Getting Started - Participation Rules and Core Values
Welcome to FIRST LEGO League Challenge! In FIRST LEGO League Challenge, teams are student-driven and we teach students to work together on teams to solve problems. The true success of the program comes from the process: teaching students to solve problems through Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition. Other teams are not the enemy, but partners in a journey of success.
This remainder of this section describes the ethos behind FIRST LEGO League and the governing participation rules for the program.
Participation Rules
Below are the official participation rules as described by FIRST, edited where appropriate to match our implementation in Central California.
General
Teams, coaches and other supporters must demonstrate the Core Values in their actions and activities. Throughout the season, teams need access to the following materials:
LEGO robot set (LEGO Education SPIKE™ Prime and SPIKE™ Essential are the most current, but equivalent MINDSTORMS® EV3, MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor NXT and RCX are also allowed)
Computer or tablet with software to program the robot. (Laptop is recommended.) LEGO Education software can be downloaded from the following links:
Throughout the season, teams need access to the following season-specific materials:
Challenge Set
The following are also needed and are available on the Season Materials page at firstinspires.org:
Team Meeting Guide*
Robot Game Rulebook*
Engineering Notebook*
Challenge Overview
Mission Model Build Instructions
Field Setup
*Note: FIRST will no longer mail/supply physical copies
Competition Rules
Teams can participate either through Class Pack, when the sessions will be delivered during curriculum time and the tournament will be held at school; or by registering as a separate team and competing at a qualifying event. Class Pack teams can advance to qualifying events but must register specifically to do so. These additional rules apply to teams competing in qualifying events:
A competitive team consists of a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of ten (10) children. Proper adult supervision is required as described in the FIRST Youth Protection Policy .
A team must be registered and fully paid in their national registration system to sign up for official events. Additional event fees may apply.
Team members are between the minimum and maximum age allowed in the program. Central Valley Robotics can approve members outside the limit on a case by case basis.
All work presented at an official event is the work of the children on the team.
All team members attending an event are required to participate in the judging session, and be present as a team at the Robot Game matches
Age Restriction Details
FIRST LEGO League Challenge:
Participants must be in Grades 4-8 OR
Participants must not be younger than 9 years old or older than 14 years old
Awards / Advancement
A competitive team must meet these additional criteria to be eligible for awards and/or advancement at an official event:
Teams are at their first official event of each tournament level for the season. For example, teams are only eligible for awards at the first qualifier they compete in each season. (Note: teams may only participate in one official qualifier)
Team members’ work must conform to the parameters and rules outlined in the Challenge Overview, Engineering Notebook, and Robot Game Rulebook.
More details about Central Valley Robotics' process can be found in Awards and Advancement.
Consequences
FIRST® gives authority to volunteers staffing FIRST LEGO League Challenge official events to interpret and implement the Participation Rules, guided by global FIRST LEGO League Challenge training materials.
Teams, coaches and supporters at official events are expected to demonstrate the Core Values.
Individuals interfering with, excessively instructing, prompting or heckling a team or volunteer may be asked to leave.
Severe infractions of these rules may result in a team’s dismissal from the event. FIRST LEGO League Challenge official event volunteers are provided training to identify and respond to these situations (See FIRST Youth Protection Policy).
Individuals and/or teams who fail to abide by the Participation Rules may be ineligible for awards at a tournament.
More details about Central Valley Robotics' process can be found in Appendix 1 - Core Values Concerns and the Disqualification Investigative Process.
FIRST Values
Gracious Professionalism®
Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST Distinguished Advisor and Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, coined the term "Gracious Professionalism ®."
Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.
With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended.
In the long run, Gracious Professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing one has acted with integrity and sensitivity.
Coopertition®
Coopertition ® produces innovation. At FIRST, Coopertition is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete.
Coopertition involves learning from teammates. It is teaching teammates. It is learning from Mentors. And it is managing and being managed. Coopertition means competing always, but assisting and enabling others when you can.
FIRST Core Values
We express the FIRST® philosophies of Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition® through our Core Values:
Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!