FIRST Tech Challenge
Tolland County 4-H Titans
Overview
Grades: 9-12
Location: 156 River Road, Willington CT
Meeting Times: The team meets year-round, however, the most intensive meeting time is September- February. We meet on:
Tuesday and Thursday Nights
Saturdays
Cost: Free
Our FTC Team is a 4H Robotics Team
It’s way more than building robots! FIRST Tech Challenge teams are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge.
Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
Each year a new game is released, and students have to strategize, design, build, and program a robot that is ready to compete against teams from across the state.
Students on the team also participate in community outreach, where they'll have the opportunity to volunteer and use what they learn to give back to the community.
See the videos on the right to get more information on FIRST Tech Challenge and to see robots in action!
2024-2025 Season
Because there are limited spots on our team, we have a yearly application period from May 1st - August 1st. During that time any interested students can apply, and we will add students to the team in early August based on the room we have available. You can access the application below:
Question and Answer
For any questions not answered below, please contact ymacary@tcrobotics.org.
Is there any costs associated with the program?
The program is free, however, to help cover competition costs, materials, equipment, etc, we ask that students and parents participate in fundraising that we do throughout the season.
Are parents required to stay for the duration of the program?
No, parents are not required to stay for the duration of meetings.
How long is the program?
The season is from September through February. Meetings are most intense during the season, however, the team meets year-round. Meetings are less intense during the offseason and summer.
How do you communicate with parents?
We utilize Remind, a communication platform that allows us to send out messages to all parents and students in our programs, and allows parents to individually contact program leaders. Information on how to join can be found when you sign up. Students also use a communication software called Slack to communicate with one another and their mentors.
Do students need to be from Willington to participate in the program?
No, there is no residency requirement for any of our programs.
Do I have to attend every single session?
In this program, students commit to a team. As such we expect students to attend a minimum of 2 meetings per week. We understand that illness and other issues may arise, but we hope that every family that signs up commits to the program as much as possible.
Will students work in a team?
Yes, students will be working in teams of 8-15 students for the duration of the season.
Who will be running the program?
The program is run by mentors of the Tolland County Robotics Foundation who receive training and go through a background check. Some of these mentors are college students, industry professionals, or alumni of the FIRST program.
Is there a competition at the end of the season?
Yes, at the end of the season students compete in 2 end-of-the-year competitions where they will compete against teams from all over the state. Teams that qualify then compete at the Connecticut State Championship.