This March, Maine is hosting two FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) events, instead of just one as in past years. As volunteer Judge Advisor for these two events, I am looking for lots of Judges!
Who can be a Judge? Any adult (18 or older) with strong assessment skills, strong communication skills, and able to work as a member of the judging team. These are Educators, STEM and/or Business Professionals, FIRST Alumni; basically any adult interested in encouraging and interacting with high school robotics teams. We always encourage involvement from a diverse group of professions, genders, ages and ethnic groups, so that the student participants can see their future selves in the Judges who interview them!
What is FRC about? These students are given a few short weeks between the game announcement and their first competition to analyze this year’s game, decide on strategies, design, build, program and operate a robot to implement their strategies. It’s a program that encourages teamwork, creativity and learning, while managing the whole process against the reality of a deadline. It’s not just about STEM, but also about real world business skills. Here’s a short video that explains.
How does Judging work? As Judges, you get to interview each of these roughly 30 teams per event to learn more about their robot, what they’ve accomplished, and how they’ve organized themselves to both sustain the team and promote STEM learning in their community. The judges will deliberate to reach decisions about which teams have earned each of the 15 team awards and 2 individual awards. Judges always come away inspired and energized about what they’ve seen, and they get field-side seats for the elimination rounds and then hand out the awards to the winning teams! The commitment required of Judges is all day Saturday and Sunday of the competition weekend. Breakfast and lunch are provided on both days.
If you and/or any of your colleagues would be willing to come help judge either or both of Maine’s FRC events, please use the QR codes or links below.
February 28 – March 2, 2025
Falmouth High School
Falmouth, Maine.
or click to volunteer now
March 14 – March 16, 2025
The Colisée
Lewiston, Maine.
or click to volunteer now
If you’d like to know more about judging a competition, feel free to get in touch with me.
David S. Johnson (he/him/his)
FRC Judge Advisor, Southern Maine Event & Pine Tree Event
dsjohnsonMaine@gmail.com