In this week's blast:
⚙️ Dean's List Award name update.
⚙️ Volunteer at a FIRST^® Robotics Competition event.
⚙️ FIRST Robotics Competition blog updates.
⚙️ WPIcal resource.
⚙️ Upcoming important dates.
⚙️ Other FIRST^® updates.

Program Updates, Deadlines, & Reminders

Dean's List Award name update:
Effective at FIRST events starting February 18, the FIRST^® Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition Dean’s List Award will be known as the FIRST Leadership Award for the 2025-2026 season.

The award’s purpose, criteria, and significance remain unchanged. It will continue to recognize exceptional student leaders who demonstrate technical expertise, further the mission of FIRST, and exemplify our core values.

We remain deeply committed to recognizing outstanding student leadership across our programs.

Volunteer at a FIRST Robotics Competition Event:
Help us ensure teams have the best experience this season by donating your time as a FIRST Robotics Competition event volunteer.

We have both technical and non-technical roles available, including some partial-day opportunities. Check out these instructions on how to apply and sign up to volunteer at an event near you!

FIRST^® Robotics Competition Blog Updates:
✏️ Getting Ready for Your First Event.

Resource of the Week:
Have you heard of WPIcal? This tool is designed to help measure the real-world position of the AprilTags and produce an updated map file that can be referenced by a coprocessor or robot code.

Teams may wish to familiarize themselves with this software prior to their events if their strategy relies on accurate global AprilTag placement (as opposed to the local placement of AprilTags relative to the field elements they are mounted to).

Upcoming Important Dates:
🗓️️ Saturday, February 21, at 7:00 a.m. ET – Week Zero

Other FIRST Updates:

Housing for Registered Teams Attending FIRST Championship:
FIRST is once again partnering with travel experts ConferenceDirect to bring you more than 175 FIRST-reviewed hotel locations for registered teams to choose from for the 2026 FIRST Championship presented by BAE Systems in Houston. 

All teams traveling to FIRST Championship will be required to book their housing accommodations within the designated hotel blocks.

The partnership enables FIRST to ensure that all hotels are pre-approved for safety and accessibility and that enough hotel rooms are available for qualifying teams.   

Visit event housing details for booking questions, instructions, area maps, and hotel details.