Hi ,

Here's some updates and news from FIRST^® Tech Challenge.

In this week's blast:

💻 Get Ready for the Season with FIRST^® Training

📅 Get Ready to Grow: Key Upcoming Dates Blog

🙋 Connect with Local FIRST Teams and Mentors on the Team & Event Search Page

🐝 FIRST Tech Challenge Kickoff is coming! 

✅ Important: Verify your team details in the FIRST Dashboard

Get ready for the season with FIRST^® Training
Accessible from your FIRST Dashboard, FIRST Training has many cross-program and program-specific trainings available for you to get ready to lead your team this season including:

💻 Mentor Ready Training path - this introductory training path consists of four trainings to equip mentors with the tools and resources to confidently lead and inspire their teams. This training path will automatically show up as a required role-specific training in your dashboard for easy access and is highly encouraged for all coaches and mentors.  

💻 Role of a Lead Coach Training - this cross-program training is available to help equip current and future volunteers to be a Lead Coach in a FIRST program.

💻 NEW Mentor Fundamentals training path - this new training path equips current and prospective mentors with essential skills to navigate challenges effectively, foster positive team environments, and support and inspire youth. This traininp' path contains about 2 hours and 45 minutes of training, including:  

• FIRST Mentors: Navigating Team Conflict
• FIRST Mentors: Working with Youth
• NEW! FIRST Mentors: Building Inspiration This new training is designed to equip FIRST mentors with the resources and skills needed to inspire, empower, and support youth in meaningful ways. Through a focus on intentional community-building, mentors will learn how to create a fun team environment where every student feels valued, motivated, and capable of achieving great things.

Get Ready to Grow: Key Upcoming Dates Blog
We've posted a blog sharing upcoming important program dates for teams, make sure to check it out and save the dates on your calendar!

Connect with local FIRST teams and mentors on the Team & Event search page
Did you know you can connect with local teams and mentors using features available on the Team & Event Search page? Here's how you can connect using your team profile:

🤖 Share a contact email for your team so local mentors or other teams can reach out.  
🤖 Indicate if you are interested in mentoring another team.
🤖 Share if you interested in being mentored and in what areas.

Lead Coaches can log into the FIRST Dashboard to add this information to their team profile. Once added, the mentoring options will display on the Team & Event Search page. Learn more about these features.

FIRST Tech Challenge Kickoff is coming!
Our BIOBUZZ™ presented by RTX season will be launching Saturday, September 12! Save the date and join us to see what this season has in store!  

Use hashtags #BIOBUZZ #FIRSTCANOPY #FIRSTinspires when you share on social media to connect with us!  

Haven't registered yet? Register your team on the FIRST Dashboard before the season kicks off!

Verify your team details in the FIRST Dashboard
As the FIRST CANOPY season begins, we're asking all lead coaches to verify and update all team details in the FIRST Dashboard.

Important: Please confirm your contact information, including your team address/location, is correct in the system.