Hi ,

In this week's blast:

⚙️ Youth Protection Screening Renewal Reminder 
⚙️ Team Tip – Delegate and Designate 
⚙️ FIRST^® Robotics Competition Blog Updates 
⚙️ Team Recruitment Resources

Program Updates, Deadlines, & Reminders

Youth Protection Screening Renewal Reminder: A current Youth Protection Screening is required for U.S. and Canada-based lead mentors to access the team’s roster, opt out of the Drive Base & Black Tote (veteran teams), and for other important tasks throughout the season. Screenings expire every four (4) years, and you can check your screening status in the FIRST^® Dashboard. If your screening is expired, order your renewal screening now! For assistance, please contact Team Support Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. ET via email, via phone at 1-(800)-871-8326, or via live chat.   

Effective starting this 2025-2026 season, additional Youth Protection Screening steps are now required for FIRST volunteers in Pennsylvania and California, as required by each state. If you are planning to volunteer in these states, it is important to know about these specific requirements to ensure compliance and contribute to a safe environment for FIRST youth participants.   

Team Tip – Delegate and Designate: Share this email blast with your team! We know mentors are busy, so it can be helpful to designate someone to read the team blasts and relay important information to the team. That way you won’t miss out on any upcoming deadlines or season specifics. If your designated team blast reader is over the age of 18, all they need to do is sign up to receive the email. All blasts are also posted on the Team Blasts Archive page within 24 hours of sending. 

Resource of the Week: As you start preparing to recruit new students, you can use these team recruitment templates created by FIRST - letter style, tabloid style (files automatically download). These flyers are season specific, and we have provided some text to help you get started!