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Require Standard Age Ranges for All FIRST Affiliate Partners

Kalamazoo Robotics
99
Supporters

The current standard age ranges as publish by the US FIRST organization are being deviated from by the affiliate partner in Michigan known as FIRST in Michigan (FiM). FiM is actively excluding high school students from FTC and Middle School students from FLL, despite guidelines published on the US FIRST website that are true for every other location in North America.

This is problematic for students, coaches, schools, and organizations. Some students are being placed into situations that they are not mentally or emotionally ready to participate in, pushing them away from STEM instead of fostering their growth. Additionally, coaches, schools, and organizations are being forced to bear the burden of more resource intensive programs that are not sustainable long term.

Out of concern for our students' well-being, we are asking that FIRST HQ reconsider allowing such extreme deviations from the published progression.

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First Lego League is a good program for Middle Schoolers for the following reasons:
1) Smaller footprint: less machine shop skills, more child-friendly, more cost-effective, better ratio of robot to kid
2) Emphasis on programming/computer science skills rather than remote control-based
3) Emphasis on general science research because of the project
4) Emphasis on science fair, presentation skills which are critical in Middle School
5) Emphasis on kids do the work vs. mentors more actively involved in both the other FIRST programs
6) More classroom friendly - can teach robotics classes with EV3s/FLL which you cannot with FTC
7) FLL has a greater international footprint - making engaging interactions for Middle Schoolers/exposure to cultures, etc Elementary students are not active on social media (middle schoolers are) and would not be able to take advantage of many of these interactions.
8) The game design accommodates beginners to experts. It certainly fills all the needs of a Middle School student.

This petition was delivered to:
  • US FIRST
  • FIRST in Michigan (FiM)

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