All posts by annette

Jump Starts – REGISTRATION PAGE

Need help getting started?  There are a number of opportunities to attend a FIRST Lego League Challenge “Jump-Start” Training this year!  It is a great way for rookie teams to get up to speed, but veteran teams are also welcome. Each Jump-Start is being individually hosted, so the particular agenda may vary, but they typically include breakout sessions where team members and coaches can learn about the robot, the challenge theme (for project prep) and core values. Attendance is free, but please register by the Wednesday prior to the Saturday event.  If the registration number exceeds the capacity of a facility, registration for that event will be closed. At least one adult (team’s coach, mentor, interested parent, etc.) will need to attend with each team (group of 10 students) and be with the students in any of the breakout sessions. No students may be dropped off unaccompanied.  

To make the most of this opportunity, it is recommended that you:

  • Build your robot ahead of time. Instructions for a basic robot come with the Spike Prime set (or EV3 set, which is still allowed).
  • Bring your team laptop with the software already loaded. Note that the software for Spike Prime is Scratch based and also works with the EV3. For the old EV3 edition, go to the “EV3 Lab Software”. You can download the free LEGO EDUCATION SPIKE Prime software HERE or the EV3 Lab Software (original EV3 edition) HERE.

2023 Locations and Dates

HAMMOND: Saturday, September 2nd, 8:45am – 1:30pm, (please register by Wednesday, August 30th) Hammond High Magnet, 45168 River Road, Hammond, LA 70401. YOU MUST REGISTER DIRECTLY WITH FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM Torbotics #2080. INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION LINK. This event will cater to both rookie and veteran teams (coaches and team members) with breakout sessions on programming, robot design and team development geared to the needs of each group.  They are also putting together a panel of professionals in the areas of art to help spark potential project research ideas.

LAFAYETTE: Saturday, September 2nd, 9am-noon, (please register by Wednesday, August 30th): Location: Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy, 600 Savoy Rd, Youngsville, LA 70592. Topics: Building and Programming Strategies to maximize Points and assistance with creating Innovation Solution to a problem correlating to the 2023 Theme, all guided by the FIRST Core Values. Bring your robot!  REGISTER BELOW . Hosted by FIRST Robotics Competition Team Phenomena #3616.

NEW ORLEANS: Saturday, September 9th, 8am-noon – doors open at 7:45am for check-in/registration (please register by Wednesday, September 6th): Location: Ben Franklin High School,  2001 Leon C Simon Dr, New Orleans, LA 70122 (on UNO campus). There will be breakout sessions where teams can learn about basic programming and robot game strategy, and participate in hands-on energy and team building activities. Also included will be a special 2 ½ hr session for coaches with Mr. Louis Jackson, FIRST Senior Mentor for Louisiana and prior FIRST LEGO League Challenge coach of a Championship team. It will include an introduction to coaching FIRST LEGO League Challenge, basics of robot programming, explanation of MASTERPIECE season project theme, resources available, and season timeline. If you are bringing team members and plan to attend the coaching session, please make sure there is another adult that can be present with the students in the team sessions. Snacks and lunch will be available for sale. A schedule and detailed information will be emailed closer to the event date. Hosted by FIRST Robotics Competition Team #4087 – Ben Franklin High School. Attendance is free, but you must REGISTER BELOW. Registration will be closed if event fills to capacity.

BATON ROUGE:  Save the date – Saturday, September 16. Focus will be on the robot game, programming, and judging. Hosted by the Society of Peer Mentors and the LSU College of Engineering. YOU MUST REGISTER DIRECTLY WITH THE LSU SOCIETY OF PEER MENTORS. Registration link will be coming soon!

Questions regarding the Jump Starts may be addressed to Louisiana FIRST LEGO League Program Delivery Partners:
Dr. Annette Oertling  and  Dr. Michelle Sanchez
aoertling@firstpartners.org           msanchez@firstpartners.org

BPX Grant Follow Up

We hope you had a great 2023/24 season with your FIRST LEGO League Explore and Challenge, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics teams (or class packs)! BPX has expressed interest in continuing their funding for FIRST teams in your parish, but we need to provide them with a follow up report for last year’s funding and a statement of intent for next year. Please complete the brief form found below to provide the information we need to request funding for the 2024/25 season.

For currently funded teams to be eligible for funding next year,
you need to submit this form by Friday, March 29th, 2024!

Thank you!

Annette Oertling, Ph.D.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge Program Delivery Partner
President, FIRST Louisiana Mississippi, Inc.
aoertling@firstpartners.org

BPX Grant Follow Up Survey

Coach Name(Required)

2023-24 LA FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship REGISTRATION

The 2023-24 LA State Championship is open to 60 teams who are awarded advancement from a sanctioned LA FIRST LEGO League Challenge Qualifying Tournament.

DATE: Saturday, January 27, 2024, 8am-5:30pm

LOCATION: Jesuit High School, 4133 Banks St, New Orleans, LA

REGISTRATION: is now open until Friday, December 30th. Please complete the form below to register your team. Teams awarded ALTERNATE STATUS at their qualifier MUST ALSO REGISTER, if they wish to be on the waitlist. The deadline to register is Friday, Dec. 30th. After that date, open spots will be given to alternates on the waitlist.

2021 LA FIRST LEGO League Challenge Participation Survey

This survey is for nationally registered FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams in Louisiana who are not able to participate in Qualifying Tournaments in December 2021 due to delays in starting back to school following Hurricane Ida.  There are several opportunities being proposed, and we would like your feedback on them. This survey will help us gauge interest before moving forward with planning.

LA FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship, January 22nd – A limited number of open spots may be available by invitation only to teams that were not able to participate in December qualifiers. (All teams participating in December qualifiers will be invited to advance to the Championship.)

LA FIRST LEGO League Challenge Off-Season Competition – There is potential for an off-season, in-person competition in May or early June.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BELOW BY NOVEMBER 30TH, 2021, TO INDICATE YOUR TEAM’S INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OR AN OFF-SEASON COMPETITION IN MAY OR JUNE.

This survey is only an indication of interest, not a reservation or commitment.

LA FLL Referee Communication

If you believe there has been an error in the scoring of your Robot Game Video, please complete the form below and a referee will get in touch with you.

UPDATED POLICY (1/21/22):  Because of FIRST Youth Protection protocols regarding youth privacy and one-on-one digital communication, we ask that only adults use this form to communicate with the referees. We realize that at in-person events, students communicate directly with referees at the end of the match, but for remote events, please have an adult coach submit the communication. And please identify only one point of contact for your team, as multiple people sending in comments from one team creates confusion. We appreciate your understanding.

Championship Robot Match Video Submission

Teams are required to provide 3 Robot Game Videos by
5pm on Thursday, January 20th.

Please refer to the instructions below provided by FIRST for producing your videos.

  1. Robot Game Video Recording Tutorialon YouTube
  2. robot-game-video-recording-doc_UpdateFeb2021

To share your videos, please upload them to the platform of your choice and provide links to your videos by completing the online form below.

Any platform where you can post your videos and make them accessible to the referees is good. A shared school Google folder works, but an easy alternative is to upload your videos to YouTube using a designation of RESTRICTED (instructions provided here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtF2AgFSLAw&feature=emb_logo). Making it restricted means that the only way someone can find your video is if they have the link. It is not searchable, so it is not public.

Questions may be addressed to Annette Oertling, co-FLL Partner.

FLL and FTC Demonstrations at the Bayou Regional

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Teams are invited to provide a demonstration at the 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition Bayou Regional on Friday and Saturday, March 27 & 28, at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner LA.  There will be a FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge display, and we are looking for teams to sign up for 1-2 hour time slots on Friday between 10am-6pm and Saturday between 10am-1pm to demonstrate their robot and talk to visitors about their experience in FIRST. You would need to bring only your robot, as FLL and FTC fields will be provided.  FLL teams may also bring project and core values materials to show.

While at the Bayou Regional, FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge teams are invited to visit the “pits” where team members work on their 120 lb robots, and enjoy the matches on the field where alliances of 3 teams compete against each other in the INFINITE RECHARGESM game focused on supporting boundless innovation and creating a society that’s empowered, inspired, and hopeful.  Stay for the very exciting final rounds on Saturday afternoon.  60 teams are expected in the competition, including teams from Mexico and Turkey! It is a great opportunity to see where FIRST can take you.

If your team would like to provide a 1-2 hr demo, please complete the information below. If your team is just visiting, there is no need to register, as the event is free and open to the public. And if you decide to join us, PLEASE WEAR CLOSED TOE SHOES, which is the only way a person can go into the robot pits. Hope to see you at the Bayou Regional!