North Carolina FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge

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  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • FLL
    • We are NC FLL! (Video)
    • FLL Season Challenge
    • FLL Remote Season Structure
    • 2020-21 NC FLL Awards & Qualifiers
    • FLL Registration
    • FLL Kickoff
    • FLL Tournaments
    • FLL Awards
    • FLL Calendar
    • FLL Grants (Update!)
    • FLL Rookie Teams
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    • FTC Remote Season Structure
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    • FTC Tournaments
    • FTC Awards
    • FTC Calendar
    • FTC Grants (Update!)
    • FTC Rookie Teams
  • Impact
  • Volunteer
    • Why Volunteer?
    • Coach and Mentor
  • Join Us
    • Start a Team
    • Find Existing Team
    • Become a Host Site
  • SPONSORS
    • Who are our Sponsors?
    • Become a Sponsor
  • N.C. A&T
    • Who is N.C. A&T?
    • N.C. A&T and FIRST®
    • NCA&T Scholarship
  • CONTACT US
    • FLL Planning Committee
    • FTC Planning Committee

NC FLL® Kickoff

The North Carolina FIRST® LEGO League Season Kickoff is a wonderful place for Rookie and Veteran teams to come and learn more about this season's Challenge, attend detailed training workshops, and network with other teams.

Thinking about starting or joining a team, but need more information?  We invite you to attend as well! 

The NC FLL® Planning Committee along with veteran coaches, volunteers, and teams will be on hand to assist with any questions you may have about becoming apart of the NC FLL® community.  Attending the workshops at the Kickoff is a great way to learn more about the program and to network with teams from around the state.
NC FLL® 2020 Virtual Season Kickoff Session Recordings:
To view Kickoff Recordings:
RECORDINGS
​Workshop Descriptions:
​

Opening Session
Presenter - Dr. Kory Bennett, NC FLL & NC FTC Program Delivery Partner
Presenter - Mr. Bruce Jenkins, Owner at BJ3 Sports & Fitness

SESSION 1                   10:45AM - 11:30AM                                                                                                                                                                     

Room 3 -  Gyro Straights and Gyro Turns
Presenter – Arjun Rao, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks 
In this session you will learn about how to effectively use your gyro sensor for better navigation.

Room 4 - Creating Strong Innovative Solutions
Presenter – Philip Smith, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks
In this session you will learn the processes needed for your innovative solution to be effective.

Room 5 - How to Wow the Judges from your Computer
Presenters – Robyn Stephens, Angela Ireland and Patty Bauroth
Experienced FLL Judges will hold a discussion session on what it is they are looking for during interviews. How can a team make a lasting impression on the Judges this year given the remote format?

Room 6 - Creative Project Presentations
Presenter – Preeti Thirukonda, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks 
How to choose a memorable project presentation. What are the choices? Skit, PowerPoint, song, poem, sock puppet shows etc.
 

SESSION 2                   11:45AM – 12:30PM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Room 3 - Kicking off the Project on the Right Foot 
Presenter – Pavan Thakkar & Brook Ephrem, FTC Team 16461, Infinite Turtles
Are you wondering how to come up with the right topic for a project? Or how to get in touch with experts? Or how to make a presentation that will keep the judges entertained and interested? This presentation will answer all those questions, as well as many other topics related to the project.

Room 4 - Mastering the Robot Design Room
Presenter – Bob Brown, Experienced FLL Coach and Robot Design Judge
Let's talk about some examples of intentional design processes.  Strategic, tactical, and testing strategies.  I will show you some non-specific examples of what other teams have done before.  Examples that are designed to hit the Robot Design Rubric, while helping you tremendously on the table.  

Room 5 - Next Steps in Programming
Presenters – FTC Team 7083 TundraBots & 18190 TaigaBots
This kick-off session is going to cover EV3G using my blocks and data wires and a brief introduction to proportional control.

Room 6 - D. I. I. I. T. F. Where does your team focus?
Presenters – FTC Team 8569, RoboKnights
Do you know the FLL Core Values? How often do you spot members of your team exhibiting them? How about other teams? Do you have a favorite one that you exhibit continuously? This session will help you learn how to recognize and demonstrate the FLL Core Values.
 
 
SESSION 3                   12:45PM – 1:30PM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Room 3 - Documenting your Season
Presenter – Rishi Maroju, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks 
This kick-off session is going to cover the various ways one can keep an engineering notebook in FLL. How to use photos and video. Blogs and websites and how to share it all.

Room 4 -  Dealing with Variability
Presenter – Davy Hallihan, FTC Team 16461, Infinite Turtles
The Infinite Turtles qualified for and attended FLL Invitationals in 2018 and 2019 
This session will cover various ways to deal with variability in FLL through both programming and physical means.

Room 5 - Using Python and Programming Strategies
Presenters – Ben Goldberg and Yash Gupta Team 42
Believe it or not you can code your EV3 using Python! In this session you will learn how to use Python to make a basic program for your robot and some strategies to program your robot more effectively.

Room 6 - Chassis Considerations
Presenter – Ansh Aggarwal
There are many considerations when designing an FLL chassis. Which trade off will you make? Speed, power, size, footprint or all of the above?
 
SESSION 4                   1:45PM – 2:30PM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Room 3 - The New Judging Process
Presenters – Robyn Stephens, Angela Ireland, Patty Bauroth
This year the FLL judging process has changed. There will be one interview and new rubrics and new awards. Come learn about it all from these experienced judges.

Room 4 - Time Management
Presenter – Joshua Smith & James Jones From team 42,
A session on how to manage your team's time. This session will go in depth with time management tools and tips, and along the way Wabbit be watching over us. We will cover strategy for time management and taking effective breaks.

Room 5 - Building a Strong Robot
Presenter – FTC Team 7083, TundraBots & FTC Team 18190, TaigaBots
Learn how to use mechanical principles to create robust and efficient chassis and attachments.

Room 6 - Master Programs  
Presenter – Snehil Mathur
Learn how to reduce time spent in base and avoid human error by creating custom menu systems to select and run your programs during a match.
 
SPECIALTY TRACK       ROOKIE TRACK – Room 1                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                             
10:45AM Session 1 - Core Values Basics
Presenter – Ryan Bauroth FTC Team 16072 Quantum Quacks  
In this session you will learn about team builders and the importance of them.

11:45AM  Session 2 -  Learning to Love the Project
Presenter – Alan Smith, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks  
In this session we will talk about how to make the FLL project not another school report but something that excites and motivates the team and helps to change the world.

12:45PM Session 3 - Basic Programming for Rookies
Presenter – Philip Smith, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks
This season rookie teams can choose the EV3 or the Spike Prime robot platforms. Then there are also programming choices based on the brick and the computer you use.  This session will establish what programming you are using and then go through the basics.

1:45PM Session 4 - The Heart of FIRST LEGO League Challenge
Presenter – Amy Brown Experienced Core Values Coach and Judge
No matter what else you learn, the key to succeeding in FIRST LEGO League Challenge is developing your Core Values and learning how to communicate them.

 
SPECIALTY TRACK       COACH TRACK – Room 2                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                     
10:45AM  Session 1 - How to have a Winning FLL C Season
Presenter – Alan Smith, FTC Team 16072, Quantum Quacks 
This kick-off session will be about setting goals with your team, so you are aiming for more than a plastic trophy.

11:45AM Session 2 - Season Overview and Competition Schedule
Presenter – Shayla Sharpe, Sharpe Pursuits, Inc. - NC LL Event Planner
In this session, we will provide an overview of the virtual season tournament structure.  Due to COVID-19, registration, team communication and tournament week procedures have changed to conform to an online environment.

12:45PM Session 3 -  Tips for a Virtual Season
Presenters – Alan Smith, Rick Hallihan, Yelena McManaman
A season with virtual meetings is new for almost all of us.  Come hear from a panel of coaches that have been doing off-season virtual meetings for things that have worked (and things that have not.)

1:45PM Session 4 -  Ask Fiona and Sam hard questions!
Presenters - Fiona Last Powell, NC FLL State Judge Advisor and FIRST Senior Mentor, and Sam Last, NC FLL State Head Referee
Fiona and Sam will have some suggestions to support this crazy season, however, you are welcome to stump them and then they will find the answers from wiser people later!



​​Note: For information on the exciting FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST LEGO League: Discover, and FIRST LEGO League: Explore programs in North Carolina managed by Mrs. Marie Hopper:
FIRST NORTH CAROLINA

NC FLL & FTC Facebook:
THANK YOU
Regional Sponsors and Volunteers!


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