2013-2014 FTC BLOCK PARTY!
Judge Manual
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Note: This manual is solely for the training of Judges. Any
other uses or distributions, including to other Volunteers,
Coaches, or Teams is a violation of the Core Values of
FIRST.
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013
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Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to volunteer for a FIRST Tech Challenge Event. FIRST and FTC rely heavily
on Volunteers to ensure Events run smoothly and are a fun experience for Teams and their families,
which could not happen without people like you. With over 3,000 Teams competing annually, your
dedication and commitment are paramount to the success of each Event and the FTC program. Thank
you for your time and effort in supporting the mission of FIRST!
Revision
1
1.1
Date
9/30/2013
10/7/2013
1.2
10/15/2013
Revision History
Description
Initial Release
Section 9, Judge Advisor needs to access PowerPoint to display
Awards.
Added Gracious Professionalism™ Video link to Appendix A
Added link to Training Video
Added Control Award Ceremony Script
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1.
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 6
2.
Organizational Chart ............................................................................................................................. 6
3.
Role Descriptions and Definitions ......................................................................................................... 6
3.1 Judge ................................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2 Judge Assistant.................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3 Judge Match Observers ....................................................................................................................... 8
4.
Judging Panel Attire .............................................................................................................................. 9
5.
Top 10 List of Advice for Judges ............................................................................................................ 9
6.
Judging Questions ................................................................................................................................. 9
7.
Additional Questions........................................................................................................................... 10
8.
Judge Deliberation Process ................................................................................................................. 10
8.1 Final Award List and Ceremony Scripts ............................................................................................. 11
9.
Awards ................................................................................................................................................ 11
10.
FTC Award Eligibility ........................................................................................................................ 12
13.1 FTC Inspire Award ........................................................................................................................... 12
13.2 Rockwell Collins Innovate Award .................................................................................................... 13
13.3 PTC Design Award ........................................................................................................................... 14
13.4 Connect Award ................................................................................................................................ 14
13.5 Motivate Award .............................................................................................................................. 14
13.6 Think Award .................................................................................................................................... 15
13.7 Control Award (Optional Pilot)........................................................................................................ 16
13.8 Promote Award (Optional) .............................................................................................................. 16
13.9 Compass Award (Optional) ............................................................................................................. 17
13.9 Judges Award .................................................................................................................................. 17
11.
Performance Awards ...................................................................................................................... 17
Winning Alliance Award .......................................................................................................................... 17
Finalist Award ......................................................................................................................................... 18
12.
Appendix A – Resources and Certifications .................................................................................... 19
13.
Appendix B - FTC Volunteer Forum Registration Instructions ........................................................ 20
14.
Appendix C - Award Ceremony Scripts ........................................................................................... 21
15.
Appendix D - Judges Notes Sheet ................................................................................................... 25
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16.
Appendix E - Judge Summary Sheet................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
17.
Appendix F - FTC Award Record Sheet............................................................................................ 29
18.
Appendix G – Sample List for Deliberation ..................................................................................... 30
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1. Introduction
Welcome and thank you for agreeing to serve as a FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Judge or Judge
Assistant! You were asked to serve on the FIRST Tech Challenge Judging panel because your professional
accomplishments make you an ideal role model for the high school students, engineers and other
professionals who participate on the FIRST Tech Challenge.
2. Organizational Chart
The Judge and Judge Assistants report to the Judge Advisor. Refer to the Organizational Chart below for
the relationship between roles and Volunteer reporting at Tournaments.
3. Role Descriptions and Definitions
3.1 Judge
Judges are required to participate in training prior to the Event. This training is provided by FIRST
Headquarters via a pre-recorded video. Please reach out to your Tournament Director or Judge Advisor
to make sure that you can access the training video prior to an Event. Judges are responsible for
selecting Team Award recipients through interaction with Teams and review of a Team’s Engineering
Notebook. Judges serve as role models for the competitors. Judges will receive a Judges handbook from
the Judge Advisor or Volunteer Coordinator prior to attending the Event, and are required to read it
prior to the Event.
Prior to the Event, the Judges must:
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Review the FIRST Tech Challenge Game Manual.
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Review the details of the Judging process supplied by the Judge Advisor.
Review the Award descriptions and guidelines.
Print and sign the FIRST Consent and Release Form and the FIRST Conflict of Interest and
Disclosure Statement.
During the Event, Judges will:
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Conduct Team interviews or serve as Match observers.
Review Team Engineering Notebooks.
Observe Competition Matches.
Determine the 3 top ranked Teams for each Judge Award.
Come to consensus with other Judges on the recipient of each Award.
Share their notes on top ranked and winning Teams with the Judge Advisor and other Judges
for use in Award Ceremony script.
A FIRST Judge takes on four distinct roles during the Competition:
FIRST Ambassador: The Judges are ambassadors for the FIRST mission throughout the Competition. This
role is paramount at all times during the Event. Giving positive feedback to the students (and adults) is
very important.
Role Model: No matter if you are an engineer, a scientist, or a parent Volunteer, Judges serve as a role
model to students and Teams. Demonstrate a sense of humor, and above all be gracious and
professional. Remember that the mission of FIRST is to inspire students.
Detective: It is up to the Judges to discover the contestants deserving of the Awards. You must find the
facts and sort them out in a minimum of time. Many Robots can be similar and have almost identical
features. Find the differences by visiting the Teams in the Pits, viewing how a Team interacts with their
peers, and watching their performance on the Competition Field.
Reporter: Part of the Judge duties includes writing a short script that explains why each Team was
recognized for their Award. This script is read at the Award ceremony, and Judge notes will be used to
describe each Team’s performance. Take notes!
At the Competition, the Judge Advisor will divide Judges into groups of two or three. Each group is
provided with a list of Teams to interview. They are also provided an interview schedule, Event
schedule, and the Engineering Notebooks that correspond to the Teams that they have been assigned. It
is important to note that no Judge should ever be in a one-on-one situation with a student.
There can be anywhere from 12-48 Teams competing at each FTC Championship Tournament and 128
Teams competing at the World Championship. It takes a group effort to make sure that all Teams are
interviewed and their accomplishments are fairly assessed. The Judges must arrive at a consensus with a
group of strangers, using their best detective work to make fair decisions.
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It is important to note that FIRST Judges are not Game Referees on the Playing Field. Judges to not need
to understand all of the rules that apply to the Game, however you should be familiar with what the
Game is to be able to conduct their interviews properly. Any specific Game questions should go to the
Head Referee.
3.2 Judge Assistant
The Judge Assistant is responsible for assisting the Judge Advisor throughout the Event, providing
computer support (word processing), and performing other duties as assigned. The Judge Assistant is
not a Judge, does not interview Teams, and does not participate in Awards recipient selection process.
The Judge Assistant is responsible for setting up the Judge’s room on the evening before or morning of
the Event. They are also responsible for breaking it down after the Judges have reached their decisions.
At the Event, the Judge Assistant will:
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Act as time keeper for Judge sessions.
Update Judges on any schedule changes that occur throughout the day.
Provide Judges with Engineering Notebooks.
Provide an extra pair of eyes and ears for the Judges.
Sign the FIRST Consent and Release Form and the FIRST Conflict of Interest and Disclosure
Statement.
Notify the Judge Advisor of any conflict of interest.
3.3 Judge Match Observers
Most of the Judges will be involved in the Judge interviews, and won’t have a whole lot of time to see
the Robots in action. We also recommend that two or three Judges be asked to serve as Judge Match
Observers. Their role is to watch the action on the Field, and collect data on the quality of the Robot
performance in the actual contest. These observers should keep notes on each Team during a Match,
collecting observations about:
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Autonomous operation.
Reliability during the heat of the Competition.
Other attributes of the Team that make them stand out.
Many of the Awards that are discussed during deliberations have qualities that need to be observed
during the Competition. The interview Judges often get only one or two chances to see the Robots in
action. The Judge Match Observer will be able to see all of the Teams more than once, and collect
information on each. We recommend having a Match observer sheet for each Team to help keep things
organized. The Match observers will be involved in the deliberation process by providing much needed
feedback to the other Judges about the operational qualities of the Robots.
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4. Judging Panel Attire
FIRST Judges are often provided with a shirt to wear during the Competition. The Judge’s shirt identifies
you as a Judge to Teams, other Volunteers, and spectators. You may be doing a lot of walking, so we
recommend that you wear comfortable shoes.
5. Top 10 List of Advice for Judges
1. FTC Judging is subjective. Read the Manual and make the fairest judgments you can. You can’t
be wrong.
2. You are not required to nominate Teams for every Award. If you don’t have a contender, don’t
nominate.
3. Judging is an interactive discussion with the Team. Ask questions and listen.
4. Pay attention to the clock. Stay on schedule.
5. Keep your evaluation sheet organized.
6. Take good notes to help you remember each Team. What made them stand out? Were there
areas for improvement?
7. A camera or camera phone can be helpful. Take a picture of each Team with their Robot as a
memory aid.
8. Be gracious and professional.
9. Never discuss Team rankings with anyone other than FTC Judges, and never discuss Team
rankings in public.
10. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands. Use hand sanitizer often.
6. Judging Questions
Most of the Judges will participate in Judge interviews with the Teams. During the interview process,
some Teams come prepared with a presentation, and other Teams expect Judges to ask them questions.
Either Team approach is acceptable. Here are some sample questions:
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What does it mean to be a Gracious Professional™?
What does your Robot do?
How did you come up with the overall design?
What role does each of your Team members play on your Team?
How do you manage your time?
How does your Team attract Mentors?
What did you learn by being a part of the Team?
How do you fundraise?
Does our Team perform any type of community service?
Does your Team reach out to other Teams? In what way?
Describe a way that your Team has displayed Gracious Professionalism™.
Which of your student Team members participated in an outreach activity?
How many student members are there on your Team?
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Which of your student members participate in community service?
7. Additional Questions
Judges sometimes find it hard to determine how much initiative and ownership an FTC Team
demonstrated when it is also associated with either another FTC Team or an FRC Team. The additional
questions below may help the Judges understand the role of the members of one specific Team in
relation to the other FIRST Teams with which it is connected.
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What role did your Team play in determining what outreach activities and community service
your multiple FIRST Teams did?
Were there any activities where your Team took the lead?
How did you work with the other FTC/FRC Team(s)?
8. Judge Deliberation Process
Reaching consensus on your Awards list is not an easy task! The Judge Advisor is responsible for the
process used during deliberations, but there are generally several stages in the process.
1. Create the initial list of potential Teams for each Award on a whiteboard or notepad. Have a
brief (10-20 second) comment about each Team on the list and why they are nominated (See
Appendix G for a sample of what this may look like).
2. After the first pass through the list, Judges will be asked to nominate Teams for removal from
the list based upon what they have heard of all the candidates. We want each remaining Team
on the list to be a contender.
3. After two passes through the lists, you are likely going to have only contenders on the lists.
Judges are now reassigned from their interview panels into groups responsible for each Award.
Each group now owns a particular Award. They can go visit the Teams in the Pits and discuss the
candidate further.
4. Judges will typically meet Teams in the Pits, watch Matches, and gather additional information
to help with their decisions.
5. A second round of deliberations is done after these sub panels have had time to further
evaluate the nominee Teams. The goal is to eliminate all but three Teams from the list, then
prioritize the three Teams on the list.
The Inspire Award is the Award that goes to the Team who was outstanding in many categories. It may
be the case that the Inspire Award winner is obvious; however in other cases it isn’t quite as obvious. As
a group, you need to nominate 3 Teams for the Inspire Award and rank them in order. Only one will win
the Award but the Event advancement factors in the second and third place Teams for this Award. It is
common and expected that the nominees for the Inspire Award are likely nominees for other Awards as
well. It is best practice to leave the Inspire Award to the end of the deliberation process, when you have
narrowed down the nominees in all other categories.
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8.1 Final Award List and Ceremony Scripts
The Judge Advisor will facilitate the process of writing the Awards scripts. There is a format to the
Awards scripts that we like to use. A good Award script is usually three sentences. The structure of the
sentences is important.
1. Sentence one could apply to many Teams, but has a subtle hint.
2. Sentence two has a hint in which the winning Team might understand.
3. Sentence three has a bigger hint, leaving the Team somewhat sure who it is, but is not 100%
positive.
4. The last sentence is: “And the Award goes to…”
Example:
For example, Team 3344 is called the Robo-Knights, from Carnation, WA. They are winners of the PTC
Design Award. Their Team colors are blue, they have a Robot with an impressive arm design, and the
Robot has a shiny blue finish. The Award script might say:
“This VALIANT effort required many nights designing a Robot with an impressive array of features. In
particular, a strong arm and a solid design has their opponents turning BLUE with envy. A SHINING
example worthy of a knight at the round table of Camelot, the PTC Design Award goes to Team 3344 the
Robo-Knights from Carnation, WA.”
Key points about Award scripts:
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Judges should write them. They have the notes and details needed.
Always read them aloud when making final edits. They often read and speak differently.
Do the MC a favor: Avoid long sentences and long words. Someone else needs to read your
script.
Pay attention to words to emphasize, and capitalize them for the MC.
Don’t reveal the winner in the first sentence. “We think Team 1234 deserves the PTC Design
Aware because…” is a common submission from the Judges. Ask them to rewrite it to reveal the
result only at the end.
Keep in mind that scripts are only needed for the winners of the Award. Finalist nominees do not get
scripts.
9. Awards
The FIRST Tech Challenge recognizes both on-Field performance and the attributes that help FIRST
achieve its mission to change culture by inspiring young people. The honors bestowed by FIRST Tech
Challenge Judges are a combination of Awards based on the Robot, creativity and innovation, Team
performance, outreach and enthusiasm. These Awards are designed to help FIRST achieve its mission of
demonstrating that science and technology can be fun and rewarding.
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Judges make their recommendations based on what they see and hear from the Team on the day of the
Competition. Awards received at past Events or in prior seasons should have no bearing on a Team’s
eligibility or ineligibility for an Award.
Some Teams will ask that they not be considered for a specific Award if they’ve won that same Award at
another Event. This is an acceptable request and we recommend that it be honored. However, if the
Team appears to be a strong contender for that specific Award, they will still be recognized as one of the
top three contenders for the Award during Award ceremony.
Note: This is not accurate for the Inspire Award; please see the Awards descriptions section of
this Manual for specifics.
We recommend that a Team only receives one Judged Award at an Event. At many Events, a member of
the Winning Alliance is also the Inspire Award winner. Please remember that it is very appropriate for a
Team to be the recipient of both a Judged and a performance Award, and the final decision for Judged
Awards should be made prior to the end of the Competition.
When nominating a Team for an Award, we encourage you to nominate the Team for every Award for
which you believe they are a strong contender. Deserving Teams should be considered for any and all
Awards without limit. During deliberations, the list of Teams for each Award should be narrowed to
three Teams, and then a decision about the winning Team for each Award must be made. Remember
that all three of the finalist Teams for each Award will be recognized in the Award Ceremony.
**Important update for 2013-2014 Season:
The Scoring System no longer has an option to input and display Awards. This is to be handled by the
Judge Advisor via a separate PowerPoint.
10. FTC Award Eligibility
13.1 FTC Inspire Award
This formally Judged Award is given to the Team that truly embodied the ‘challenge’ of the FTC
program. The Team that receives this Award is chosen by the Judges as having best represented a
‘role model’ FTC Team. This Team is a top contender for all other Judging categories and is a strong
competitor on the Field. The Inspire Award Winner is an inspiration to other Teams, acting with
Gracious Professionalism™ both on and off the Playing Field. This Team understands how to
communicate their experiences and knowledge to other Teams, sponsors, and the Judges.
The winner of the Inspire Award at each Event will receive an automatic invitation to the next Event
level within their state or region. Once a Team has won an Inspire Award at a Qualifying Tournament,
they are no longer eligible to be considered for an Inspire Award at any other Qualifying Tournament
within their Qualifying Region. Once a Team has won an Inspire Award at a Championship Tournament,
they are no longer eligible to be considered for an Inspire Award at any other Championship
Tournament within their Super Region. Once a Team has won an Inspire Award at a Super Regional
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Championship Tournament, they are no longer eligible to be considered for an Inspire Award at any
other Super Regional Championship.
Guidelines for the Inspire Award
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The Team must demonstrate respect and Gracious Professionalism™ both for Team members
and fellow Teams.
The Team is a strong contender for all other Judged Awards. The Inspire Award is based on the
guidelines for all of the Judged Awards.
The Engineering Notebooks must be submitted, and must include an Engineering Section, a
Team Section and a Business or Strategic plan. The entire Engineering Notebook must impress
the Judges.
The Team demonstrates and documents their work in their community spreading awareness of
the Team, FIRST, and FTC within the community.
The Team displays good communication and Teamwork skills within the Team as well as with
their Alliance partners.
The Team communicates clearly about their Robot design and strategy to the Judges.
The Team presents themselves well in the Judges’ interview.
The Robot effectively competes in the Game challenge and impresses the Judges.
The Team and Robot consistently perform well during Matches.
13.2 Rockwell Collins Innovate Award
The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award celebrates a Team that not only thinks outside the box, but also
has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This judged award is given to the
Team that has the most innovative and creative Robot design solution to any or all specific field
elements or components in the FTC game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness,
and ‘out of the box’ thinking related to design. This award may address the design of the whole Robot,
or of a sub-assembly attached to the Robot. The creative component must work consistently, but a
Robot does not have to work all the time during Matches to be considered for this award. The Team’s
Engineering Notebook should be marked with journal entries to show the design of the component(s)
and the Team’s Robot in order to be eligible for this award, and entries should describe succinctly how
the Team arrived at that solution.
Guidelines for the Rockwell Collins Innovative Award
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Guidelines for the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award:
Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
Robot or Robot sub-assembly must be elegant and unique in its design
Creative component must work reliably
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook with an Engineering Section
Robot is stable, robust and controllable
Robot design is efficient and consistent with Team plan and strategy
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13.3 PTC Design Award
This judged award recognizes design elements of the Robot that are both functional and aesthetic. All
successful Robots have innovative design aspects; however, the PTC Design Award is presented to
Teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could
simplify the Robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express
the creativity of the Team. The winning design should not compromise the practical operation of the
Robots but complement its purpose. This award is sponsored by Parametric Technology Corporation
(PTC), developers of the CAD tools, Creo and Mathcad. PTC gives licenses to the FTC student Teams for
these software products to help them with their designs. Use of these tools is not required to be eligible,
however, Teams that use them in their design are given extra consideration for this award.
Guidelines for the PTC Design Award:
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Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook with an Engineering Section that includes detailed
Robot design drawings
Robot differentiates itself from others
Design is both aesthetic and functional
Basis for the design is well considered (i.e. inspiration, function, etc.)
13.4 Connect Award
This judged award is given to the Team that most connected with their local community and the
engineering community. A true FIRST Team is more than a sum of its parts, and recognizes that its
schools and communities play an essential part to their success. The recipient of this award is recognized
for helping the community understand FIRST, the FTC, and the Team itself. The Team that wins this
award is aggressively seeking engineers and exploring the opportunities available in the world of
engineering, science and technology. In addition, this Team has a clear Business or Strategic Plan and
has identified steps to achieve their goals.
Guidelines for the Connect Award:
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Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
An Engineering Notebook must be submitted and must include a Business or Strategic plan.
Team provides clear examples of outreach to community
Team has worked to develop an in-person or a virtual connection with the engineering, science
or technology community
Team has a business or strategic plan that identifies their future goals and the steps they will
take to reach those goals. The plan could include fundraising goals, sustainability goals,
timelines, outreach and community service goals.
13.5 Motivate Award
This judged award celebrates the Team that exemplifies the essence of the FTC Competition through
Team building, Team spirit and enthusiasm. They celebrate their Team, their individuality and their spirit
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through costumes and fun outfits, a Team cheer and their outstanding spirit. This Team has also made a
collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community.
Guidelines for the Motivate Award:
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Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
Team functions as a cohesive unit to discover the goals of the program
Team can articulate the journey of becoming a Team of individuals with different roles
Team has formed and can articulate internal processes to assign roles and communicate
between Team members
Team attitude of celebration and spirit is consistent throughout the Team and the Competition
Team is enthusiastic
Team functions well as a unit
Team enthusiasm is evident in community outreach
13.6 Think Award
This judged award is given to the Team that best reflects the “journey” the Team took as they
experienced the engineering design process during the build season. The engineering section of the
notebook is the key reference for judges to help identify the most deserving Team. The Team’s
Engineering Notebook should focus on the design and build stage of the Team’s Robot. Journal entries
of interest to judges for this award will include those describing the underlying science and mathematics
of the Robot design and game strategies, the designs, re-designs, successes, and those ‘interesting
moments’ when things weren’t going as planned. A Team is not a candidate for this award if they have
not completed the Engineering Section of the Engineering Notebook.
Guidelines for the Think Award:
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Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook with an Engineering Section Team notebook must
be clearly identified with the Team # and Team Name
Engineering Notebook must demonstrate that the Team has a clear understanding of the
engineering design process, with pictures or drawings and details documenting all stages of
Robot design
Engineering Notebook must be organized and follow the formatting guidelines provided by
FIRST and include a Summary Page
Teams must tab/flag 6 to 8 pages of the Engineering Section to support entries on the summary
page.
It is acceptable to include designs/ideas that are adapted from an outside source, providing that
this is noted and credit is cited to the original source
Supporting drawings and diagrams must be included in the correct chronological order, not in a
separate section.
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Note: Teams should review the Engineering Notebook section of this manual for a complete description
and format specifications.
13.7 Control Award (Optional Pilot)
The Control Award celebrates a Team that uses sensors and software to enhance the Robot’s
functionality in the Field. This award is given to the Team that demonstrates innovative thinking in the
control system to solve Game Challenges such as Autonomous operation, enhancing mechanical
systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results on the Field. The control
component should work consistently on the Field. The Team’s Engineering Notebook should contain
details about the implementation of the software, sensors, and mechanical control. Please check with
your local Affiliate Partner to find out if this Award will be offered in your region.
Guidelines for the Control Award:
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Team demonstrates respect and Gracious Professionalism™ to all
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook with an Engineering Section.
Control components must be documented in the Engineering Notebook.
Control components must enhance the functionality of the Robot on the Field.
Control components must work reliably
Advanced software techniques and algorithms are encouraged.
Prototyped sensors and custom hardware are encouraged.
13.8 Promote Award (Optional)
This judged award is optional and may not be given at all Tournaments. Please contact your Tournament
organizer to determine of it will be given at an Event you attend.
The Promote Award is given Tea that is most successful in creating a compelling video message for the
public designed to change our culture and celebrate science, technology, engineering and math.
Guidelines for the Promote Award:
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Team must present a thoughtful and high-quality video which appeals to the general public.
Strong production value is important, but the message and impact of the video are of greater
weight for the Judges.
Creativity in interpreting the annually assigned theme is desired.
Submissions for this award will be considered for the Inspire Award but are not required.
Team must have rights to any music used in the video.
Winning videos will be submitted to FIRST and used to promote the higher values of the FTC. Teams may
win the Promote Award only once at a Championship Level Event and only once at a Qualifying Level
Event.
Team must submit a one-minute long public service announcement (PSA) video one full week prior to
the event to be eligible for this award. Additional submissions are welcome but will not be eligible for
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awards. The submission process for this award may vary by tournament. Please check with your
tournament’s organizer for details.
PSA Subject for 2013-2014 Season
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Create a one-minute PSA video that begins with the following sentence: “Leadership is”
13.9 Compass Award (Optional)
An FTC Team is about more than building Robots, and competing in Tournaments, it is a journey to a
destination through trial and error, success and failure, with the challenging new technology and
obstacles to navigate where no road maps are provided. How does a Team find their way?
The Compass Award recognizes an adult Coach or Mentor who has provided outstanding guidance and
support for a Team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award will be determined from
candidates nominated by FTC Team members, via a 40-60 second video submission, highlighting how
their Mentor has helped them become a champion Team. We want to hear what sets the Mentor apart.
Guidelines for the Compass Award
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Only one video submission per Team will be considered. Teams may submit new or updated
videos at each tournament.
The video must be submitted at least one week prior to tournament day. Instructions for
submitting videos may vary from tournament to tournament. Please check with your
tournament’s organizer for details.
Videos must not be longer than 60 seconds (including introduction and credits if you choose to
use them).
Videos must be submitted in AVI, WMV or MOV format. Remember that the winning video may
be shown on a large screen during the awards ceremony. Use the best resolution you have
available for your final version.
Team must have rights to any music used on the video.
Team must submit an Engineering Notebook.
13.9 Judges Award
During the course of the Competition, the Judging panel may encounter a Team whose unique efforts,
performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet doesn’t fit into any of the existing Award categories. To
recognize these unique Teams, FIRST offers a customizable Judges Award. The Judging panel may select
a Team to be honored, as well as the name of the Judges Award.
11. Performance Awards
Winning Alliance Award
This Award will be given to the winning Alliance represented in the final Match.
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Finalist Award
This Award will be given to the finalist Alliance represented in the final Match.
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013
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12. Appendix A – Resources and Certifications
Training video – https://usfirst.box.com/s/m2ppgdj8z9zysovb4hdy
Certification Test – Certification is not required for this role
Game Forum Q&A - http://ftcforum.usfirst.org/forum.php
Volunteer Forum - The Volunteer Forum allows you to ask other Volunteers questions or share tips and
best practices. In order to access the Volunteer Forum, you must register through the Game forum page.
Please see Appendix B for instructions.
Game Manuals – Part 1 and 2 - http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/game
Monthly Discussion Calls- We do not currently have a scheduled monthly discussion call for this role. If
you would like to have a call set up to talk with other Volunteers about tips and best practices, please
post your interest to the Volunteer Forum.
FIRST Headquarters Support
Phone support is provided throughout the Event season Friday through Sunday. If you are Volunteering
at an Event and need immediate assistance, please use the following number:
Phone: 603-206-2412
Email: [email protected]
Gracious Professionalism Video - https://usfirst.box.com/s/hupdkypes5ph379a99be
20 |
13. Appendix B - FTC Volunteer Forum Registration Instructions
FTC Staff manually moderates the forums in order to weed out spam bots. We use various sections of
the registration information (Location, Role, and Team Number) to help us decide that you aren’t a bot
spamming our account. We do this daily, so you will get a quick response once you submit your
registration. Here’s how you successfully register without being mistaken for a spam bot:
Go to the forum: Ftcforum.usfirst.org/forum.php You can get there by clicking on FTC at the usfirst.org
website, hovering over “team resources” (in the left column), and selecting “forum”.
Click the Forum Link. You will then see the following page, in which you should click “Register” at the
upper right-hand corner of the page.
On the registration page fill out your full name, email address, and create a password. You will also be
asked a question. The question field is one of the tools we use to weed out spammers, but if you do
not know the answer, click your browser’s refresh button and fill in the fields again and a new
random question should appear.
The following fields must be entered as stated in this manual in order to be granted access to the forum:



In the Location field, type the city and state that you will be volunteering in, ie:
Manchester, NH
In the Team Role field, type the position you will hold at that event, ie: Field Tech Advisor
In the Team Number field, type Event Volunteer (the field will only permit Event Vo, but
that works)
The last fields are optional, however you must check the box that says “I have read, and agree to abide
by the FTC Forum rules.”
Once all of these steps have been completed, click “Complete Registration”. You will then receive an
email from FTC Forums to complete the registration. Click the link in the email, and follow the
instructions. This will activate your account, however you will still need to be granted access which is
done manually.
Within one business day, you’ll receive an email from our forum welcoming you officially. Now you
will be able to post in the various forums, and you will see the Volunteer forums.
Use the Ask the Game Design Committee threads to post questions you would like the game design
committee or FTC staff to answer.
Use the Best Practices threads to talk to other volunteers about your questions and experiences.
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013
| 21
14. Appendix C - Award Ceremony Scripts
Judges (Optional at the Affiliate Partner’s and Judges’ discretion)
The Judges Award is given at the discretion of the Judges to a Team they have encountered whose
unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet the Team does not fit into any of the
existing Award categories.
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The [Award Named by Judges] Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team
name, Team location]
Compass (Optional at the Affiliate Partner’s discretion)
The Compass Award recognizes an adult Coach or Mentor who provided outstanding guidance and
support for an FTC Team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award is determined from
candidates nominated by FTC Team members via a 40-60 second video submission highlighting how
their Mentor has helped them become an outstanding Team.
The three finalists for the Compass Award are
[insert Mentor name, Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Compass Award is presented to [insert winning Mentor name, Team number, Team name,
Team location]
Promote (Optional at the Affiliate Partner’s discretion)
The Promote Award is given to the Team that is most successful in creating a compelling message for
the public designed to change our culture and celebrate science, technology, engineering, and math.
The FTC Public Service Announcement Video was evaluated by the Judges to determine the winner of
this Award. Teams must present a thoughtful and high-quality video which appeals to the general public.
The three finalists for the Promote Award are
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Promote Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
22 |
Motivate Award
This Judged Award celebrates the Team that exemplifies the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge
Competition through Team spirit and enthusiasm. This Team shows their spirit through costumes and
fun outfits, a Team cheer or outstanding spirit, or through their collective efforts to make FIRST known
throughout their school or community.
The three finalists for the Motivate Award are:
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Motivate Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
Connect Award
The Connect Award is presented to the Team that the Judges feel most connected with their local
community and the engineering community. The best Team is more than the sum of its parts, and
recognizes that their schools and communities play an essential part to their success. The recipient of
this Award is recognized for helping the community understand FIRST, the FIRST Tech Challenge, and the
Team itself. In addition, the Team that wins this Award is aggressively seeking engineers and exploring
the opportunities available in the world of engineering, science, and technology.
The three finalists for the Connect Award are:
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Connect Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
Rockwell Collins Innovate Award
The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award celebrates a Team that not only thinks outside the box, but also
has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life.
This Award is given to the Team that the Judges feel has the most Innovative and Creative Robot design
solution to the FIRST Tech Challenge to any or all specific Field Elements or components. Elements of
this Award include elegant design, robustness, and ‘out of the box’ thinking with regard to design. This
Award may address the design of the whole Robot or some sub-assembly component attached to the
Robot. The creative component needs to work consistently, but a Robot does not have to work all of the
time during Matches to be considered for this Award. The Team’s Engineering Notebook showed the
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013
| 23
design of the component(s) and the Team’s Robot, and described succinctly how the Team arrived at
that solution.
The three finalists for the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award are:
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team
name, Team location]
PTC Design Award
The intent of the PTC Design Award is to expand the challenge, inspiring Teams to incorporate industrial
design into their Robots. These elements can be shown in the simplicity of the design as it applies to the
tasks, the look and feel of the Robot, and how the design allows us to think of Robots in new ways. The
Design aspect must serve a function, but they should also differentiate the Robot in a unique fashion,
not an easy task with a limited set of parts and Game challenge.
The three finalists for the PTC Design Award are:
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The PTC Design Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team
location]
Think Award
The Think Award is given to the Team that the Judges feel best understood the role of the Engineering
Notebook in the design process. The Engineering Notebook is the key reference for Judges to help them
identify the most deserving Team. This Team’s Engineering Notebook focused on the design and build
stages of the Team’s Robot.
The three finalists for the Think Award are
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Think Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
24 |
Control Award
The Control Award celebrates a Team that uses sensors and software to enhance the Robot’s
functionality in the Field. This award is given to the Team that demonstrates innovative thinking in the
control system to solve Game Challenges such as Autonomous operation, enhancing mechanical
systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results on the Field.
The three finalists for the Control Award are:
[insert Team numbers, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Control Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
Inspire Award
The Inspire Award is given to the Team that the Judges felt truly embodied the ‘challenge’ of the FTC
program. This Team serves as an inspiration to what this program and the young minds involved, can
accomplish. The Team that receives this Award has performed well in all Judging categories and was
chosen by the Judges as a model FIRST Tech Challenge Team. The Judges used Match performance,
observations made during interviews and in the Pit area, the Team’s Engineering Notebook, and
performance on the Playing Field in determining the winner.
The third place Inspire Award Team is:
[insert Team number, Team names, Team city, and state or province here]
The second place Inspire Award Team is:
[insert Team number, Team names Team city and state or province here]
Here is what the Judges have to say about the winner of this Award
[INSERT JUDGES’ COMMENTS HERE]
The Inspire Award is presented to [insert winning Team number, Team name, Team location]
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013
| 25
15. Appendix D - Judges Notes Sheet
Please use this optional tool to help keep track of your impressions of the Teams you interview. The
Judges’ Note Sheet is intended to help Judges organize information they hear about each Team when
used in conjunction with the Judging Guidelines. This is not intended as a discrete scoring sheet.
26 |
16. Appendix E – Judge Summary Sheet
Team Number:
Team Name
Needs
Improvement
Fair
Good
Excellent
Think Award-Engineering Notebook is required
Notebook is well organized and follows the proper format
Notebook describes the physical construction of the Robot
Notebook describes Team strategy, objectives, and reasoning behind the
design
Content reflects the creative design process: identifying the problem,
research, brainstorming, choosing the best solution, developing and
prototyping
Rockwell Collins Innovative Award-Engineering Notebook Required
A robust, well-engineered Robot that demonstrates the execution of a
planned design that shows creativity and “out of the box” thinking.
Robot has a competitive drive system tailored to support the strengths of the
Team’s Game strategy.
Robot has an exceptional manipulator for Game objects that performs
consistently and effectively.
Team has a well-planned strategy for maximizing their ability to play the
Game that takes scoring systems, Alliance interaction, changes and Events
during a Match into consideration.
PTC Design Award – Engineering Notebook is Required
Robot differentiates itself from others.
Team utilizes PTC Software to prototype or assist with Robot design.
Design element is both aesthetic and functional.
Incorporates industrial design elements into the solution.
Well considered basis for the design (i.e. inspiration, function, etc).
Connect Award
Demonstrates awareness of community and desire to have a positive impact
on society. Provides clear examples of outreach in their community.
Reached out to those with careers in science, engineering, technology, and
mathematics to learn more about professional Fields.
Demonstrates cooperation with other Teams during the build season as well
as during the Competition.
Shows strong communication skills in articulating how, as individuals and as a
Team, they have grown and interacted with others during the season.
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| 27
Has a business plan or other way of determining their fundraising needs and
a plan to achieve their fundraising goal (if fundraising is allowed by Team’s
organization).
Motivate Award
Shows Spirit and enthusiasm for the FTC program, engineering and
community outreach, etc.
Shows their spirit through costumes and fun outfits, a Team cheer or
outstanding spirit.
Makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school or
community.
Functions well as a Team
Inspire Award – This is the top Award for the Competition – Engineering Notebook is Required
Demonstrates Gracious Professionalism, exemplary communication skills, and
Teamwork, within the Team as well as with their Alliances.
Has an impressive design that is well executed and consistently performs well
during Matches.
Exemplifies the spirit of discovery and the process of using science and
engineering to create elegant solutions to an open-ended problem.
Has a Team direction with defined goals both on and off the Playing Field,
and has enacted and executed plans to fulfill those goals.
Works beyond their Robot to help spread awareness of the Team within the
community.
Engineering Notebook is submitted, and impresses the Judges.
Additional notes on Team:
Additional notes on Robot:
28 |
Promote Award (Optional at Partner’s Discretion)
Needs
Improvement
Fair
Good
Excellent
Needs
Improvement
Fair
Good
Excellent
Video has a compelling message for the public designed to celebrate
science, technology, engineering and math
Thoughtful, high quality video appeals to the general public
String Production Value
Annual Theme interpreted creatively
Video Notes:
Compass Award (Optional)
Mentor Name:
Team Number:
Team articulates value of their relationship with Mentor with
Mentor showing clear examples
Thoughtful, high quality video
Mentor provides outstanding guidance and support for Team
members
Video Notes:
Control Award (Optional Pilot)
Notebook with Engineering section submitted which outlines
Control Components used on the Robot
Control components enhance the functionality of the Robot on the
Field
Control components work reliably
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17. Appendix F - FTC Award Record Sheet
FTC Award Record Sheet**
Event Name
Date
Location
Judge Advisor
Team#
Team#
Team#
Winner
Finalist
Finalist
Winner
2 Place
3 Place
Winner Name and Team #
Finalist Name and Team #
Finalist Name and Team #
Captain
1 Picked
Promote Award (If given)
Motivate
Connect
PTC Design
Rockwell Collins Innovate
Think
nd
rd
Inspire
Judges Award (write title)
Judges Award (write title)
Compass Award (If given)
st
nd
2 Picked
Winning Alliance
Finalist Alliance
If Two Divisions
Winning Alliance
Finalist Alliance
**Please ensure this form is given to the scorekeeper and to the Affiliate Partner or Tournament Director to email
to [email protected] within one week. Teams eligible for advancement will not advance until this information is
reported.
30 |
18. Appendix G – Sample List for Deliberation
Rockwell
Collins
Innovate
Award
PTC
Design
Award
Connect
Award
Motivate
Award
Think
Award
Control
Award
(Optional
Pilot)
Promote
Award
(Optional)
Compass
Award
(Optional)
Judges
Award
Elements
of this
award
include
elegant
design,
robustness,
and ‘out of
the box’
thinking
related to
design
Design
Elements
are
aesthetic
and
functional.
Team
incorporates
industrial
design
elements
into the
Robot.
Team is
connected
with their
local
community,
promotes
FIRST, FTC
and the
Team itself.
Exemplifies
the essence
of the FTC
Competition
through
Team
building,
Team spirit
and
enthusiasm.
Team best
reflects their
“journey”.
Engineering
Notebook is
the key
reference,
describes
science and
math of the
Robot
design,
Game
Strategies,
how they
worked
through
problems/redesign.
Innovative
thinking in
the control
system to
solve Game
challenges
such as
Autonomous
Operation.
Compelling
video
message for
the public to
celebrate
science,
engineering,
and math.
Recognizes
Coach/Mentor
via 40-60
second video
submission
Customizable,
Team that
should be
recognized,
but doesn’t
fit into
another
category.
In these fields, the Judges will write
the Teams that they feel deserve
each Award, and a brief description
why they feel that Team deserves the
Award.
This is a sample of how the Judge Advisor may set up the whiteboard or list when it comes time for the
Judges to deliberate. This is an easy way to reference which Awards that all Judges will need to decide
on, and gives a brief overview of the criteria for each Award.
Important: Note that the Inspire Award is not listed. This is because the Team nominated for this Award
should be a strong contender in all of the other categories. The Inspire Award should be the last Award
that all of the Judging panels with decide on.
Rev. 1.2 – October 15, 2013