Friday — 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Intro to Hardware Design
Location: HJ-1
Presented by: Jack M. (1678)
This workshop will cover the basics of design, such as design processes, good practices, and how designs tie into other subteams. This will be a good resource for those who are still getting introduced to FRC design and CAD, and want to learn a bit more about how to set up the system sustainably.
Advanced Electrical
Location: Room HJ-4
Presented by: Sarah O-H. (1678)
This workshop will cover in-depth FRC electrical practices, the pros and cons of using different systems and materials, and 1678’s electrical practices. This would be a good workshop for those who are already involved in wiring and want to learn more about how to improve the electrical on their robot and good practices.
Best Practices for Scouting Systems of All Sizes
Location: Room HJ-5
Presented by: Rotem H (5940), Alison Y (1678) and Liam S (1678)
When scouts give you lemons, make an amazing picklist! Your favorite sourdough teams cover everything you need to bake up a great scouting system! You’ll learn how 1678 and 5940 implement their systems throughout the entire data pipeline, and how you can do the same. Additionally, this talk covers the human element of scouting, from scout engagement to training and strategy.
DEI and Accommodating for Diversity in STEM
Location: Room HJ-6
Presented by: Anya G. and Joceline T. (1678)
This Diversity in STEM workshop will equip teams with the knowledge and tools to build an inclusive team culture that supports the success of students from all backgrounds. Participants will learn how Citrus Circuits’ create student-led programs that actively engage and uplift underrepresented students in STEM.
Project Management in FRC
Location: Room HJ-8
Presented by: Eric Schrock (10903)
This discussion will focus on why and how Team 10903, The Ionizers, uses a structured project management approach for their build season activities. We will discuss building an event-driven schedule, creating a work breakdown structure, assigning and estimating work, and how we use commercially available project management tools (like ClickUp or monday.com) to status and manage the season through a daily kanban approach.
More Than Robots: Crafting your Impact Award Story
Location: Room HJ-9
Presented by: Blake T. and Janhavi K. (1678)
Whether you’re a large team or a small team, planning your first outreach program or celebrating your 20th anniversary of doing it, every team has a story worth telling. From submission requirements and early tips to essay writing and presentation strategy, this workshop will help your team uncover the story behind your impact and turn it into a compelling submission. After all, FIRST is More Than Robots.
Saturday — 12:15pm – 1:15pm
Advanced Design
Location: HJ-1
Presented by: Presented by: Jack M. (1678)
Join 1678’s Design Lead as he goes through the more intricate and refined aspects of designing a high-performing FRC robot. This is a more advanced presentation, going deeper into the details than the Intro to Design workshop, so a strong foundation is advised!
Intro to Electrical
Location: Room HJ-4
Presented by: Sarah O-H. (1678)
This workshop will cover the basics of electrical, such as components, wires, and how electrical ties into other subteams. This will be a good resource for those who are not involved in electrical currently, and want to learn more about how it works and how they can support electrical on their team.
What Do Those Numbers Do? Demystifying Control Strategies in FRC
Location: Room HJ-5
Presented by: Vivek Kumar (1678)
PID. MotionMagic. Feedforward. Feedback. In the modern era of FRC with smart motors and well-developed control libraries, it’s easier than ever to implement sophisticated control systems for mechanisms, but despite that accessibility, how it all works under the hood can be confusing or opaque for students who are just trying to get things to move nicely. Get a taste of the underlying math and physics, build intuition for what kinds of control strategies to use for which tasks, and replace blind tuning with reasoned design and iteration.
Recruitment and Retention
Location: Room HJ-6
Presented by: Kyle C. (1671), Ekam G. (1671), and Blake T. (1678)
The goal of this workshop is to expand on strategies for recruiting and retaining members on your FRC team. We will discuss specific recruitment methods our team has implemented over the years, such as visiting classrooms and feeder schools, making the most of social media influence, and reaching out into the community. We will also explain the importance of fostering a positive team culture and how to create an environment that promotes member retention.
Mentoring Mentors
Location: Room HJ-8
Presented by: Mike Corsetto (1678)
Recruiting, developing and collaborating with a growing mentor team has many unique challenges. We’ll explore methods for establishing productive frameworks that set expectations while maintaining engagement.
Strategic Design “What’s”
Location: Room HJ-9
Presented by: Austin Haddox (1678)
Have you ever asked during kickoff, “What should our robot do?” In this presentation, we will go over how to structure your kickoff to effectively and efficiently decide your season’s strategy. We’ll discuss schedule, analysis, and discussion rules to make the most of kickoff.
Outreach Without (That Much) Burnout
Location: Room HJ-11
Presented by: Evan A. and Arna B. (1671)
Outreach may seem daunting, but with a dedicated team of students and parents to support you, it is much more sustainable. Learn how to take charge of outreach, identify areas in your community that you can reach, and create manageable systems to avoid last-minute stress. Strategies to include parent buy-in will also be covered.
Key takeaways from the workshop: Plan area-specific outreach events with structure, and get parent buy-in to lessen your burden.
Saturday — 5:15pm – 6:15pm
RETRIEVING Time
Location: Room HJ-1
Presented by: Rishaan J. (9114)
Ever lost hours hunting for a missing bolt, a specific gear, or that one sensor you swore was in the bin? In this workshop, we’ll talk about why inventory management is one of the most underrated keys to a smooth build season — saving your team time, money, and a whole lot of stress. Come see how getting organized can give your team back the hours that matter most.
Battery Management
Location: Room HJ-4
Presented by: Bobby Bloyed and Andrew P. (1671)
A reliable robot starts with a reliable battery. Learn how to select, charge, maintain, and test batteries while exploring how internal resistance, temperature, wiring, and improper handling affect battery performance, lifespan, and safety. We’ll also cover practical tools and tracking methods to help teams keep their batteries healthy and competition-ready.
Vision & Localization Systems in FRC
Location: Room HJ-5
Presented by: Clarina M. (1967) and Maceo S. (1678)
Learn how to build competition-ready FRC vision systems, including setup/calibration, sensor fusion and filtering, multi-camera localization, and integrating pose estimation with autonomous routines.
Empowering Girls In Technical FRC
Location: Room HJ-6
Presented by: Tirtha S., Kaaya G., and Charvee T (7419)
Technical subteams are often intimidating or hard to step into for underrepresented students but building an inclusive subteam environment makes all the difference. In this presentation, we explore how to empower everyone regardless of their background to step up and take ownership in technical departments with confidence. We will describe overcoming tool intimidation and navigating team dynamics, implementing hands-on training and peer mentorship programs, and practical team culture shifts to actively recruit and retain underrepresented students in STEM.
Money Money Money!
Location: Room HJ-8
Presented by: Julie S. (1671), Devon A. (1671), and Kyle I. (1678)
This finance workshop covers many different potential income sources for your FRC team! We will explore finding sponsorship opportunities, strategies for submitting grants and cold-calling businesses, and retaining current and future team sponsors. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to fundraising, this presentation offers a wealth of ideas for new income sources, as well as methods for maintaining sponsor relations.
Strategic Design “How’s”
Location: Room HJ-9
Presented by: Mike Corsetto (1678)
In this talk, we’ll discuss strategies to go from a set of strategic priorities to an effective robot concept. We’ll review topics such as hand sketching, whiteboard discussions, crayola CAD, prototyping, and design inspiration.
Effective Driver Training
Location: Room HJ-11
Presented by: Austin Haddox and Oliver R. (1678)
This workshop will focus on the process of forming and maintaining an effective and competitive FRC drive team, focusing on aspects from offseason training to in-match procedures. The offseason training portion of our presentation will cover the selection and initial training of the drive team, helpful drills and training techniques, and how to run effective drive practice. The on-season/competition portion will cover effective practice both early and late in the build season, how to establish an effective driver station/behind-the-glass communication system, and driving techniques and maneuvers useful in matches, such as defense/counter-defense. Oliver Rich is a Senior in high school, is in his third year driving, and is also on the 1678 design subteam.
