One of the goals of teaching is to help students transfer their learning and apply their knowledge. In this sense, mentors of FIRST teams are teachers that assist students in applying expertise to guide them to solve the team's challenges.
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The following are event volunteer roles for FIRST® LEGO League Challenge. Each role links to a description and/or training information. All volunteers must be screened as part of the FIRST Youth Protection Program.
If you would like to volunteer for a FIRST event, click here for instructions.
Please visit the General Volunteer Resources page for all the resources and forms you might need to get started volunteering for FIRST.
For a complete list of volunteer role descriptions for FIRST LEGO League Challenge please view this document: FIRST LEGO League Volunteer Role Descriptions Updated 07/2023
Role-specific resources:
Judges:
- Judging Toolkit:
Referees:
- Referee Toolkit:
Tournament Hosts:
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Welcome to our FIRST® Dashboard tutorials! With these videos, you can follow the individual team registration process from start to finish for all FIRST programs. For FIRST Class Pack registration instructions and videos, visit our Class Pack registration page.
Create a FIRST® LEGO® League Explore Team
In the FIRST LEGO League Explore walkthrough, you’ll be guided through the new team creation process, ordering registration and product, including sales tax, FIRST Youth Protection Screening steps, and how to invite additional contacts to your team.
United States-based Teams
Video chapters: Creating your FIRST Account | Creating your FIRST LEGO League Explore Team | Youth Protection Screening | Ordering Product | Important Sales Tax Information | Completing your Order | Outstanding Tasks you may need to Complete | Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | Viewing and Printing your Team Roster
Teams based outside of the United States
Video chapters: Creating your FIRST Account | 4:38 Creating your FIRST LEGO League Explore Team | 10:52 Consent Forms & Youth Protection Screening | 12:28 Completing Your Order | 14:54 Ordering Product | 15:23 Outstanding Tasks to Complete | 16:05 Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | 18:49 Viewing and Printing your Team Roster | 19:04 Accessing the Thinkscape Learning Management System
Create a FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge Team
In the FIRST LEGO League Challenge walkthrough, you’ll be guided through the new team creation process, ordering registration and product, including sales tax, FIRST Youth Protection Screening steps, and how to invite additional contacts to your team.
Video chapters: 0:25 Creating your FIRST Account | 5:09 Creating your FIRST LEGO League Challenge Team | 11:16 Youth Protection Screening | 13:55 Ordering Product | 14:53 Important Sales Tax Information | 17:54 Completing your Order | 20:43 Outstanding Tasks you may need to Complete | 21:27 Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | 24:13 Viewing and Printing your Team Roster
Create a FIRST® Tech Challenge Team
In the FIRST Tech Challenge walkthrough, you’ll be guided through the new team creation process, ordering registration and product through the FIRST Tech Challenge Storefront, including sales tax, FIRST Youth Protection Screening steps, and how to invite additional contacts to your team.
Video chapters: 0:25 Creating your FIRST Account | 4:23 Creating your FIRST Tech Challenge Team | 10:41 Youth Protection Screening | 12:14 Important Sales Tax Information | 15:29 Ordering Product | 18:05 Completing your Order | 19:20 Outstanding Tasks you may need to Complete | 20:06 Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | 22:43 Viewing and Printing your Team Roster
Create a FIRST® Robotics Competition Team
In the FIRST Robotics Competition walkthrough, you’ll be guided through the new team creation process, ordering registration, including sales tax, FIRST Youth Protection Screening steps, and how to invite additional contacts to your team. We've provided separate walkthroughs for teams based in the United States and teams based outside of the United States.
United States-based Teams
Video chapters: 0:25 Creating your FIRST Account | 4:25 Creating your FIRST Robotics Competition Team | 11:40 Acknowledgement Forms and Youth Protection Screening | 13:16 Important Sales Tax Information | 16:30 Completing your Order | 19:14 Outstanding Tasks you may need to Complete | 19:59 Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | 22:38 Viewing and Printing your Team Roster
Teams based outside of the United States
Video chapters: 0:29 Creating your FIRST Account | 4:39 Creating your FIRST Robotics Competition Team | 11:27 Acknowledgement Forms and Youth Protection Screening | 12:53 Completing your Order | 14:58 Inviting Coach and Youth Contacts to your Team | 17:44 Viewing and Printing your Team Roster
Building a Skill Portfolio from FIRST Robotics Competition Experience
Jul 08, 2021 Written by Libby Simpson, FIRST Director of Education
Jahmy J. Hindman
Chief Technology Officer, Deere & Company
Jahmy Hindman is Chief Technology Officer of Deere & Company, a position he has held since July 2020. In this role, Jahmy is responsible for building Deere's “tech stack,” the company’s intuitive end-to-end equipment solution made up of hardware and devices, embedded software, connectivity, data platforms, and applications. He will lead the company’s Intelligent Solutions Group, the global network of technology/innovations centers, and the shared engineering function.
Working in both the Agricultural & Turf and Construction & Forestry divisions, Jahmy brings more than 20 years of advance technology, artificial intelligence, product engineering, and manufacturing experience to the role. Most recently, Jahmy led the engineering team for Deere’s flagship product line.
His previous leadership assignments include Global Manager, Architectures, Systems and Modules; platform architect for the tractor product lines; Manager, Large Tractor Chassis; general manager and engineering manager at Deere’s construction-equipment factory in Tianjin, China; product marketing manager and engineering supervisor for four-wheel-drive construction loaders. He joined John Deere in 1996 as a test engineer working on backhoes and crawlers.
Jahmy holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University as well as master's and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. His doctorate focused on the application of artificial neural networks in heavy-equipment applications. Jahmy currently sits on the Industrial Advisory Council for Iowa State University’s College of Engineering.
FIRST Welcomes John Deere CTO Jahmy Hindman to Executive Advisory Board
Technology Executive from FIRST Strategic Partner John Deere Brings Leadership in Advanced Technology and Engineering to PreK-12 Nonprofit Executive Advisory Board
MANCHESTER, N.H., July 8, 2021 – FIRST®, an international not-for-profit organization with the mission to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, today announced the appointment of Jahmy J. Hindman, Chief Technology Officer, Deere & Company, to the FIRST Executive Advisory Board (EAB).
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Sales tax collection is complex and constantly evolving. FIRST is required to collect and remit sales tax in several U.S. taxing jurisdictions, including a destination sales tax in certain states within the U.S. that tax event fees, if a valid exemption certificate is not obtained from the team. In some instances, taxes can still apply even if a valid tax exempt certificate is provided.
It is important to recognize that tax laws can and do change. The information presented on this webpage will be updated, as we learn of changes that affect team circumstances.
As of today, if a team is located in one of the states below, your initial registration fee for FIRST Robotics Competition will have sales tax applied at checkout:
- District of Columbia
- Maine
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Dakota
If your team attends an event that is not part of your initial registration fee (i.e. a second play regional) that is located in one of the states below, sales tax will be applied at checkout:
- Connecticut
- New Mexico
- South Dakota
- West Virginia
The applicable tax rates and the tax laws requiring FIRST to collect sales taxes are determined by the individual states or localities themselves.
How to Update Sales Tax Exemption Status
Updating Sales Tax Exempt Form Instructions
Sales Tax Exempt Form Upload Tips
*Hawaii’s situation is different from the simplified version provided above, in that they have a ‘General Excise Tax’ rather than a ‘Sales Tax,’ and this tax may be, but is not required to be, collected from the purchaser. FIRST has decided to collect this tax to maintain equity with states that have a traditional tax structure for purchases.
2021 FIRST Robotics Competition Official Season Wrap-Up
Jul 01, 2021 Written by Frank Merrick, Director FIRST Robotics CompetitionI hope you got to join us for our season celebration last week. If not, you can find the video of the celebration on YouTube.
A huge congratulations to all our teams this year. You overcame extraordinary difficulties just to participate!
2021 Season Finale!
Jun 23, 2021 Written by Frank Merrick, Director FIRST Robotics CompetitionWhat a season it’s been! And it’s not over yet!
Become a Sponsor
An extensive network of Fortune 500 corporations, educational and professional institutions, foundations, and individuals support FIRST®. Through the resources they provide, our supporters are helping FIRST inspire young people to become the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and math professionals.
We cultivate innovative collaborations and strategic partnerships with corporations that share our founder, Dean Kamen’s, vision "to transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders."
FIRST sponsorship opportunities include:
- Financial Sponsorship of programs and strategic initiatives
- In-kind donations of parts, equipment, and facilities
- Scholarships and Internships for students
- Employee Engagement
- Cause Marketing
FIRST sponsorship benefits include:
- Strengthening your company's image
- Opportunities to build business relationships
- Boost brand visibility
- Create a pipeline for interns and future employees
- Unique employee volunteer opportunities
- Integration into unique thought leadership and media opportunities
FIRST Corporate Sponsors come from industries of all shapes and sizes. All of our sponsors are critical to building our programs and we are grateful to each one for their unique contributions.
For information on how to become a sponsor please email us at development@firstinspires.org