteers,
Welcome to the first email blast for the upcoming FIRST Tech Challenge Season. The new overall theme for all programs is FIRST DIVESM presented by Qualcomm.
“The ocean is more than what you can see on the horizon. Beneath the surface lies our planet’s most complex ecosystems, full of life and potential for exploration and learning, where each inhabitant has a role to play in building a thriving environment. During the 2024-2025 FIRST season, teams will use their STEM and collaboration skills to explore life beneath the surface of the ocean. Along the way, we’ll uncover the potential in each of us to strengthen our community and innovate for a better world with healthy oceans. Join us as we explore the future”.
The variation on that theme for FTC is INTO THE DEEP SM, once again proudly presented by RTX and launching September 7, 2024. FIRST Tech Challenge teams will dive their robots into the depths of the ocean to explore the unknown and reveal its wonders. We are excited, and also wonder, what the new season will bring to us and our teams. Let us find out together!
Please join us for the 2024-2025 season and, as you all know how, encourage, invite, and assist new teams to join us in the challenge and fun that is FIRST Tech Challenge.
So, as announced, our Pennsylvania Kick-off will correspond with the official kickoff on Saturday, Sep 7th, 2024. We are working on arranging at least five (5) live and in-person locations across the state as we did last season. Please be sure to check our website as we add the Kickoff and Qualifier locations. We will have all posted before the start of the season and will send additional emails throughout the summer as we add them. We also plan on specific Pennsylvania FIRST Robotic event registrations to start on Oct 1st (a Tuesday) as we have in past years.
Our website is already updated and ready to be populated for the new season. Please continue to check in and follow us.
Team REGISTRATION with FIRST opens this coming week, Wed May 15th, 2024. New this season, and for your reference, Rookie teams numbers will start at # 25609. FIRST FTC will no longer issue temporary team numbers as well. New teams will get a permanent number at registration regardless of payment status.
For those teams that participated in RoboJawn, our Philadelphia Robotics Coalition hosted, off season competition held May 4th at the Science Leadership Academy in Philly, the results are posted. Congrats to the teams and a big shout out to the Coalition for making this significant event happen year after year. FIRST would not have the immense impact it has in the city schools without the Coalition. We are fortunate to have them as our partners in the future.
Results: https://www.ftcpenn.org/ftc-events/2023-2024-season/robojawn
About PRC: https://roboticscoalition.org/
And now. Let us all congratulate and celebrate the success of the four (4) FIRST Tech Challenge teams that earned the honor of competing in Houston at the Championship as a result of their performance at the PA Championship. All for made NOISE and had success either through a Judged Award, on the competition field, or both. WOW, what a performance to be proud of! Results follow:
20153 Silver Wolves, Kennett Square, PA
- PA Championship – Inspire Award Winner
- Houston: Jemison Division – Finalist Alliance 2nd team selected. Their partners were Team Captain Juniper Robotics, Cincinnati, OH and Watt’S Up from Campulung, AG, Romania. Their Alliance went on to win the division semi-final but unfortunately lost in the Jemison Division Finals 2-0
8468 Javengers, Mechanicsburg, PA
- PA Championship – Winning Alliance Captain
- Houston: Franklin Division – Connect Award – 3rd Place
16468 Green Lemons Kennett Square, PA
- PA Championship – Inspire Award 2nd place
- Houston: Ochoa Division – Connect Award – 3rd Place.
Also, Division Finalist Alliance – Captain allied with Team 9614 Hyperion, Fremont CA and Team 10298 Brain Stormz Newbury Park, CA. as alliance Seed 3. The team won in the semi-finals but unfortunately lost in the Ochoa Division Finals 1-2.
14423 RoboCorns, Exton, PA
- PA Championship – Inspire Award 3rd place
- Houston: Edison Division – Control Award, 3rd Place
Please expect more emails to come and, as always. Let us know if you should have any questions or require additional information.
All the Best,
Tom and the FTC Planning Team
Pennsylvania FIRST® Robotics
FIRST Tech Challenge® Program Delivery Partner
phone: (302) 383-9925
email: ftc@pennfirst.org
Website: www.FTCPenn.org