This note contains some important, yet very exciting, information. Please read all items very carefully. Also, please distribute the information to any interested parties (parents, colleagues, school administrators, etc.)
1. NEW! FTC-Iowa Website!
Announcing...the FTC-Iowa has a new website!!!
Please change ALL bookmarks, shortcuts, links, etc to the following page:
http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ess/future-students/k-12/first-tech-challenge
This new site has all of the upcoming events, funding ideas, software/hardware resources, game/program information, and even a page with awesome videos. Check it out.
As always, we are on Facebook (FTC Iowa), Twitter (ftc_iowa), G+ (ftc.iowa), and the blog (http://ftc-iowa.blogspot.com/)
(The Google Site has been, or will be shortly, taken down.)
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2. Kick-Off Celebration: Saturday, Sept. 8
The FTC-Iowa Kick-Off Celebration will be held on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City, Iowa. Please note the change of location as the event has grown beyond the original anticipated capacity.
The 2012-2013 FTC-Iowa Kick-Off Celebration will now be at the Iowa Memorial Union, in Iowa City.
The basic agenda is as follows:
9:00am-10am: Workshops
10:00am-11:30am: Keynote addresses
11:30am-12:30pm: Game Reveal
A more detailed agenda will be distributed prior to the event.
A few things:
1) Iowa City will also be the host to the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game. Since parking will be a commodity, we encourage the following: a) teams carpool as much as possible; b) arrive early c) and avoid using Melrose Ave in Iowa City and Hwy 6 through Coralville. The University of Iowa Parking and Transportation Department is trying to work out a parking solution for us, but please be patient, remember the Gracious Professionalism, and allocate extra time to get to the Iowa Memorial Union.
2) The FTC-Iowa Kick-Off will conclude prior to the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game kick-off.
3) We are requesting RSVPs. (If you've previously registered, we are asking for you to register again.) If you have not registered, this is the time to do so. Click here to register.
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3. STEM Scale-Up Applications
As announced in July, FTC was selected, through a tough competitive process, as one of the 12 STEM Scale-Up programs through the Governor's STEM Advisory Council. For FTC to be recognized as a scale-up program is a great accomplishment. Thank you to those folks who wrote a letter of support for FTC. Your efforts, through the letter, really contributed to a solid and well-rounded application.
Schools, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, 4H Clubs, non-profits, etc. (known as Local Education Agencies, or LEA) which are located within IOWA, can now apply for Scale-Up funding for FTC. The program descriptions and a map of the STEM regions can be found at www.iowastem.org
Click here to access the application to apply for Scale-Up Funds.
A few things to keep in mind:
- The applying LEA must be in Iowa.
- Application Deadline is Sept. 14. If you don't apply by that date, you may not be able to reapply. Award notifications will be distributed no later than Oct. 1.
- The idea is for FTC to be scaled up. So, if you are a rookie team for the 2012-2013 FTC Season, apply.
- Teams who have participated in previous years will receive high marks if they: are from a rural or urban location; have a high student population with FRL; are a non-profit organization and are not affiliated with a school; have teams that are ethnically and/or gender diverse; incorporates outside partners or mentor, like a who helps your team; serves as a mentor for teams; have participated in public engagement/outreach to spread the word about FTC. If you are a returning FTC team and are unclear as to whether or not you should apply, feel free to ask.
- If you know of a LEA who is "somewhat" interested in FTC but are
hesitant because of the costs, this will give them a great reason to
apply. It is ok if a team is not registered and signed up prior to
Kick-Off on Sept. 8th.
- FTC needs 100 teams -- so spread the word!
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Thank you and hope to see you on Sept. 8th in Iowa City.
