Team Leaders, welcome to the new season.  I will continue to send emails out to last year’s team leads until registration is complete.  There are lots of fall activities between now and kickoff to help build your team’s skills.  See the Training and Off-Season Events sections of the regional website for details (https://mnfirst.org ).

Great Northern Regional

A new Regional competition is on the calendar, the Great Northern Regional.  It will be held Week 1, March 1st – 3rd, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND.  Details regarding food and hotel options will be posted as they become available.  Watch this page (https://mnfirst.org/index.php/the-great-northern-regional/ )

JumpStart for Mentors

A day-long training session geared towards team mentors will be held on Oct 28th, 9am – 2pm.  Location is St. Cloud State University Welcome Center, 355 5th Ave South, St. Cloud, 56301

Topics include the following:

Partnering with your Community and School Administration
Building Strong Team Culture
Effective Team Communication
Building a Quality Mentor Corps through Expectations & Training

See the Training Section of the regional website (https://mnfirst.org/index.php/training/jumpstart-for-mentors/ ) for additional details.

RSVP mmaine@isd726.org

MN State IT Center of Excellence 6th Annual MN Aspirations in Computing Awards

What’s the best way to support the next generation of tech enthusiasts? Recognize their talent and cultivate a community where they can experiment, explore, and thrive. That’s the goal of the sixth annual Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Awards (http://advanceitmn.org/aspirations-in-computing-awards/ ).

While efforts to narrow the gender gap in the tech industry have received renewed attention, women made up only 26% percent of the nationwide computing workforce in 2016, and less than 10% percent were women of color.

To help address the gender and opportunity gap, and encourage young women interested in technology, Minnesota State – IT Center of Excellence, with its numerous partners, are seeking young women in high schools across the state with emerging aspirations and accomplishments in technology, to apply for the Minnesota Aspirations for Women in Computing Awards Program online. Applications are being accepted through November 9th, 2017.  Last year, the Minnesota awards program recognized 32 honorees from across the state for their computing-related achievements and interests. Eight were dually recognized at the national level.
Students can submit applications for the award online through Nov. 9, 2017. Winners will be chosen in December and honored by sponsor partners at an April 2018 awards ceremony in Vadnais Heights, MN.

All Minnesota applicants will automatically be entered into the national awards program. National winners will be honored at the 2018 Bank of America Technology Stars of the Future Showcase in March 2018.

Regards,
Mark Lawrence
Chairman, MN FIRST Regional Planning Committee