Start a Team

Existing FIRST teams provide unique opportunities and learning experiences for students. But FIRST's success is still limited in some geographic areas. Starting a new FIRST team will help spread opportunities to new students.

Students

FIRST is for students, and the initial step in forming a FIRST team is to find students who want to participate. Numbers matter less than dedication - we have seen FTC teams with two members winning awards in their rookie year, not because of how many students they had but because of how hard they worked.

Mentors

Mentors keep the team together. FIRST requires many hours of hard work, responsible budgeting, and well-structured organization. Who are the adults who will supervise the students? Who will bring leadership, organization and experience? Are there teachers, parents, or other volunteers from the community? One dedicated coach with dedicated students can do amazing things. Engineering and programming experience, while beneficial, are not required. The goal is for students to design, build and program their robots, and to develop the skills necessary to meet their budgets and timeframes. Nobody is unqualified! The only qualification is dedication.

Funding

The question everyone asks: How much does this all cost?

The costs will vary from program to program, and sample budgets can be viewed on the program-specific pages. But regardless of the program, the challenge remains the same. What are some possible sources of funding? There is a Greek proverb, "Bean by bean you fill the sack." Many of our teams receive substantial funding from their school districts, many do not. Many of our teams have substantial corporate sponsorship, many do not. One of the lessons FIRST teaches is how to build upon existing community relationships and networks. While we would love to receive 100% grants, it may be difficult to secure such generous donations. However many small donations add up very quickly. If each student collects $50 here, $50 there, soon the costs will be covered. Do your students have pediatricians, dentists, and optometrists? Do they have neighbors? Do their parents have coworkers? The students will have to learn how to present their team and to explain the benefits of FIRST. It is challenging, but the rewards are worth it.

Equipment

Where will your workstation be? Are there tools available, will they need to be donated or purchased?

Registration

Once you have identified who will be on your team, who will lead your team, where you will meet and work, and after identifying and securing some sources of funding, it's time to register!