Hi ,

In this week's blast:

⚙️ Second Event Preferencing
⚙️ New Event Posted
⚙️ Safety Animation Award Open
⚙️ Announcing New Mentor and Team Features
⚙️ FIRST^® Robotics Competition Trainings
⚙️ FIRST Robotics Competition Blog Updates
⚙️ Mental Health Resource

Program Updates, Deadlines, & Reminders

Now Open! FIRST^® Robotics Competition Event Registration, Second Event Preference: Round 2 of event preferencing is now open and closes on Thursday, October 23, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Teams must be registered or waitlisted for a first event in order to preference events in Round 2. Be sure to review our Event Preference User Guide for step-by-step instructions and an FAQ. 

New Event Posted: The Canadian Pacific Regional is now open for registration. The event is returning to Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, and it will be Week 1, Wednesday March 4 until Saturday March 7.

Now Open! Safety Animation Award Sponsored by UL Solutions: The Safety Animation Award opened today for submissions. Read more about the theme, criteria, and submission instructions on the Safety page.

NEW! Announcing New Mentor and Team Features: In a continued effort to improve and expand support, training, and recognition for our outstanding coaches and mentors, we are thrilled to launch several new initiatives this season:
💡 Mentor Ready Training
💡 Team Connectivity feature
💡 Updated team roles and definitions
💡 Exclusive FIRST^® Mentor recognition merchandise
Read more about these initiatives.

NEW! FIRST Robotics Competition Trainings: FIRST has created new FIRST Robotics competition-specific trainings that are available now in FIRST Training.

💡 Getting Started in FIRST Robotics Competition - This short, self-paced training path is designed for new mentors to understand team purpose, structure, and seasonal flow. Users can explore the origins and ethos of FIRST, learn how the program shapes the student experience, and walk through a typical team year, from pre-season planning to competition and reflection.

💡 The FIRST Robotics Competition Guided Experience - These flexible and interactive modules help teams gain the skills, knowledge, and resources needed for a successful season — whether in the classroom, independently, or at team meetings. Users can delve into six modules in the Pre-Season Training Path, covering the background of FIRST Robotics Competition, robot mechanisms and control systems, CAD and 3D printing, fabrication and safety, rapid prototyping, and build season preparation through fundraising, resource planning, and a mock kickoff. Additional modules will be released in the future to support teams during the build season.

FIRST Robotics Competition Blog Updates:

✏️ Recognizing and Addressing Mental Health Concerns

✏️ Driver Coach Best Practices 

Resource of the Week: FIRST has developed a Mental Health Resources document with guidance and links to organizations dedicated to youth mental health issues. This document is designed to provide coaches, mentors, teams, participants, and the wider community with tools to support young people when they need it most.

Upcoming Important Dates:

⚙️ Thursday, October 23 at 12:00 p.m. ET– Second Event Registration - Round 2 Preference Closes
⚙️ Thursday, October 24 at 12:00 p.m. ET – Second Event Late Registration Opens