We, as students, mentors, and members of the FIRST LEGO League community, respectfully ask that FIRST reconsider the recent changes that have been made to the competition format.

The new rules have changed the emphasis of the FIRST LEGO League to include aspects that are traditionally found in the FIRST Tech Challenge, such as the use of advanced controllers and artificial intelligence. While these technologies are important in their own right, they completely change the original intent and character of the FIRST LEGO League.

The FIRST LEGO League was designed to introduce children and young students to robotics in a simple, accessible, and educational way, using LEGO systems and basic programming ideas. The strength of the FIRST LEGO League has always been its simplicity, creativity, and accessibility.

The addition of advanced hardware and complex technology will result in the competition becoming:

1. More expensive and less accessible
2. Too technical for the target age group
3. Clouding the line between FLL and FTC
4. Abandoning the original educational philosophy of the FIRST LEGO League

Historically, changes to the competition format, such as changes to factory missions and game design, have already caused discontent among teams. The proposed changes go even further and move FLL away from what made it so special and successful in the first place.

We are passionate about the following aspects of FIRST LEGO League and believe it should remain:

• LEGO robotics emphasis
• Beginner-friendly and accessible to younger students
• No FTC-level hardware or AI complexity required
• Compliance with its original mission of learning through play, teamwork, and creativity

We are not against technological progress. Each FIRST organization has its own role. FTC already fills the role of more advanced robotics and systems. FIRST LEGO League should continue to be the introductory competition that it was originally designed to be.

For these reasons, we respectfully ask FIRST to:

1. Examine and revise the new competition rules
2. Remove FTC-style controllers and AI requirements from FLL competition rules
3. Return to the original FIRST LEGO League format and spirit

Please listen to the voices of the students and teams who love FIRST LEGO League for what it has always been.

Return to the original FIRST LEGO League.