FIRST Tech Challenge

What is FIRST®  Tech Challenge?

FIRST® Tech Challenge is designed for students, grades 7-12, who want to compete head to head, using a sports model. Teams of up to 15 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Teams, including coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

Students get to:

  • Design, build, and program robots
  • Apply real-world math and science concepts
  • Develop problem-solving, organizational, and team-building skills
  • Compete and cooperate in alliances and tournaments
  • Earn a place in the World Championship
  • Qualify for more than $80 million in college scholarships

Most teams in Alaska meet as part of a high school class or an afterschool club anywhere from 2 times per week to every day. The season starts with kick offs hosted by teams around the state on the day of the global challenge release. Teams learn about the game for the current season, then have a few months to get ready for competition. Some communities will host many scrimmages and mini-meets throughout the season, while some teams will just work towards a regional competition. Official Qualifier Tournaments in Alaska are usually held in December through February, leading into a State Championship in February/March. Teams selected during the State Championship may qualify for the FIRST World Championship typically held in April.

In addition to building and programming their robot, each team is expected to do a lot of community outreach. This includes reaching out to younger students (coaching FIRST LEGO League Teams, hosting tournaments & workshops), engaging with engineers in and beyond their community, and getting involved in other community events (school assemblies, community events, state fair, etc).

WHO

  • FIRST Tech Challenge Teams are 2-15 kids ranging from advanced middle school students to high school age.
  • Teams form in schools, clubs, and neighborhood groups. No requirements on affiliation.
  • Teams need at least 2 adult coaches/mentors.

WHEN

  • Most teams form up in late spring or early September.
  • Registration opens in late spring and remains open through the fall.
  • The challenge is released and kick off events are usually held in early September.
  • Official Regional Qualifier Competitions happen all over the state from December through February. Schools are encouraged to host regular scrimmages throughout the season to help prepare for the qualifiers, but we realize that this is not possible for most areas in the state.
  • Teams will advance from the official qualifiers to the state championship usually held in late February or early March, hosted in various locations in the state.
  • Top teams from the State Championship may qualify for the FIRST® World Championship, typically held in April.

WHERE

  • There are teams in most areas of the state including remote villages.
  • Many teams meet in school classrooms as an after school club. Basements, garages, and just about any other place works great too.

HOW

  • Check the FIRST® Tech Challenge Website for information on starting a team. More information and assistance is available by emailing firstak@jedc.org.

COST

  • FIRST® Tech Challenge can be fairly inexpensive, though some programs around the country invest heavily in their programs. We recommend that a team has at least $2,000 for their rookie season. Note: Rookie grants can offset this, and Do it Yourself (DIY) options can greatly reduce the cost.
  • Here is a sample budget that shows what kinds of expenses teams can expect:
    FIRST® Tech Challenge Registration (as of Fall 2024) $295
    Current season game elements (Inexpensive DIY options are available) $400
    Game field perimeter and floor tiles (Inexpensive DIY options are available) $1000
    Kit of Parts (reusable) $900
    Event Registrations $50-$200
    Travel depends on location
    Team apparel, buttons, handouts… $0 – $150
    Additional parts – sensors, motors, etc $500 (varies widely, depending on team resources)
  • Teams are funded by schools, parent-teacher organizations, parents, or other sources of funds. Teams are encouraged to find corporate sponsors.

THEME

The Theme For The 2024-25 FIRST® Tech Challenge Season Is:

TRAINING AND RESOURCES

For training recordings and slides, check out our training page.

Click here for resources to help your FTC Team

Visit the official FIRST Tech Challenge site (includes registration links, challenge info, resources, and more)