If you create an environment in which the right stuff is celebrated, incredible things can happen. Woodie Flowers, MIT Professor and FIRST National Advisor Mind Sports: Academic Competition Presented by Kurt Twining Adam Truex Russell Middle School Trailblazer Schools to Watch Conference 2009 After school club directed at getting minority students involved in academics Concentrate on getting ANY students excited about these subjects Math, Engineering, Science Achievement Club Competitions LEGO Light Bulb Drop Bridge Building Boat Regatta Trebuchet MESA Middle School Day Math, Engineering, Science Achievement Club 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen (SegWay) Headquarters in Manchester, NH Started with just high school program Added middle and elementary school element in 1998 For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology What is FIRST? to create a world where science and technology are celebrated where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST FIRST - Philosophy K Grade Level FIRST Programs FIRST LEGO LeagueFIRST Tech Challenge FIRST Robotics Competition Jr. FIRST LEGO League Source: FLL Program Study by Center for Youth and Communities, Brandeis University, May 2004 FLL Impact (Student Perspective) Increased knowledge of: 95% 93% 0%20%40%60%80%100% Use of school subjects in solving real-world problems Importance of science and technology in everyday life 90% Science and technology careers 97% Use of science and technology in real-world problem-solving In the 2004 evaluation of FLL, Brandeis University found: FIRST Impact 50% more likely to attend college Twice as likely to go on and major in science or engineering 3 TIMES as likely to major specifically in engineering More than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities Upon entering collge they are: Twice as likely to to have an internship with a company Four times as likely to expect to pursue a career in engineering Students involved with FIRST are: FLL SEASON May September On-line registration Mid-September Challenge is revealed October November Building season November January Tournament season April World Festival COSTS New Robot Kit - $395 Team registration - $200 Field Kit - $65 T-Shirts - $100-$200 Tournament Registration - $50 per tournament Needs and Expenses Season Timeline -Up to 10 children, ages 9 to 14, and at least one adult coach ORGANIZATIONS -Any group can create a team: schools, community groups, churches, neighborhoods FUNDING -Important to find funding for the team. -Grants (UCCS PIPES program) -Sponsorships Organizing a Team I want to build things nobody else has even though of yet. Charles Peterson, FLL Team Member (10 years old) Making the Team Successful RECRUITMENT just like sports teams, in order to have a successful team, you need successful players APPLICATION students have to go through try-out process to make the team PRACTICES essential to success of academic competition team, without commitment there is no victory Sample Practice Mission anaylsis Simple programming Research climate connections FLL taught me patience and that I could learn more than I ever thought I could. Oh yeah, and it was fun all at the same time. Andre Bauman, FLL Participant Contact Information: Kurt Twining Adam Truex