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The FIRST Tech Challenge season is well underway and we are fast approaching the first events of the season , which always gets us thinking about the super volunteer community of FTC. We interviewed Outstanding Volunteers across the globe to create our first ever top ten list: Why Volunteering with FTC Rocks! #10: It is a great excuse to play with robots! For all those adults who are still kids at heart, this program is for you. At FTC, we embrace our geekiness and share our excitement over gadgets and technology. Still recall your LEGOs, erector sets, and blocks fondly? This is the place for you, too. #9: It�s a chance to use some of the knowledge locked up in your brain. Mentoring young people is important work for the young people, but also puts some of that knowledge and experience of adults to use! Whether you are a writer, planner, scientist, engineer, cheerleader, organizer, or leader, your skills are needed! #8: It�s an opportunity to learn something new. Everyone learns wi...

Without a doubt, FIRSTTech Challenge is a one-of-a-kind classroom tool. What other program covers the majority of the major educational standards, incorporating widely accepted teaching strategies such as digital literacy, while also encouraging students to apply what they are learning in a creative way to prepare them to be leaders of the future?  One of the most important qualities humans possess as a species is our creativity, and FIRST celebrates that quality in all four programs. The engineering process runs on creative thinking, questioning, developing, and evaluating. Teaching is a creative process that requires time and resources. Approximately 65% of FTC coaches and mentors are also classroom teachers which means they are spending a lot of time facilitating student learning. We are proud to assist our Teacher Mentors in achieving their goals by providing grants to support teams, teaching tools for use in the classroom, and professional development resources.  Here...