2021 FLL Season Update

Mari

We are gearing up for the Hawaii FLL Challenge 2021-2022 season! The planning committee has worked hard to put together tentative dates for this year’s events.

We want to find out from our teams how YOUR plans are going. We know things are still evolving as we navigate state health guidelines but please take a moment and let us know what your current participation plans are by filling out this survey by August 22, 2021.

To help you with your decisions here is what the Hawaii FLL Challenge Cargo Connect season looks like so far.

  • 2021 FLL Explore and Challenge – Cargo Connect Game Release
    • August 17, 2021@ 12:00 PM ET
    • Sign up here get a reminder
    • Click here for more information about National cost and registration
  • Registration Commitment (Google Form)
    • October 22, 2021
  • Kick Off – Virtual (Zoom)
    • October 30, 2021 @ 9:00 am
  • National Registration Deadline
    • November 30th, 2021 @ 11:59pm
    • Click here for more information about National cost and registration
  • District Tournaments (Virtual or In-Person)
    • Last two weeks of January 2022
  • State Tournament (Virtual or In-Person)
    • Last week of February 2022

FTC Championship Awards

Aaron

Aloha Teams,

Congratulations to all the Hawai`i teams who participated in the FIRST Tech Challenge Ultimate Goal Championship. With the League season now behind us and with scores tallied, the judges have rendered their decisions.  We know you are anxious to see the Championship results so we are releasing them below and on the Hawai`i FIRST Robotics website.  

Hawai`i FTC Awards Show, Coming Soon

Although having an in-person celebration wasn’t possible this season we are working to produce a Hawai`i FTC Awards Show (online) to be released on or before May 9. It’s our way of celebrating your achievements and acknowledging the countless hours of hard work that went into creating your amazing robotics. Help us pass the word to families and friends and encourage them to stream the video when available.  A link will be forthcoming.

Championship Award Volunteers

The Championship and these Awards would not have been possible without our volunteers. We are especially grateful to the Dean’s List Interviewers, Championship Judges, and to LeJardin Academy for providing the Championship Judging venue. We sincerely thank the following volunteers for their time, effort, dedication, and for making this season a success: Teri Nobriga, Jeff Kanada, John O’Hey, Tim Donlon, Brian Catlin, Tyson Kikugawa, Melissa Handy, Tracy Tonaki, Dale Zane, Marian Swider, and Danette Kobayashi.

Mahalo to our Sponsors

  • Hitachi Hawai`i
  • Booz Allen

 “Ultimate Goal” Awards

Dean’s List Finalists 
Kyla Lee9378 Magma Robotics, Kalani High School
Jake Yoshimoto11165 O-Bots (Independent)
Top Ranked Teams
Rank 111165 O-Bots – Honolulu, HI 
Rank 218120 HFR JS 3 – Honolulu, HI 
Rank 313088 Cyber Saints –  Kapaa, HI 
Rank 45159 X-bots – Honolulu, HI
Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc. 18120 HFR JS 3 – Honolulu, HI 
Collins Aerospace Innovate Award 13088 Cyber Saints – Kapaa, HI 
Connect Award9378 Magma Robotics – Honolulu, HI 
Think Award 11165 O-Bots – Honolulu, HI 
Inspire Award 18120 HFR JS 3 – from Honolulu, HI

Mahalo for a great season!

Aaron, Blake, Jenny

FTC Program Delivery Partners

Hawai`i FIRST Robotics 

Booz Allen and Hawai`i FIRST Robotics Are Creating an Island-Based Tech Talent Pipeline

Aaron

Hawai`i, best known as one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, has a problem retaining talent in technical fields: Many young people have been leaving the islands due to a combination of the high cost of living and a lack of economic opportunities, both real and perceived. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated efforts to improve economic resilience by diversifying the local economy.  

Hawai`i FIRST Robotics and Booz Allen are working to be part of the solution by introducing students from ages 6 to 18 to STEM projects, aiming to keep tech talent in Hawai`i and grow the state’s innovation ecosystem. Read more …

Hawaii FIRST Robotics Announces FLL Explore Awards

Marc Asano
  • FLL_Explore_Expo_2021_2
  • FLL_Explore_Expo_2021_1

This year teams across Hawaii participated in a largely virtual season. The 2020-21 FLL Explore theme, PLAYMAKERS, challenged teams to think of new ways to play and move, while applying FIRST Core Values to create a team model. Hawaii FIRST Robotics held a FLL Explore PLAYMAKERS Expo, and here are the FLL Explore Expo Awards for the 2020-2021 season!

Challenge Solution Award: HMS Dolphins (Team 1675)

Core Values Award: The Troublemakers (Team 23632)

Team Model Award: Ripstick Replayers (Team 21597)

Team Model Award: HCAP Revolutionary Warriors (Team 19432)

Congratulations to all the coaches and students who participated during this challenging season! See you next year!

Hawaii FIRST Robotics Announces FLL CHallenge Awards

Marc Asano

This year teams across Hawaii participated in a largely virtual season. The 2020-21 FLL Challenge theme, RePLAY, challenged teams to think of new ways to play and move. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 18 teams signed up to participate this year. Each team used the FIRST Core Values to design a robot to complete missions, and develop an innovation project that identified and solved a problem for the community. Each team presented its project to judges and competed in the robot game.

On March 6, 2021, Hawaii FIRST Robotics held a virtual awards ceremony to announce this year’s awardees.

Coach’s Award: Spencer Williams, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol: Bill and the Ciphers, Independent Team (Team 39908)

Robot Performance: Tech Squad, Independent Team (Team 51535)

Robot Design : Robo-Rangers, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii (Team 51507)

Innovation Project: Honubots, Kailua Elementary School (Team 16871)

Core Values: P.L.A.E., Holomua Elementary School (Team 2365)

Champion’s Runner-Up: Fast Fooders, Independent Team (Team 51563)

Champion’s 1st Place: HMS Robotics, Hongwanji Mission School (Team 6898)

HMS Robotics will represent the Hawaii Region at the FIRST World Festival in July.

Congratulations to all the coaches and students who participated during this challenging season! See you next year!

2020-2021 FLL Challenge Virtual Awards Ceremony

Aloha FLL Explore Coaches/Mentors!

Mari

Thank you for your patience as we have endured this most unusual FIRST Robotics season.  As promised, we will be hosting a virtual Hawaii State Expo on Saturday, March 6, 2021. While the current circumstances prevent us from celebrating in person, we still hope it will be a day for our Hawaii FLL Explore teams to celebrate and share the results of their hard work and creative efforts.  During the virtual Expo, teams will have the opportunity to present their models and answer questions from reviewers.


If you have an FLL Explore team registered with FIRST for the 2020-2021 season and would like to join the Hawaii State Expo, please complete our Form no later than February 19, 2021 so we know how many teams and students plan to participate on March 6th.

https://forms.gle/23g4yHZfG53Z5NX38

There is no additional fee to participate in the Expo.  We may need additional information from you on the FIRST Remote Event Hub in the coming weeks as soon as we get more instruction from FIRST.  In the meantime, please register your team through the link above, and submit any questions you have on the Form.


Thank you for your dedication to our youngest FIRST teams!

Sign up for FTC Remote League meets

Peter

Aloha Hawai’i FTC teams,

Follow this link to register your team to participate in Hawai’i League Meets. One form must be completed for each team.

All currently scheduled Hawaii FTC events will be held remotely. Also, teams are encouraged to participate in as many League meets as they are able. A team’s top ten (10) Matches from all previous league meets determine their rank when entering the League Tournament at the end of the season. Since traveling between islands is not required this year, the past season’s ranking method is not being used.

Teams have a full week to complete a Remote League Meet which consists of 6 scored matches. Remote Meets begin on Sunday and end on Saturday of that week. If you sign up for an event, you are expected to submit scores for that event by 11:50pm on Saturday of that week. Failure to submit scores will be considered a no show and result in a score of zero.

HAWAII REGISTRATION FEES WAIVED: To encourage and support teams during the pandemic, Hawaii FIRST Robotics has waived all Hawaii registration fees.

If you need help or have questions, visit Hawaii FTC Updates https://hawaiifirstrobotics.orgfirst-tech-challenge/ or email us at [email protected].

Mahalo, and good luck throughout the season!

Team Grant Awardees announced for the 2020-21 Game Changers Season!

Marc Asano

Hawaiian Electric (@hawaiianelectric) and Hawai`i FIRST Robotics are excited to announce the recipients of the 2020-2021 Game Changers Season Team Grant to support both returning and new First Lego League Challenge and Explore teams with national registration and equipment.  We are so very proud of all our teams persevering and working hard to invent a whole new way to do robotics.  Congratulations to the following teams:

FLL Challenge: Holomua 1- Team 2364 from Holomua Elementary School 
FLL Challenge: Holomua 2- Team 2365 from Holomua Elementary School
FLL Challenge: Holomua 3- Team 2366 from Holomua Elementary School
FLL Challenge: Holomua 4- Team 2367 from Holomua elementary School
FLL Challenge: Knights- Team 2585 from Saint Joseph Parish School 
FLL Challenge: All Stars- Team 3523 from Mililani Middle School
FLL Challenge: Bright Bodacious Blazers- Team 3524 from Mililani Middle School
FLL Challenge: HMS Robotics- Team 6898 from Hongwanji Mission School
FLL Challenge: The Honubots- Team 16871 from Kailua Elementary School
FLL Challenge: Waiheʻe Robo Warriors- Team 28108 from Waiheʻe Elementary School
FLL Challenge: Guardians of the Galaxy- Team 39908 a Home School Group
FLL Challenge: Palamatrons- Team 45134 from Honolulu Community Action Program, Inc. 
FLL Challenge: Alaka’i O Hunua- Team 50055 from NSBE JR 
FLL Challenge: Robogirls- Team 50889
FLL Challenge: Seahorse Robotics- Team 51065 from Waianae Elementary
FLL Challenge: Robo-Rangers- Team 51507 from O-Bots Foundation
FLL Challenge: Tech Squad- Team 51535
FLL Challenge: Earl’s Team- Team 51563
FLL Challenge: SAS WARRI0RS- Team 51700 from St Anthony’s School Kailua
FLL Challenge: Warwick- Team 51701 from BSA Pack 388
FLL Explore: HMS Dolphins 1- Team 1675 from Hongwanji Mission School
FLL Explore: Kipapa Cougar Cubs 2- Team 7789 from Kipapa Elementary
FLL Explore: Palamatrons- Team 19432 from Honolulu Community Action Program, Inc. 
FLL Explore: Delightful Dragon Unicorn Friends – Team 19470
FLL Explore: Block Rockers- Team 19651 from St Catherine’s School
FLL Explore: Warwick- Team 21597 from BSA Pack 388
FLL Explore: Akamai Keiki- Team 22260 from NSBE JR 
FLL Explore: Wili Wili 1- Team 23585
FLL Explore: Robo Saints A – Team 23688 from Saint Patrick School
FLL Explore: Robo Saints B- Team 23689 from Saint Patrick School
FLL Explore: 3 Sargent Boys- Team 23826 a Home School Group

Remote Season webinars for FTC teams

Peter

FIRST Tech Challenge is offering a series of webinars for Teams to provide support and answer questions about our upcoming remote season. Teams may register for the November Team webinars below. Note, registration requires a Team number.

You can find the archive for all Team webinar recordings here.

Hawaii FTC update nov. 3, 2020

Peter

Aloha Teams, 

We hope your FTC season is progressing well.  We have several important updates for you today.  But first, let’s address a question that may be concerning you. 

Is it too late to start a FTC team and participate fully in the season?

No, it is definitely not too late.  In fact, it’s entirely possible given our expanded season, for a team to start as late as January and still enjoy the full season experience. To us, “full participation” means competing in three League Meets, one League Tournament, and/or Championship. Participation in the Championship is not mandatory, however, your team’s award earning prospects will be greatly diminished by missing the event. 

Good news! No registration fees for Hawaii Teams!

Hawaii FIRST Robotics® has officially waived the $120 Hawaii team registration fee.  It’s our way of supporting all the hard work you do when learning new skills and making the world a better place.   

Great News!! FREE RevRobotics Control Hub for Hawaii Teams

Our stellar sponsor, Hitachi Hawaii, has graciously provided Hawaii FIRST Robotics with funding to support each team’s effort this season. Thanks to Hitachi’s generous support, each registered Hawaii team participating in the Ultimate Goal Hawaii season will receive a new RevRobotics Control Hub, a $300 value.  Click here to request yours.

Expanded Hawaii Season Calendar (link)

To accommodate the various scheduling requirements of our teams, we have added many new events to the season.  Beginning this month, teams may participate in weekly league events stretching to the end of February. March will include a League Tournament in which all teams may participate, as well as the Ultimate Goal Championship event. Note, all Hawaii events will be held remotely (online) and teams will have a one week period in which to complete the required matches and submit scores for each event.

Scoring Software release expected in late November

The official FIRST FTC Scoring Software is anticipated to be released by the time our first League event begins on Nov. 29.  If the software is not released in time, teams may decide to forego that week’d event OR use paper scoresheets. Paper/pencil scores should be submitted directly to your FTC Partners. 

Are you missing information?

If you missed the Official FIRST FTC Kickoff or the Hawaii FTC Kickoff, you may be missing key season information your team will need. Please review the kickoffs (links above) and then visit the FTC Team Management Resources page for official game manuals, grant opportunities, and practical help with setting up your remote league events. 

That’s for now. Send us an email when you have questions or need help. Until next time, keep up the good work. We wish you all the best.

Your FTC Partners,

Aaron, Blake, and Jenny