January is National Mentoring Month, and we’re celebrating FIRST mentors and coaches all month long. From the workshop, classroom, or living room to Zoom meetings and virtual chats, FIRST mentors and coaches are taking on the challenges of this season with flexibility and resourcefulness. FIRST mentors and coaches make a difference in the lives of students by guiding their progress and setting them up for success. They work side by side with participants to help them develop self-confidence and skills in leadership and problem-solving. FIRST mentors ready the players, preparing them to be the next generation of game changers.

Join us in amplifying the impact of mentoring this month. Post a photo or video on social media telling us how mentors have impacted you, or, if you are a FIRST mentor or coach, what mentoring means to you. Use the hashtags #MentoringMonth and #CHAMPIONTHEGAME, then tune in to the second installment of our Beyond the Bots^SM series on Friday, January 29, at noon on FIRSTtv for a chance to see your story featured. On this special Mentor Appreciation episode, we’ll also be selecting five winners of the Mentoring Month raffle, so spread the word to other FIRST mentors to enter now.

As always, feel free to email us your stories and questions. We love hearing from you!

Sincerely,
The FIRST Volunteer Resources Department

Happy International Mentoring Day! Celebrated in honor of Muhammad Ali’s birthday today, we recognize and thank the tens of thousands of coaches and mentors around the world who lead and empower the next generation of game changers.

Tomorrow, January 18, we also celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the MLK Day of Service. We both reflect upon and share his inspirational words, and encourage the spirit of service through volunteerism to uplift our community.

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

--- Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you are a FIRST mentor or coach, we want to say a special thank you for all you do to #CHAMPIONTHEGAME.

• Be sure to grab a digital version of the 2020-2021 FIRST Coach Mentor pin here.
• Pick up your social headers and more here to show the world you are a FIRST mentor.
• And don’t forget to download your FIRST Coach Mentor Certificate of Appreciation from your FIRST Dashboard. Instructions on downloading your certificate can be found here.

If you know a FIRST mentor or coach, gift them with the exclusive FIRST Coach Mentor lapel pin, a cherished collectible, or grab one for yourself!

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a FIRST mentor or coach, you can learn more here. Or consider signing up for the all-new FIRST Mentor Network, an interactive platform connecting teams with interested mentors. You don’t have to be a technical guru to help a team pursue their passion. Teams can also create profiles to quickly find and communicate with FIRST-verified mentors who can provide expertise and collaboration. 

>>Grab an official FIRST Coach Mentor pin here!

>>And snag a digital version of the pin here to include in your email signature or on social platforms.

We’re all learning new ways to connect and collaborate. For mentors working with teams remotely, FIRST @ Home resources are available to help with this new learning environment. FIRST @ Home content includes time management tips, how to provide a playful and engaging learning environment, and ensuring student voices are heard through Gracious Professionalism^® check-ins.

Remote Mentoring with FIRST is a brief simulation training that explores the fundamentals of remote meetings for mentors and coaches in all FIRST programs. This ten-minute training helps mentors and coaches adapt to new meeting styles, learn about remote communication, and develop skills around building community and providing safe and inclusive environments.

Keep an eye out for additional trainings launching in spring!

Angel Jones has spent the last five years serving in the FIRST AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Program in a rural and underserved region in North Carolina. She started out mentoring FIRST^® LEGO^® League teams and helped develop programs in the local school system. She then moved on to supporting and mentoring FIRST^® Tech Challenge and FIRST^® Robotics Competition teams. “Being a mentor in an underserved area means having to deal with real-life issues students face," Angel says. "Transportation, spotty internet connectivity, and low resources are all challenges. You have to figure out what obstacles students might face that would prevent them from participating in FIRST in an equitable way."

She had to do a lot of work to spread the word about FIRST, but found that parents and students alike were excited to learn about the learning opportunities FIRST provided. From finance skills and college readiness to programming and technical expertise, Angel has seen the impact participation in FIRST has on students. "It's all about the foundations, giving kids access to engineering and learning the engineering way of thinking."

For Angel, seeing kids grow and learn is the most fulfilling part of mentoring with FIRST. "As a mentor, seeing kids develop and build something gives you purpose and helps you feel fulfilled. Being a mentor plants a seed that lives way beyond you.” Read on to learn more about why mentoring matters and what gives Angel hope for the future.

>>Meet Angel

Kimberley Prygocki-Jeakins was no stranger to FIRST when she came to work at FIRST Headquarters in 2012 as the Development Data Manager. Her roots are deep. An alum of FIRST Robotics Competition Team 238, the Crusaders, from Manchester Memorial High School in Manchester, NH, Kimberley returned to mentor the team in 2013 and is now the lead mentor for the team’s Community division, focused on outreach, sponsorships, awards, and media. Memorial High School was the location of the very first FIRST competition, held back in 1992. KPJ, as her team now calls her, also mentors her nephews’ FIRST LEGO League Explore team, volunteers at events, and serves on the planning committee for RiverRage, the longest running FIRST Robotics Competition off-season event, held in Manchester. Read on to learn more about KPJ and what inspires her to give back to the program she enjoyed as a student.

>> Meet Kimberley

Have you always wondered what it’s like to be a Judge for FIRST Robotics Competition? Do you typically volunteer for another role but still want to help this season? If so, and you are 23 and older, apply to be a Judge for one of three At Home Challenges: Game Design Challenge, INFINITE RECHARGE^SM at Home, and the FIRST Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm! Step-by-step instructions can be found here. Any questions? Email us!

>> Register to volunteer

If this is the first time you’re receiving this newsletter and you enjoyed this issue, subscribe here to make sure you receive upcoming editions. The FIRST Volunteer Newsletter is sent four times a year. If you have any questions, please email us. We love hearing from you.

Thank you for being a FIRST volunteer!