We, FTC mentors, teams, and supporters of the FIRST Chesapeake district (CHS), formally request that FIRST Headquarters instruct CHS to reschedule the Chesapeake Championship rather than canceling it outright.

The sudden cancellation of this event due to weather, without any effort to reschedule, is deeply disappointing. CHS teams have spent months designing, building, and refining their robots in preparation for this competition. The CHS Championship is not just a qualifier for Worlds—it is a crucial opportunity for teams to showcase their hard work, put their engineering to the test in real match conditions, and compete at the highest level in our region.

Beyond competition, this event serves as a global stage for CHS teams to demonstrate their talent and innovation. With matches streamed and watched worldwide, teams were eager to showcase their capabilities and represent our region on an international level. Canceling this event takes away their well-earned opportunity to gain recognition and share their accomplishments with the broader FIRST community.

With the FIRST World Championship not taking place until mid-April, there is still plenty of time to reschedule and hold the CHS Championship. Other regions have successfully managed weather-related disruptions without outright cancellation, and CHS should do the same. Ensuring this event takes place is necessary to maintain fairness and uphold the competitive integrity of the season.

We call on FIRST HQ to take immediate action to ensure that CHS follows through with its obligation to host this event. Whether by rescheduling or securing an alternate venue, there is no valid reason for the championship to be abandoned entirely.

Canceling the championship outright is unfair to the students, mentors, and volunteers who have committed their time and energy to this program..

We request a response from FIRST HQ immediately, as this decision directly impacts our teams and the future of our season.

Sincerely,

Coach Raj

Founder/Mentor of FTC and FLL teams in CHS along with other FTC team members, mentors and supporters.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. Sign and share this petition. If you can, please add a comment here, and add your team number.
2. Send an e-mail to FIRST at customerservice@firstinspires.org and ftcteams@firstinspires.org You may copy the text of this petition in that e-mail or write your own version.
3. Fill out this form on FIRST's website: https://help.firstinspires.org/s/contactsupport?language=en_US
4. Contact CHS here: https://www.firstchesapeake.org/contact

Thank you!