Get settled after your travels, then start the weekend off right by connecting with fellow mentors at our casual Meet + Greet before the conference officially begins. Drop in any time between 7–11 p.m. to enjoy great conversation, make new connections, and relax with snacks provided. It’s the perfect opportunity to build community and set the tone for an inspiring weekend of learning and collaboration.

Welcome to the New England Mentor Conference! Come to the third floor of the WPI Campus Center for registration right in the foyer, then enjoy breakfast before our day begins. 

Menu: coffee, bagels, mini pastries, yogurt, juice

Dig in to the 2025 New England Mentor Conference presented by Onshape by PTC, with a special thank you from our title sponsor!

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Hear from FIRST Board Member and FIRST alum Dr. Melissa Smith as she welcomes our group to the conference and sets the tone for our inclusive and collaborative weekend. 

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FIRST is more than robots—it can develop confidence, leadership, and a sense of belonging in students. By focusing on personal growth and meeting every student at their level, teams can create an environment where students progress at their own pace, from observing to learning to leading. This presentation discusses the value of using systems like subteams to engage students in both technical & business roles, as well as how leadership opportunities and good mentoring can foster long-term success. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for optimizing team dynamics and creating a supportive, growth-focused program for all students.

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The Walpole Robotics Program has grown to involve two sister teams, FRC 1153 and 1119. This session covers how the Timberwolves and the Pup Cups build their training programs to run two FRC teams, how they split up students and responsibilities, how they manage funding for two teams, and in general how having two FRC teams live in one program successfully. Bonus: how FIRST LEGO League factors into their recruitment pipeline!

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This presentation offers a concise strategy for FIRST teams to maximize their offseason impact. We'll explore best practices, draw examples from Citrus Circuits, and provide actionable steps teams can implement immediately for their most successful season yet.

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Join this small group roundtable to share and brainstorm effective advocacy strategies that support FIRST teams at the state level. Mentors and team leaders will discuss challenges, successes, and ideas for influencing local policies, securing funding, and raising awareness of FIRST programs. Collaborate with peers to develop actionable plans that strengthen your team’s presence and impact within your community.

Running a robotics team takes more than good ideas; it takes structure, planning, and strong student leadership. This session shares practical tools and repeatable frameworks that help teams stay organized, delegate effectively, and build a strong internal culture. This workshop is designed to be immediately implementable, with structures that you can start using as soon as you get back to the shop.

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Vision and localization are essential components of modern FRC software, but discussions of this topic tend to focus on low-level details: cameras, coprocessors, FPS, filtering, and more. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture, but there are a few key attributes which consistently differentiate truly exceptional FRC vision systems (spoiler: it’s not about the coprocessor). In this presentation, we’ll flip the typical vision “tutorial” on its head by presenting a top-down view of how you can design a world-class vision system that works in alignment with your team’s goals. We’ll also take you inside the design processes that FRC 6328 has used when designing our vision systems, including the failures and lessons learned along the way.

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Bring your questions and join this interactive small group roundtable focused on all things related to NE FIRST events and competitions. Whether you’re a rookie mentor or seasoned team member, get real-time answers, tips, and insights about event logistics, volunteering, best practices, and how to navigate the competition experience smoothly. Collaborate with peers and experienced mentors to make your next event more successful and enjoyable.

Sit with someone you haven't met before and swap your favorite lesson learned so far! 

Menu: Artisan sandwiches: Mediterranean grilled chicken/sun-dried tomato/hummus on ciabatta; avocado/lettuce/tomato on wheat; or roast beef/American cheese/lettuce/tomato/onion on sub. Includes tossed garden salad and choice of beverage.

Featuring: FRC 125, FRC 166, FRC 195, FRC 1071

What does it really take to win the FIRST Impact Award? In this panel, past award-winning teams and experienced judges share honest insights, hard-earned lessons, and behind-the-scenes stories about what it means to build a truly impactful program. From community outreach and team culture to documentation and presentations, discover what success looks like—and why it’s never effortless. Whether you're just starting your journey or refining your submission, this panel will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to put in the work.

Get the tools and techniques you need to effectively teach Onshape to your FIRST students. This session, led by experts in both FIRST and Onshape, will cover best practices for introducing CAD concepts, structuring lessons, and guiding students through hands-on projects using Onshape’s cloud-based platform. Learn how to build skills progressively, manage student work in real time, and empower learners of all experience levels to contribute confidently to your team’s design process.

Join this small group roundtable to discuss effective strategies for recruiting and retaining mentors within your FIRST team. Share challenges, successes, and practical ideas to build a sustainable mentor community that supports your team year after year. Collaborate with peers to develop actionable approaches that strengthen team culture and ensure long-term program success.

Join FRC 2486, the CocoNuts from Flagstaff, Arizona, as they share their inspiring journey to becoming a Hall of Fame team. With a mission to make STEM accessible across Northern Arizona, especially with the Diné (Navajo) Reservation in their backyard, the CocoNuts made their Impact with resiliency, passion, and dedication. Learn how they empower not just students, but entire communities, by delivering Arizona FIRST Tech Challenge, supporting FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics Competition teams statewide, and advocating for STEM at both the state and national level. Discover their groundbreaking initiatives like the “También Lo Puedo Hacer (I Can Do It Too)” STEM fair and the RezBotics program on the Navajo Nation, which brought indigenous robotics teams to life and hosted the first all-indigenous robotics tournament. This keynote will inspire you to make your own unique impact in FIRST and your community, in ways that are meaningful and measurable.

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Featuring Ronan Melville, FRC 2713; Drew Bennett, FRC 6329; McKenzie Brunelle, Co-Lead FTA

Learn how to streamline your team’s design workflow with Onshape, the cloud-native CAD platform built for collaboration. In this session, our own FIRST and Onshape experts will demonstrate how teams can use built-in version control, real-time editing, and integrated documentation tools from kickoff to competition. The last half of this session will be a Q&A where audience members can ask Onshape team members almost anything about Onshape or PTC.

Featuring: FRC 1757, FRC 2370, FRC 3467, FRC 9710

How do successful teams keep things running smoothly behind the scenes? In this panel, local FRC mentors share how they structure their organizations, divide responsibilities, and manage the many moving parts of a season—from build to outreach to competition prep. Learn practical strategies for assigning roles, tracking progress, and empowering student leaders while keeping mentors sane. Whether you’re building a team from scratch or refining your systems, walk away with ideas you can put to work right away.

Join a small group roundtable focused on the importance of FUN—one of the six FIRST Core Values. Share ideas and experiences on how FRC teams can maintain excitement, enthusiasm, and joy throughout the season. Together, explore practical ways to foster a positive, enjoyable environment for students and mentors alike, ensuring the program stays inspiring and rewarding for everyone involved.

During the 2025 season, FRC 3005, the RoboChargers, debuted a highly effective workflow for laying out and routing the robot’s electrical subsystem early in the design process. This presentation will review how this workflow helped FRC 3005 streamline the robot build process and improve reliability and maintainability. The workflow builds on the success of their “High Fidelity Block CAD” methodology. The presentation includes a first look at several custom Onshape features developed by RoboChargers members to streamline this part of the design process.

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Featuring: FRC 125, FRC 195, FRC 1768, FRC 2423

Great mentorship goes far beyond technical skills. In this panel, mentors from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds share how their unique perspectives—whether in education, trades, industry, the arts, or beyond—enrich their teams' experiences and culture. Learn how diverse strengths contribute to stronger relationships, creative problem-solving, and a more inclusive environment for students. Come hear stories, ask questions, and celebrate the many paths that lead to impact in FIRST.

Join fellow mentors for an open discussion on how AI tools and technologies are being explored and integrated into FRC team operations. From scouting automation and data analysis to vision processing and design assistance, this roundtable invites you to share ideas, use cases, and concerns around bringing AI into the world of FIRST. Whether you're just curious or already experimenting, come collaborate on how AI can support—not replace—the student-led experience.

Unwind and connect with fellow mentors at our conference social at Bowlero! Enjoy an evening of bowling, pizza, and casual conversation in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Whether you're swapping build season stories or just looking to relax after a day packed with information, this is a great opportunity to build community and recharge with everyone at NEMC. Shoe rentals, pizza and soft drinks for 2 hours included for everyone who registered. Still need to sign up? Click here!

Welcome back to DAY 2!

Menu: coffee, bagels, mini pastries, yogurt, juice

Hear from 2025 CT All-State Robotics Alumni of the Year, David Givens, as he shares a modified version of his inspirational banquet keynote with our group.

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Mentors are the backbone of every successful FIRST team, and supporting them is critical to long-term program success. In this session, our friends from FIRST HQ will share the current efforts of the FIRST Mentor Development Initiative, a national effort focused on recruiting, training, and retaining quality mentors. Learn how this initiative is helping teams build sustainable support systems, create inclusive and safe environments for students, and access new tools and resources for mentor growth. Whether you're a veteran or just starting out, discover how to strengthen your impact and help build the next generation of STEM leaders.

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FIRST is not just a robotics competition, but also a vehicle for building strong individual mindsets and communities. Setting a positive team culture goes a long way towards reaching those program goals. Explore some of the fundamentals and lessons learned that have allowed us to start and build award winning FRC teams and develop a new generation of leaders and mentors.

Enjoy rapid-fire brilliant ideas thanks to teams from all over in this session that puts YOU on the microphone. Mentors that have something awesome to share that only needs 5-10 minutes to talk about were invited to submit their mini prez, and now you get to hear from them!

• FRC 175: Fundraising Approaches

• FRC 341: Competitive Mentality

• FRC 1403: Team Bonding Strategies

• FRC 2064: How to Talk Like a Robot

• FRC 2648: Unified Robotics

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Get hands-on with the latest innovations from key FIRST suppliers in this demo session featuring AndyMark, Thrifty Bot, and Cross The Road Electronics (CTRE). Learn about new components, tools, and technologies designed to give your team a competitive edge...straight from the experts who build them. Whether you're looking to streamline your build season or upgrade your control systems, this is your chance to ask questions, explore new products, and see how these trusted vendors support the FRC community.

Curious about what happens in FIRST LEGO League Challenge before students make the leap to FTC or FRC? This session is designed for experienced mentors looking to branch out into coaching younger students in a way that’s fun, rewarding, and aligned with the FIRST Core Values. You'll get a hands-on introduction to FLL Challenge, exploring everything from robot design and missions to the Innovation Project and Core Values. Whether you're thinking of starting a team, mentoring one at your local school, or just want to understand the FIRST family of programs better, this session will equip you with practical strategies, coaching insights, and activity ideas to bring FLL to life. Bonus: you’ll get to play with LEGO bricks (professionally, of course).

A discussion of FRC 1757 Wolverines' team history, unique set up, and how they turned a team that could barely ever make the playoffs at an event into one of the top teams in the Region, one that WON the 2023 New England District Championship as FRC alliance captains!

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Join a two-time World Champion drive coach as he shares a proven, high-performance strategy blueprint built from over 20 years in FRC. This session will dive deep into drive team dynamics, match preparation, in-game adaptability, alliance strategy, and how to evolve your approach from Week 1 to the World Championship. With practical insights on practice, scouting, communication roles, and real-world match footage review techniques, attendees will leave equipped to build smarter strategies, stronger teams, and smoother execution under pressure.

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Explore how MathWorks’ MATLAB and Simulink work together to simplify and accelerate FRC robot software development. Simulink provides a visual, model-based environment to design and simulate your robot’s control systems, while MATLAB offers a powerful programming and data analysis platform to complement and extend those models. Join power users from Illinois-based FRC 2040 as they share practical insights on building, testing, and automatically generating optimized C++ code from Simulink models. Learn how this integrated workflow can boost your team’s efficiency, reliability, and performance on the field.

Celebrate the end of the conference with a traditional barbecue outside (or in the dining area of the first floor of the Campus Center, if there's inclement weather). 

Menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, assorted buns, vegetarian burgers, garden salad with Italian dressing, potato chips, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise, watermelon slices and assorted sodas.