Housekeeping reminder: This email is sent to the lead (2) mentors listed in each team’s registration via the FIRST Dashboard. It does not go to all mentors on a team. Please share this information with your mentors and your teams as is appropriate. Thank you to everyone who is reading these emails, and sharing the information with other mentors on your teams. 
28 days to Duluth Events
49 days to Grand Forks Event
63 days to Minneapolis Events
This week’s update:
- New Regional Director
- Important Update Regarding Remote Judging
- Safety Animation Awards
- Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Announcement
- Approaching Award Deadlines
- Week Zero Events
- Spec Check is Back!
- COVID-19 Reminder
- THANK YOU REGIONAL PROGRAM SPONSORS
- Email Blast Archive
- FRC Blog and season updates
- FIRST in Upper Midwest Newsletter
New Regional Director
Nicole Schossow has joined us as the new Regional Director for Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. While she has plenty of experience work with youth nonprofits, she is new to FIRST and looks forward to meeting and learning from all our students, mentors, volunteers, and sponsors. Nicole will be at all of our regional events this spring, so stop her and introduce yourself. Can’t wait until then? Her email: nschossow@firstinspires.org.
Remote Judging
FRC events in Duluth (Lake Superior & Northern Lights) and Minneapolis (10,000 Lakes & North Star) will have remote judging. Please refer to the Remote Judging Plan for specific details. Watch for emails from your specific events to schedule your judging time.
The Remote Judging Plan does not apply to Teams competing at the Great Northern Regional Event, Grand Forks, ND. Judging for this event, with the exception of the Dean’s List, will be live and in-person.
FIRST Safety Animation
FIRST Robotics Competition is delighted to announce the winner and finalists for the 2022 Safety Animation Award sponsored by UL! Read the blog post announcing our winner here.
FIRST Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Announcements
Refer to the blog post written by Frank Merrick, Director FIRST Robotics Competition on recent developments on Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at FIRST.
Upcoming Deadlines! Please note the following upcoming Awards deadlines:
- Dean’s List and Woodie Flowers Awards: closes next Thursday, February 10, 2022, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Chairman’s Award: closes Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time
For additional awards and submission details, please visit the Awards page. Please remember to check submission deadlines, and email firstteammembers@
Week Zero Events:
o Eagan Feb 19 https://www.team2220.org/blue-
o Nevis Feb 26 (open to NMRC Conference members only, at this time)
o Willmar Feb 26 Link to website with further information
o Irondale February 26- http://www.team2052.com/2022-
SPEC CHECK Is Back! Regional inspectors and Control System Advisors will be happy to check your robot before you finish it up and bring to events. Please reference this document
Remember to review the COVID-19 Policies for your event. Every person at the event is responsible for knowing this material and following with gracious professionalism. These policies can be found in the archived email blast from 1/28/22. Please see this link on the firstuppermidwest.org website.
Please also refer to FIRST’s Event Rules, which are in effect for all official FIRST events.
Special thanks and appreciation to our Regional Program Sponsors to make our 2022 FIRST Rapid React season a success!
- Medtronic
- University of Minnesota, College of Science & Engineering
- Boston Scientific
- 3M
- Cirrus Aircraft
- Digi Key
- Freestyle Productions
- John Deere
- Marvin Windows
- Target
- University of North Dakota
- USBank
- Best Buy
- Dunwoody College of Technology
- Essentia Health
- Infor
- North Dakota State University
- The Toro Company
- Visit Greater Grand Forks
- Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation
- Hartel’s
- Komatsu
- Minnesota Power Foundation
- Northern Clearing
- Visit Duluth
- Emerson Solutions
- Paul & Ruth Bauhahn Charitable Fund
- Saturn Systems
- Newcon Co.
- Barr Engineering
- Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union
- North Shore Bank of Commerce
- Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC
- TKDA
- Bell Bank
- Scheels
Email Blast Archive: These email blasts are archived! Please see this link on the firstuppermidwest.org website.
FRC Blog and Season Updates
Season-critical information is released via the FIRST Blog! Please subscribe and bookmark this page.
FIRST in Upper Midwest Newsletter
Updates for FRC teams in our region from FIRST Upper Midwest, covering off-season events, activities, and outreach opportunities. This is a separate, opt-in, weekly mailing from FUM. Sign up at FUM FIRST Robotics Competition Updates.
Regards,
Laurie Shimizu
FIRST Senior Mentor || Minnesota
Chief Volunteer Coordinator, FIRST Robotics Competition
Pronouns: she/her/hers