Get Involved

“I welcome the opportunity to encourage any and everyone I meet to get involved with FIRST, as a volunteer, a mentor, or by supporting a team. The rewards are simply too immense to summarize in words…” Nicole Collazo, Senior Software Engineer II, Raytheon Systems

If you are interested in starting a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team…

Learn everything you can about FIRST and the FIRST Robotics Competition, check out the resources on this site before committing to forming a team. Find a local team or two, talk to them, and follow their progress through a season. Attend at least one regional competition (like the Pacific Northwest Regional) to gauge the impact of the competition for yourself. Plan to meet with the team leaders and students, speak with their sponsors, and see robots first-hand. Then sign up! We look forward to having you with us.

Once you’re ready to start an FRC team at your school, start developing partnerships that will supply your team with mentors and sponsors. Local manufacturing and technology companies are ideal sources of mentors and sponsors, as are local technical schools, colleges, and universities. Check out the local chapters of professional science and engineering organizations in your area. They may be willing to support FIRST through volunteer help from their engineers, scientists, and technologists. See the FIRST Force section for more details.

If you are interested in becoming a Team or Regional Event Sponsor…

Companies can support FIRST in a variety of ways, including:

• PNW Regional Support – Sponsorships through FIRST
• PNW Team Funding Support – Scholarships for FIRST Teams FIRST
• Local Teams – Sponsorships
• Machine Shop Support
• Mentoring Support

Funds received will be used to support FIRST programs. Donations to FIRST are tax deductible to the extent provided by current IRS tax laws and regulations. Specify in a letter to FIRST where the sponsorship funds are to be used. FIRST is a 501 (C) (3) Public Charity. FIRST’s Federal Tax ID (FEIN) is #22-2990908

Please contact the regional planning director: Bill Buskirk at ImTech, Inc., (541)-757-2047, robotics@imtech-or.com to request more information or to set up a presentation to your company.

If you are interested in mentoring a team…

If you are interested in becoming a FIRST mentor, talk with FIRST FORCE and request information on teams in your area. Local teams are likely to know about new teams forming in the area. Rookie teams especially benefit from strong professional mentoring.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Regional …

Each FIRST Robotics Competition event depends on a large number of volunteers with a broad spectrum of talents to support operating needs and competition demands. Volunteers at the regional can:

• Help with the robot pit area
• Help with team events
• Help with participation safety
• Help the judges
• Help the referees
• Help with the competition field

If you are interested in volunteering on the Regional Planning Committee…

Besides volunteer opportunities during the competition event, the Regional Planning Committee is seeking volunteers to help the committee make each year’s event better.

If you would like to participate in the Regional Planning Committee, please contact Bill Buskirk at ImTech, Inc., (541)-757-2047, robotics (at) imtech-or (dot) com.