FIRST Tech Challenge

In FIRST Tech Challenge, middle and high school students and their adult mentors work together to design and build a robot using a kit of parts and a common set of rules to play a sophisticated field game. The robot game changes every season!

FIRST rewards teams for achievements both on and off the field—excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, Gracious Professionalism^® and outreach efforts are some of the award criteria.

Game play comes during league meets, league and qualifying tournaments and the State Championship tournament.   Select the date and location that works for your team. Teams advancing from qualifiers go directly to the State Championship.

As a first step, we recommend checking with your local school to see if a team exists or if there is interest in starting one. Many teams are affiliated with a high school or middle school. The remaining teams are family/friends/neighbors, homeschool groups or youth organizations.

Although FIRST Tech Challenge in Oklahoma does not match children with existing teams or provide team contact information for several reasons,* here are some ways to connect with others:

• Start your own team; no experience is needed.
• Volunteer at FIRST events to meet coaches and mentors.
• Share the FIRST for Educators with your school to encourage formation of new teams.
• Post in our Facebook group and ask if coaches have openings.

* Teams are structured in a variety ways; some are clubs or after-school programs that meet year-round; others are formed by parents, community organizers or youth groups. For privacy reasons, we are not able to share team contact information.

For more help finding a team, contact the FIRST Tech Challenge Coordinator.

FIRST Tech Challenges expenses and fees are at a team level, with highest costs in year one when purchasing reusable components for the robot.

Estimated year-one costs for a rookie team in the Missouri/Kansas system would be about $2,250.

• $275 for national registration (rookie grants available)
• $725 for Kit of Parts, Control Set, Electronics Set (rookie grants available)
• $250 flat season fee for up to 4 events and the state championship
• $2,000 Entry fee for Worlds Championship (earned advancement)
• Additional funds for travel expenses, T-shirts, etc.

Returning teams do not need to spend the $725 for parts.

See more pricing information on FIRSTInspires.org.

The number and structure of team meetings vary widely. Some teams are before or after school clubs. Some teams may be part of classroom curriculum. Independent teams of friends or neighbors may meet on weekends only.

Mentors or adult volunteers meet with their teams at least once per week during the build and competition season (September-April). Many longstanding teams also meet throughout the school year, and some compete in off-season events during the summer. You have the flexibility to decide how much time to devote and how to structure team meetings.

As a team member, the same applies. Students meet at least once per week from mid-September through April. Like any sport or other after-school activity, the more time you invest, the better you will become at your task(s).

The season timeline follows this schedule:

May through October: National registration open
Sept.: Kickoff and game reveal
Sept. – Oct.: Training camps, build season
November through January: Meets / Tournaments
Mid February: Oklahoma State Championship*
April : FIRST Championship *

* Limited number of teams, invitation based on advancement criteria

There are many types of teams! They are from public schools, private schools, home school organizations, community/neighborhood teams, and after school programs.

You can search the current list of teams on the FIRST web site.

Contact us!

We would love to help you bring FIRST Tech Challenge to your school or organization. Use the form in the side bar to let us know who you are and we’ll be in touch. You’ll be surprised how rewarding it is to bring this inspiring program to your school or organization.

Many colleges and universities, professional associations and corporations offer college scholarships to high school students on FIRST teams. This is official recognition of the knowledge and technical and life skills these students gain from participating in FIRST competitions.  In addition, FIRST can be helpful in gaining admittance into highly competitive STEM programs.

To learn more about scholarship opportunities, check this resource:

FIRST Scholarships

You’ll be a difference maker. The positive effect FIRST Tech Challenge brings is gratifying and well documented. Over 86 percent of participants have more interest in doing well in school and 87 percent are more interested in attending college.  See the details.

In addition:

• FIRST makes starting a team easy and other “competing” teams WANT to help you start a new team.
• You’ll learn a TON while helping kids learn even MORE.
• Other teams and coaches are fun and excited about what you are doing.
• Every team wins every year, because what you learn is yours forever.
• If your kids are coming from FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge is the logical next step.
• A new FIRST Tech Challenge team helps position your kids for a FIRST Robotics Competition team if they want that.
• There is an awesome FIRST Tech Challenge team community in Kansas City committed to helping you be successful.
• It’s really fun!

• Two or more adult mentors who are willing and motivated to coach the team through the build and competition season (and beyond!).
• Other adult volunteers to help with administration, fundraising, community outreach, technical advising and other tasks.
• A suitable meeting place and space to design and build a robot about the size of a microwave oven.
• A standard kit of robot parts and a common set of game and robot rules issued by FIRST Tech Challenge.
• A budget and a fundraising plan.
• The desire to learn, explore, strategize, build camaraderie, share ideas and talents, make new friends, be accepted and HAVE FUN!

FIRST has a page dedicated to helping you Start a Team.

All skill levels are welcomed and needed, technical and non-technical. Teams need all kinds of skills to succeed.

Student and adult team members are encouraged to bring any skills they already have, like programming, electronics, metalworking, graphic design, web creation, public speaking, videography and many more. FIRST Tech Challenge welcomes every student, with or without special skills.

To register as a FIRST Tech Challenge team, the team’s lead coach or coordinator must create an individual coach profile and a team profile on the national www.FIRSTInspires.org site.  Start here to set up your account and your team account. (See an overview of the process here.)

National registration requires payment of the $300 fee (don’t forget to check for grant opportunities first) through your team account on FIRSTInspires.org.

Registering your team makes you a part of the huge FIRST Tech Challenge community. You’ll begin receiving communications from FIRST, along with a temporary team number in preparation for event registration.

You will also receive communications from our Oklahoma FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Partner about how to register for local and regional tournaments.

Note: The national team registration fees and process do not include local tournaments.  Local tournaments are paid and registered separately. To register for local events, two adult coaches must complete the Youth Protection Program.

Grants for FIRST Tech Challenge teams are available both nationally and locally.

They include:

FIRST rookie grants.

To contact us directly for additional support, complete the “Have a Question or Comment” section on the side of this page and check “I want to form a team.”

We look forward to helping you!