FIRST Regional Planning Guide & Manual Introduction

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FIRST FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a not for profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1989 to interest and inspire students in mathematics and science. FIRST was founded by Dean Kamen, President of DEKA Research and Development Corporation. Compared with students from other industrial countries, students in the United States do not rank highly in math and science. There has also been a decline in enrollment of young adults entering science and engineering programs at our universities. These trends, if not reversed, will eventually lead to a loss of leadership in advanced technology fields.

FIRST is taking a leadership role in reversing this trend by stimulating interest in science, math, and technology in our nation’s youth through programs such as the FIRST Robotics Competition.

FIRST Vision: "To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes."

Mission Statement: Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Gracious Professionalism, A FIRST Credo Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor, asks and provides his view regarding the question, “Why do FIRST folks talk so much about that phrase?” “Obviously it would not make sense to endorse ‘asinine professionalism’ or ‘gracious incompetence.’ It is, however, completely consistent with the FIRST spirit to encourage doing high quality well informed work in a manner that leaves everyone feeling valued. Gracious professionalism seems to be a good descriptor for part of the ethos of FIRST. It is part of what makes FIRST different and wonderful. Gracious professionalism has purposefully been left somewhat undefined because it can and should mean different things to each of us. We can, however, outline some of its possible meanings. Gracious attitudes and behaviors are win-win. Gracious folks respect others and let that respect show in their action. Professionals possess special knowledge and are trusted by society to use that knowledge responsibly. Thus, gracious professionals make a valued contribution in a manner pleasing to others and to themselves. In FIRST, one of the most straightforward interpretations of gracious professionalism is that we learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. We try to avoid leaving anyone feeling like they are losers. No chest thumping barbarian tough talk, but no sticky sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, pride and empathy comfortably blended. Understanding that gracious professionalism works is not rocket science. It is, however, missing in too many activities. At FIRST it is alive and well. Please help us take care of it. In the long run, gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. If one becomes a professional, and uses knowledge in a gracious manner, everyone wins. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have acted with integrity and sensitivity. That’s good stuff!”

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FIRST Planning Contacts

FIRST

200 Bedford Street Manchester, NH 03101 Phone: 1-800-871-8326 or 603-666-3906 Fax: 603-666-3907 http://www.usfirst.org

President Don Bossi ext.488 dbossi@usfirst.org Vice President of Field Operations Volunteer Resources Department & Youth Protection Program Roseann Stevens ext. 403 Email: rstevens@usfirst.org

Vice President of Programs Steven Chism ext. 428 Email: schism@usfirst.org Vice President of Development Mark Giordono ext. 417 mgiordono@usfirst.org Vice President of Finance Terry Durkin ext. 436 Email: td@usfirst.org

FIRST FRC Program Staff Director of FRC Frank Merrick ext. 475 Email: fmerrick@usfirst.org FRC Program Manager Toby Clarke ext. 238 Email: tclarke@usfirst.org FRC Logistics Manager Krista Pratt ext. 472 Email: kpratt@usfirst.org FRC Area Manager Miriam Somero ext. 239 Email: msomeri@usfirst.org FRC Area Manager Lori Burkhamer ext. 481 Email: lburkhamer@usfirst.org FRC Program Coordinator ext. 703 Erin Bourassa Email: ebourassa@usfirst.org

FRC International Program Coordinator Daniela Dimova ext. 126 Email: ddimova@usfirst.org

FIRST Field Operation and Volunteer Resources Staff Manager of Field Operations Andrea Winegar ex. 425 Email: awinegar@usfirst.org Manager of Field Operations Gabrielle Golden ext. 215 Email: gmuller@usfirst.org Executive Assistant, Field Operations Christina Lazzaro ext. 704 Email: clazzaro@usfirst.org

FIRST Volunteer Resources Manager Dennis Howland ext. 437 Email: dhowland@usfirst.org Senior Mentor/VISTA Programs Manager Ashley Liles ext:.482

Email: aliles@usfirst.org

FRC Volunteer Resources Coordinator Kathryn Myers ext. 490 Email: kmyers@usfirst.org FTC Volunteer Resources Coordinator Beth Hamilton ext. 705 Email: bhamilton@usfirst.org Mentor/Coach Program Services Manager Natalie Turcotte ext. 220 Email: nturcotte@usfirst.org Systems Analyst Ellie White ext. 218 Email: ewhite@usfirst.org

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FIRST Marketing Staff Director of Marketing Cheryl Walsh ext. 460 Email: cwalsh@usfirst.org

Creative Service Manager Marian Murphy ext. 409 Email: murphy@usfirst.org Alliances Manager Carla Proulx ext. 463 cproulx@usfirst.org PR & Social Media Specialist Haley Dunn ext.494 hdunn@usfirst.org Marketing Assistant Cara Galli ext. 401 cgalli@usfirst.org

FIRST Development Staff Director of Corporate Relations Lauren Demski ext.127 ldemski@usfirst.org Corporate & Foundation Relations Manager Kristi Scarpone ext. 241 kscarpone@usfirst.org Corporate & Foundation Relations Manager Scott Legasse ext. 102 slegasse@usfirst.org Alumni Program Manager Michelle Long ext. 451 Email: mlong@usfirst.org Stewardship Manager Martha Dickey ext.485 Email: mdickey@usfirst.org Stewardship Manager Rebecca Falkenburg ext. 229 Email: rfalkenburg@usfirst.org Team Grants Coordinator Meredith O’Hara ext. 251 Email: mohara@usfirst.org

Grant Writer / Analyst Kyrie Kowalik ext. 435 Email: kkowalik@usfirst.org Development Coordinator Jamie Rich ext. 291 jrich@usfirst.org

First Finance Department Manager of General Accounting Danielle DeCaro-Pliska ext. 487 Email: ddecaro@usfirst.org Accounting Operations Manager Jen McManus ext. 414 Email: jmcmanus@usfirst.org Manager of Financial Reporting Christine Baker-Terilli ext. 468 Email: cbaker@usfirst.org Sr. A/R Specialist Jenner Skinner ext. 480 jskinner@usfirst.org

FIRST Procurement Staff Director of Procurement Ron Falcone ext. 465 Email: rfalcone@usfirst.org Strategic Sourcing Manager Vickie Falzarano ext. 486

Email: vfalzarano@usfirst.org

Purchasing Agent Gary Ulbin ext. 111 Email: Gulbin@usfirst.org

FIRST Operations Staff Director of Operations Deb Rose ext. 420 Email: drose@usfirst.org Operations Support Manager Naomi Mancuso ext. 449 Email: nmancuso@usfirst.org

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EVENT MANAGERS – Show Ready Events: Steve Krawic Show Ready Events 17 Lexington Ave. Londonderry, NH 03053 Ph: 603-537-0090 Fax: 604-537-0095 Email: skrawic@showreadyevents.com Shawnna Estrella Ph: 303-666-6041 Email: sestrella@showreadyevents.com Kevin Kowalczyk Email: mwoodward@showreadyevents.com

Kari Primiano, Email: kprimiano@showreadyevents.com Lance Lowenstein, Email: llowenstein@showreadyevents.com Sandy Geisler Email: sgeisler@showreadyevents.com Kerrell McNeal, Email: kmcneal@showreadyevents.com Mindy Woodward Email: mwoodward@showreadyevents.com For more information on FIRST, please see our website at http://www.usfirst.org

The 2015 FIRST Robotics Competition schedule will be posted on the FIRST website at: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/regional-events when available.

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Regional Contacts

Roseann Stevens Vice President Field Operations

Volunteer Resources Management Youth Protection Program

603-666-3906 Ext: 403 Email: rstevens@usfirst.org

Gail Alpert Phone: 248-425-4148 Email: gail.alpert@gmail.com Events: FiM District, FiM District Championship Region: Michigan Richard Anderson Phone: 208-529-4291 Email: randerson@usfirst.org Events: Utah Regional Co-Sponsored by NASA and Platt Region: Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming Carolyn Arthurs Phone: 310-733-7600 Email: carthurs@usfirst.org Event: Bayou Regional Region: Louisiana James Beck Phone: 408-410-5677 Email: jbeck@usfirst.org Events: Silicon Valley Regional, Central Valley Regional, Sacramento Regional, Ventura Regional Region: California Rene Becker-Bleu Phone: 414-704-1415 Email: rbeckerblau@indianaFIRST.org Events: Indiana District, Indiana District Championship Region: Indiana David Berggren Phone: 619-243-5043 Email: dberggren@usfirst.org. Events: San Diego Regional, Los Angeles Regional, Inland Empire Regional Region: Southern California Chris Caddel Phone: 806-252-2357 Email: ccaddel@usfirst.org Events: Hub City Regional Region: NW Texas

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Jim Carr Phone: 732-397-1473 Email: jcarr@midatlanticrobotics.com Events: MAR District, MAR District Championship Regions: NJ, Delaware, Eastern PA Sandra Contreras Phone: 954-281-2202 Email: Scontreras@usfirst.org Events: South Florida Regional Region: South Florida Steve Cremer Phone: 781-784-9835 Email: Scremer@usfirst.org Events: NE District, NE District Championship Regions: Massachusetts, Rhode Island Patricia Daly Phone: 212-945-2916 Email: pdaly@usfirst.org Event: New York City Regional Region: New York City Patricia DePra Phone: 412-512-4302 Email: pdepra@usfirst.org Event: Pittsburgh Regional Region: Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh area) Patrick Felty Phone: 210-279-9364 Email: pfelty@usfirst.org Event: Alamo Regional Region: Central Texas (San Antonio area) Paul Freiling Email: pfreiling@usfirst.org Phone: 314-286-4628 Event: St. Louis Regional Region: Missouri-Eastern Dan Green Phone: 847-878-0800 Email: dgreen@usfirst.org Events: Midwest Regional, Central Illinois Region: Illinois Connie Haynes Phone: 770-366-5612 Email: chaynes@usfirst.org Event: Peachtree Regional Region: Georgia, 2nd Georgia Event – Name TBD

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Harold E. Holley Phone: 405-377-1250 Email: hholley@usfirst.org Event: Oklahoma Regional Region: Oklahoma Marie Hopper Phone: 336-375-3861 Email: mhopper@usfirst.org Event: North Carolina Regional Region: North Carolina Angela Quick Phone: 702-321-2446 Email: aquick@usfirst.org Event: Las Vegas Regional Region: Nevada Jessica Jankowitsch Phone: 267-733-5091 Email: jjankowitsch@usfirst.org Event: Alamo Regional Region: Southern Texas (San Antonio Area) Chuck Kennedy Phone: 850-986-5543 Email: ckennedy@usfirst.org Events: South Florida Regional, Orlando Regional Regions: Alabama, Florida Cindy Lebeau Phone: 360-901-1738 Email: clebeau@usfirst.org Events: PNW District, PNW District Championship Region: Oregon Frank Lanford Phone: 864-985-2329 Email: flandford@usfirst.org Event: Palmetto Regional Region: South Carolina Susan K. Lawrence Phone: 248-709-0837 Email: sklsumgrad@comcast.net Events: Lake Superior Regional, MN 10000 Lakes Regional, MN North Star Regional, Buckeye Regional, Queen City Regional, Northern Lights Regional Regions: Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arkansas, Ohio Denis Lewis Phone: 301-203-0741 Email: dlewis@usfirst.org Events: Chesapeake District Region: Washington, DC

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Dawn Lutz Phone: Phone: 303-872-1619 Email: dlutz@usfirst.org Event: Colorado Regional Region: Colorado Ana Martinez Phone: 973-596-3572 Cell: 917-361-2257 Email: amartinez@usfirst.org Event: NY Tech Valley Regional Region: New York (Up State) Erin McCallum Phone: 206-619-1525 Email: erin@first.org Events: PNW District, PNW District Championship Region: Washington State Janet McKinley Phone: 916-653-4100 Email: jmckinley@usfirst.org Events: Sacramento Regional, Silicon Valley Regional, Central Valley, Ventura Region: Northern California Ken Mitchell Phone: 408-833-8464 Email: ken@mitchell.dhs.org Events: Sacramento Regional, Silicon Valley Regional, Central Valley, Ventura Region: Northern California Meredith Novak Phone: 870-404-3260 Email: mnovak@usfirst.org Event: Arkansas Regional Region: Arkansas Glen Pearson Phone: 585-392-3892 Email: gpearson@usfirst.org Event: Finger Lakes Regional Region: New York (Finger Lakes Area) Carol Popovich Phone: 480-792-7938 Email: Carol.Popovich@microchip.com Events: Phoenix Regional, New 2nd AZ Event Region: Arizona

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Melody Ricci Phone: 715-822-8360 Email: mricci@usfirst.org Events: Wisconsin Regional Region: Wisconsin La’Jean “L.J.” Robinson Phone: 865 388 5708 Email: ljrobinsoniii@aol.com Event: Smoky Mountains Regional (TN) Region: Kentucky, Tennessee Ken Rosen Phone: 952-543-1894 Email: krosen@usfirst.org Events: Lake Superior Regional, Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional, Minnesota North Star Regional Region: Minnesota Carol Scully Phone: 860-898-1688 Email: cscully@usfirst.org Events: NE District, NE District Championship Lucia Sevcik Phone: 713-680-9337 Email: lsevcik@usfirst.org Event: Lone Star Regional Region: Southern Texas (Houston Area) Anne Shade Phone: 443-567-0361 Email: ashade@usfirst.org Event: Chesapeake District Region: Maryland John Shellene Phone: 214-273-3701 Email: jshellene@sherpamanagement.com Events: Dallas Regional Region: Northern Texas (Dallas Area) Sally Sylvester Phone: 804-317-7675 Email: ssylvester@virginiafirst.org Events: Chesapeake District Region: Virginia Terri Willingham Phone: 813-792-7411 Email: twillingham@usfirst.org Event: Orlando Regional Region: Central Florida

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International Contacts Mark Breadner Phone: 416-453-6844 Email: mark.breadner@firstroboticscanada.org Events: Festival de Robotic (Quebec), Waterloo Regional, Greater Toronto East Regional, Greater Toronto West Regional, North Bay Regional (Ontario) Region: Canada John Hobbins Phone: 416-606-8934 Email: Jhobbins@usfirst.org Event: Greater Toronto East Regional, Greater Toronto West Regional, Waterloo Regional Region: Canada Barbara Gómez de Navarro Phone: 52-55-682-4880 Email: bgomez@edcmexico.org Event: Mexico City Regional Country: Mexico Yaarit Levy Phone: 972-54-696-9044 Email: yaarit@firstisrael.org Event: Israel Regional Region: Israel Luan Heimlich Phone: 6-143-427-1196 Email: luan.heimlich@mq.edu.au Event: Sydney Regional Region: Australia Annika Pint Phone: 416-819-4159 Email: annika.pint@tdsb.on.ca Events: Calgary Regional, Region: Alberta, Canada Martin Regimbald Phone: 514-583-6732 Email: MRegimbald@robotiquefirstquebec.org Events: Festival de Robotique a FRC Montreal Region: Montreal, Canada

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FIRST® Senior Mentor Program 2015-2016 Demand for FIRST® has increased so rapidly and organically that FIRST® continues to face a growing challenge to recruit and support new volunteers. The FIRST ® Senior Mentor program has been a critical addition to FIRST’s volunteer resource management infrastructure. FIRST® Senior Mentors (FSM’s or SMs) are a group of highly skilled and talented, technical and non-technical individuals whose main focus is to identify, recruit, and support teams, mentors and coaches in all FIRST® programs. FIRST® Senior Mentors are recruited locally at the recommendation of their Regional Directors because of their previous relationships with FIRST® Programs and their general understanding of the culture of the organization. Most, if not all FSMs have had existing relations with FIRST® as Team Mentors, Coaches or event volunteers. Working in a part-time capacity, (10-15 hours per week), and through constant communication and collaboration with each Program Lead; their area Regional Director, Regional/Planning/Operational Committees, Program Partners, and VISTA Volunteers(if applicable); they recruit and support FIRST® Team Mentors, Coaches, Teams, and Event Volunteers. FIRST ® Senior Mentors provide support and services for all FIRST® Programs including; the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC), the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC), the FIRST® LEGO League (FLL), and the Junior FIRST® LEGO League (Jr. FLL)

programs.

Link to web – regional contactsSenior Mentors

Region First name Last name Email Phone

Alberta - Calgary Craig Maynard cmaynard@usfirst.org; (403) 819-2314

Arizona Armand Gahol agahol@usfirst.org (520) 275-4244

Arkansas John Novak jnovak@usfirst.org; (870) 706-7668

California - Central Coast Ty Fredriks tfredriks@usfirst.org; (805) 714-1552

California - Los Angeles area Eileen Kahn ekahn@usfirst.org; (310) 560-9960

California - Sacramento Robert Greene rgreene@usfirst.org; (916) 743-5044

California - San Diego Rick Sisk rsisk@usfirst.org; (951) 790-9216

Connecticut Stacey Gray sgray@usfirst.org (203) 551-4716

Florida Andrew Milluzzi amilluzzi@usfirst.org; (440) 829-1187

Georgia Linda Pham lpham@usfirst.org; (404) 345-1693

Illinois - Chicago Diane Cabiness dcabiness@usfirst.org; (630) 222-6443

Indiana Lisa Beckwith lbeckwith@usfirst.org (765) 431-7746

Indiana Keith Hall khall@usfirst.org; (219) 381-4116

Iowa Emmaly Burklund eburklund@usfirst.org; (515) 321-9327

Iowa Andy Marshall amarshall@usfirst.org; (319) 929-1588

Kansas / Missouri Jean Melech jmelech@usfirst.org 816 809 9522

Kentucky Roger Riquelme roger.riquelme@usfirst.org; (606) 425-2713

Kentucky Jeff Slaton jslaton@usfirst.org (270) 978-6397

Louisiana Daniel Eiland deiland@usfirst.org; (225) 802-8207

Maryland Dana Aucoin daucoin@usfirst.org (410) 626-7286

Massachusetts Dana Henry dhenry@usfirst.org; (413) 237-0539

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Minnesota Evan Hochstein ehochstein@usfirst.org; (952) 594-1542

Minnesota Laurie Shimizu lshimizu@usfirst.org; (952) 270-3716

Mississippi Kevin McKone kmckone@usfirst.org; (601) 695-1445

Missouri - St. Louis Henry Graham hgraham@usfirst.org; (314) 276-9372

Nevada - Reno Russel Evermann revermann@usfirst.org (775) 250-0011

New Jersey Lou Okrent lokrent@usfirst.org; (973) 945-2126

New York - Buffalo Rebecca Wasmer rwasmer@usfirst.org (585) 353-0084

New York - Finger Lakes Ron Borden rborden@usfirst.org; (585) 978-1025

North Carolina Fiona Last-Powell

flastpowell@usfirst.org; (919) 349-6782

Ohio Ted Hood thood@usfirst.org; (916) 612-3060

Ontario - Greater Toronto George Chisholm gchisholm@usfirst.org; (289) 838-6428

Ontario - Greater Toronto Paul Keenan pkeenan@usfirst.org; 905-868-6766

Ontario - Greater Toronto Lynn Rampertab lrampertab@usfirst.org; (416) 220-7771

Ontario - North Bay Nancy Dewar-Stenning

nstenning@usfirst.org (705) 499-4619

Ontario - Windsor Sheri Lynn Koscielski skoscielski@usfirst.org (519) 819-8076

Oregon Debbie Kerr dkerr@usfirst.org; (503) 481-5982

Pennsylvania - Eastern Doug Williamson dwilliamson@usfirst.org (484) 620-2541

Tennessee Sydney Buckner sbuckner@usfirst.org; (865) 207-5985

Texas - Brownsville Javier Saenz jsaenz@usfirst.org; (956) 572-1440

Texas - Dallas Joe Varnell jvarnell@usfirst.org; (214) 502-7326

Texas - Houston Brenda Meyer bmeyer@usfirst.org; (713) 898-0842

Texas - Lubbock George Tan gtan@usfirst.org; (806) 577-2607

Texas - Rio Grande Valley Veronica Baca vbaca@usfirst.org 956-793-1355

Texas - San Antonio, Alamo region

Mike Henry mhenry@usfirst.org; (210) 410-3657

Virginia Kevin Pardus kpardus@usfirst.org (757) 275-6018

Washington - Greater Seattle Eric VanBuren evanburen@usfirst.org; (206) 719-0491

Washington, D.C. Don Brobst dbrobst@usfirst.org; (703) 585-1275

Washington, D.C. Angie Fontanilla afontanilla@usfirst.org; (703) 405-2912

West Virginia Jaime Ford jford@usfirst.org; (304) 777-9124

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FIRST AmeriCorps*VISTA Program 2015-2016 The Memorandum of Agreement governing the FIRST® AmeriCorps VISTA Program allows FIRST® to recruit up to five VISTA members who can be located in any one of twelve states from Maine to MD. Potential VISTA members apply on line through the AmeriCorps website and can choose from a variety of programs across the US. At FIRST®, we review applicants who chose our program looking for experiences and skills that best enable them to meet the goals we’ve set for the program. The AmeriCorps/FIRST®, VISTA mission is to create and expand the vision of FIRST® by working in areas that have been deemed underserved: low-income individuals and communities, areas where there are no teams, defining and locating rural areas and the potential for FIRST® to penetrate these communities. Nationally, our VISTAs are managed by the FIRST® Senior Mentor/AmeriCorps*VISTA Programs Coordinator in Manchester. Locally, each VISTA has a Site Supervisor with whom they work closely on a daily schedule. The FIRST® Regional Directors fill the role of the Site Supervisor in each area where a VISTA is located. In addition, through the development of their Individual Service Plan (ISP,) the VISTAs are tasked to collaborate with other Key Volunteers in their area. In an effort to create a plan of action at the outset of their service, the VISTAs complete the ISP, identifying cross- program needs and initiatives under the direction of Program Leads including the Regional Director and the FLL and FTC Area/Operational Partners. The ISP is updated on a semi-annual basis. And, in some instances where possible, the VISTA works collaboratively with a FIRST® Senior Mentor, should there be one in their service-area. Link to contacts on web