Youth Robotics Programs in DC, MD, VA - FIRST Rob

The 2020-21 season was a year like no other, but thanks to our corporate and community partners, FIRST Chesapeake was able to bring high quality STEM education leadership programs to 7,000+ middle and high school students in hundreds of school districts and communities throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Through the commitment, talent and enthusiasm of FIRST Chesapeake volunteers and the 2021 Alumni Ambassador Cohort Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton, FIRST Chesapeake was able to offer 11 hybrid/remote FTC qualifier competition events (the only FIRST District Partner in the country to do so). FIRST Chesapeake provided competition opportunities for 130+ FTC teams spanning the District while keeping teams, volunteers, corporate partners, and alumni engaged through virtual programming such as the FIRST Chesapeake Chats Sponsored by Newport News Shipbuilding and the Reaching for the Stars: Women in STEM Program Sponsored by Leidos. Unfortunately, due to the impact of school closures and social distancing requirements, the FIRST Robotics Competition season was canceled for 2021, however, the majority of teams continued to meet remotely and build their skills in preparation for the 2021-22 academic year.

FIRST Chesapeake continued its partnership with NextUp RVA for the 2020-21 academic year. For the past six years, FIRST Chesapeake has provided equipment and mentoring for FTC programs in five middle schools in Richmond, VA. FIRST Chesapeake continued this commitment to serve Title I middle schools with after-school programming through virtual platforms using at-home robotics kits funded through a pilot program sponsored by Qualcomm. This pilot program also helped to bring at-home robotics virtual learning to students in three high schools in Washington, DC with funding provided by Qualcomm and Booz Allen Hamilton. Building on the success of this pilot program during the 2020-21 season, FIRST Chesapeake will be able to expand quality STEM programming to students learning in a virtual environment, especially those with limited financial means or with challenges to transportation or other access-limiting factors.

The 2020-21 season was also a banner year to celebrate women in STEM. Reaching for the Stars: FIRST Chesapeake Celebrates Women in STEM Sponsored by Leidos is an essential program, demonstrating to the thousands of young women involved in FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition teams in the District that they are seen, they are valued, and the FIRST Chesapeake community is committed to providing visible role models, Scholarships Sponsored by Dominion Energy, and encouragement as they enter STEM fields of study and careers.

Despite the remote nature of events and competitions this year, 260 FIRST Chesapeake volunteers donated more than 3,000 hours of volunteer service this year. And that doesn't include the volunteer hours donated by team mentors representing 440+ teams! Our teams and students benefit greatly from the dedication, hard work and expertise of the committed volunteer service at all levels of operations.

Alumni Ambassador volunteer efforts supported all areas of FTC competitions: judging (remote), media production assistance (on-site and remote), audience queuing (remote), judge queuing (remote), and live commentating (remote). As presenters and moderators during FIRST Chesapeake Chats, Alumni Ambassadors offered advice on making presentations or video editing and production, interviewed experts in STEM fields to provide live programs about career opportunities, and even presented on their own areas of expertise in graduate school and the workplace. Together, the Alumni Ambassadors provided over 300 hours of volunteer service. At the end of the season, 16 very deserving teams received $1,000 team grants awarded in honor of Alumni Ambassador volunteer service.

On behalf of the teams and volunteers, thank you for your continued support of FIRST Chesapeake Robotics and helping us to do what we do best--build tomorrow's technology leaders. 

All best,

Katarina Spears
Development Director
FIRST Chesapeake

FIRST Chesapeake has had a year like no other and we're proud to share an update on activities for the second half of 2020. Hybrid competitions for both FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition in DC. Maryland and Virginia will allow teams the opportunity to feature their accomplishments on the field from the end of January through the end of March 2021 We have been amazed by the resourcefulness and resiliency of our team members and mentors and continue to offer virtual programming in support of their efforts. On behalf of the FIRST Chesapeake staff, board, teams and volunteers, we thank you for your continused support of our programs.

Here are some of the highlights from June through December 2020.

• Since spring 2020, FIRST Chesapeake has hosted dozens of episodes of the FIRST Chesapeake Chats Sponsored by Newport News Shipbuilding—these 30-minute live episodes with Q&A feature topics that range from insider tips from FTC and FRC teams and mentors, to highlighting cool careers in STEM, to discussions with judges and head refs to encourage success at competitions.
• In July 2020, FIRST Chesapeake expanded to bring FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams in DC and Maryland under the FIRST Chesapeake umbrella, making those DC and Maryland teams now eligible for programs such as the FIRST Chesapeake Women in STEM Scholarships Sponsored by Dominion Energy and the Alumni Ambassador Team Grants Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.
• In August 2020 FIRST Chesapeake welcomed two new part-time employees, Rose Young and Prasad Karunakaran, to support the FTC teams and mentors in DC and Maryland.
• In October 2020 hosted the first-ever completely virtual FTC Kickoff Event Sponsored by InSource Solutions with robotics demonstrations provided from two remote locations by FIRST Chesapeake FTC teams.
• In October 2020 FIRST Chesapeake launched the 2021 Reaching for the Stars: Women in STEM Scholarships Sponsored by Dominion Energy—over 60 outstanding young women applied for these scholarships which will be awarded at the February 2, 2021 Reaching for the Stars: Outstanding Women in STEM Breakfast Sponsored by Leidos.
• In October 2020, FIRST Chesapeake launched the “Geared Up!” program—complete at-home robotics kits, curriculum and trained mentors—to provide quality STEM opportunities for middle and high school students stuck at home during COVID-19 school closures. FIRST Chesapeake is pleased to partner with community and corporate partners such as Qualcomm, The Community Foundation of Richmond, NextUp RVA, Memorial Foundation for Children, and Booz Allen Hamilton to make these kits and curriculum available for under-resourced schools in DC, Maryland and Virginia.
• In November 2020, FIRST Chesapeake kicked off the five-part series “Today’s Women in STEM: Cool Jobs Series Sponsored by Leidos”—this live-broadcast series features female engineers, scientists and technology experts working for FIRST Chesapeake corporate partners such as Canon Virginia, Leidos, Dominion Energy and Accenture Federal—episodes are broadcast live with audience Q&A and archived on the FIRST Chesapeake YouTube channel.
• In January and February 2021 FIRST Chesapeake will host three professional development workshops for current and potential mentors and volunteers: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for Mentors Serving Youth and New Mentor Training, presented in partnership with MENTOR Virginia and funded through the Alumni Ambassador Program Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.
• In December 2020, welcomed the 2021 Cohort of the Alumni Ambassador Program Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton—this program provides professional development and mentor and volunteer training for FIRST alumni living in the FIRST Chesapeake District to inspire recently graduated alumni to serve the program after graduation--$20,000 in team grants will be awarded through the program again in 2021.
• In February 2021, FIRST Chesapeake will present the Reaching for the Stars: Outstanding Women in STEM Award Sponsored by Leidos to Lyn McDermid, the first woman ever to attend the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding and who rose to lead as the Chief Information Officer at Dominion Resources and, later, at the Richmond Federal Reserve. Join us for the third annual Women in STEM (Virtual) Breakfast Sponsored by Leidos by registering here.

Links:

• Today's Women in STEM Sponsored by Leidos
• View from All Sides

• Impact Statement FY20 (PDF)