FTC FIRST Chesapeake Championship is Coming!

FTC Chesapeake Championship is taking place February 7th and 8th at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, VA. Read more about the schedule and details on our website.

This season 10 Teams will advance from the District Championship to FIRST Championship in Houston. There are also options for 14 teams to enter Premier Events. Read more about Premier events here.

For Advancing Teams: After advancing from a district qualifier, expect an email from FIRST Chesapeake containing an invitation to the FTC Chesapeake Championship, registration instructions. See a schedule and information now on the FTC Chesapeake Championship webpage.

Nominate Student Ambassadors From Your Team

Do you have students on your team who would excel at explaining and promoting FIRST programing? We’re looking for a corp of student ambassadors to give tours, answer questions, and represent FIRST teams at Champs for visiting parents, spectators, and VIPs. Fill out the application linked below to nominate your students to become Ambassadors!

FIRST Worlds and Premier Preferencing

FIRST will continue hosting FTC premier events as well as the FIRST Championship in April.

*** In order to be placed in any capstone event, including FIRST Championship, a team must submit an Event Preferencing List. There are no "automatic" placements. 

How to Preference

1. Login to FTC Score. (You will use the same username and password that you use to log into your FIRST Dashboard.)
2. Select “Event Preferencing” in the left-hand menu 
3. On the Event Preferences page: 
4. Decline advancement  

OR

1. Enter your ranked list of events. 
2. Provide more information at the bottom of the page (optional) 
3. Save your list before leaving the page.

Read more at the FIRST website and preference your options today!

Help Turn FIRST Grads to FIRST Alumni

Help us celebrate your graduates and keep them in the FIRST community. Your team’s growth in FIRST is something to be proud of. The skills your students have developed- curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration-will stay with them beyond graduation. Many will pay it forward by becoming mentors and volunteers who inspire the next generation of STEM students and professionals. By supporting FIRST programs with their time and energy, your graduates ensure that more students gain the same skills, community, and inspiration that robotics provided them.

FIRST Chesapeake wants to support your graduates on the next steps of their journey. Every graduating FIRST team member is a potential volunteer, mentor, and coach.

Please share our graduating senior survey with your seniors so we can keep in touch, share local events and opportunities, and gauge their interest in supporting FIRST.

Become a Lead Volunteer!

FIRST Tech Challenge is only possible because of the dedication and expertise of its volunteers. At the core of every event are the Lead Volunteers, fulfilling vital roles to put on the game safely, fairly, and consistently. FIRST Chesapeake is seeking new applicants to expand our Lead Volunteer community. Roles include :

• Head Ref
• Field Technical Advisor
• Lead Robot Inspector
• Judge Advisor
• Equipment Manager
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Event Manager
• And More!!!

Do You Have What it Takes to Host FTC?

Most of our events are hosted by FTC teams and schools just like yours! Hosting a FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifier is an exciting way for FTC teams, schools, and organizations to support STEM education, gain behind-the-scenes experience in event management, and connect with other teams and volunteers. By hosting an event, you play a key role in making robotics accessible to more students while strengthening your own FTC community.

Fill out the survey, and you may be one of next years events! Read more at our website.

Team Mental Health Workshop

For those who missed our workshop on supporting student mental health, the recording is now availbile in the FIRST Chesapeake public Drive linked below.

Ready to Enroll in FTC Summer Academy 2026!

FIRST is gauging interest for this summer's FIRST Tech Challenge Academy in our District. This four-day intensive academy will provide hands-on training, coaching strategies, and exposure to FTC robotics for both new and experienced coaches. Are you interested in attending?

Who Should Attend

• New and prospective coaches
• Existing FTC coaches looking to deepen their technical and program management skills.
• Geared Up teacher-coaches ready to expand their technical acumen

What You You Learn

• Technical sessions (robot design, programming, control systems)
• FTC game strategy and team management
• Mock FTC events (students + teachers)
• Networking and mentor roundtables

If you are interested in learning more, fill out the survey below to let us know! See you on the field!