In this week's blast:

⚙️ First Event Registration, First Preference
⚙️ 2027 Event Listing
⚙️ FIRST^® Robotics Competition Blog Updates
⚙️ Resource of the Week: Budget Template
⚙️ Other FIRST Updates 

Program Updates, Deadlines, & Reminders

Next Week! First Event Registration, First Preference: Round 1 of event preferencing begins on Thursday, September 24, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Teams must be “event ready” (no YPP-related outstanding tasks on your FIRST Dashboard) in order to preference events. Be sure to review our Event Preferencing Overview page for the user guide, which includes step-by-step instructions, and a FAQ.  

Next Week! Drive Base & Black Tote Opt-Out Opens: Veteran teams can opt to receive vouchers instead of the Drive Base Kit and/or Black Tote. In order to opt-out of the Drive Base or Black Tote, your team must select the appropriate registration option via the FIRST Storefront and purchase your team registration prior to the payment due date - November 17, 2026. After this date, opt-out vouchers will not be available, and teams can only select the full registration option. See more details.

2027 Event Listings: If you haven’t already, visit our list of official events and start planning your event attendance. We expect all events to be posted by event preferencing opening. Remember to check the location of your events as they may have changed from previous seasons!

FIRST Robotics Competition Blog Updates:

✏️ Thank you, NI: Opening Engineering Doors for a Generation of Students

✏️ 2027 Season Checkout and Registration Changes

Budget Template Resource of the Week: As teams prepare for the season, be sure to prepare your team budget! Teams can use this Budget Template (file automatically downloads) to create their own team budget. If your team is unsure what costs to include, take a look at our Example Budget which shares things to consider when creating your FIRST Robotics Competition budget as well as the median budgets reported to FIRST broken into different categories as a starting point.

Upcoming Important Dates:

🗓️️ Thursday, September 24 – Kit & Kickoff Registration Opens
🗓️️ Thursday, September 24 – Drive Base & Black Tote Opt Out Opens
🗓️️ Thursday, September 24 – Round 1 Event Preferencing Opens
🗓️️ Thursday, September 24 – FIRST Storefront Opens 

Other FIRST Updates:

Exclusive FIRST Coach gift available for Role of a Lead Coach Training: Any learners who complete the Role of a Lead Coach Training on FIRST Training will be able to opt-in to receive an exclusive FIRST Coach gift. Learners must opt-in at the end of the training to receive their gift. Those who have already completed the training should have received an email to opt-in. This gift is only available for a limited time while supplies last.

Team Roles Resources for Coaches: As you plan for the season, we recommend utilizing these team roles resources to help assign each volunteer to the best role on your team to make your team successful! A NEW team roles video is now available to help coaches learn the responsibilities and requirements associated with each role, and discover how these dedicated individuals work together to create safe, supportive environments that inspire innovation, build confidence, and prepare young people for life. You can also learn more by checking out the team roles infographic and help article.