This keynote studies how a mentor's genuine commitment to competition results is key for maximizing student success. Guiding teams toward building a successful robot, what is called the "campfire we all circle around", fosters self-efficacy and inspiration in students. This session will explore tools to consider and case studies of following these strategies. Building better robots builds better people, both your students and yourself.

AI is not just for programmers, and this session is not about writing robot code. This talk is about how mentors and students can use AI to create real value for their teams, from custom apps and interactive websites to scouting tools. Using examples like Tide Apps, I’ll show how AI can help people without a traditional software background turn ideas into polished, useful products. The focus will be on what becomes possible when more people on a team can build: faster iteration, better internal tools, and creative solutions to problems that used to require a dedicated developer. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for using AI beyond the robot and a clearer picture of how students and mentors can start building things that make their teams better.

This presentation covers simple concepts to help improve your team and robot in the coming season as well as give specific technical information to use for your robot. This presentation has been curated over the past couple years to pull in the latest tribal knowledge on how run a successful FRC team.

A first-year FRC software mentor reflects on the transition from FLL to FRC. The session covers useful resources for getting started and discusses the techniques used to teach rookie software students on Team 6328 (Mechanical Advantage). A new open-source interactive learning tool, Mech-A Coder, is introduced to help teams build foundational software skills. The session concludes with speculation on the future of software development and mentorship in an era of rapid technological change.

Sheet metal in FRC is back! Design methods of FRC days past may be exactly what your team needs to take your robots to the next level. Sheet metal fabrication is faster than ever, making manufacturing methods that used to be reserved for large production shops accessible to FRC teams at all levels. Learn how to design for sheet metal and save weight, time, and money on your 2027 season.

What does it take to be eligible for FIRST Tech Challenge awards, and how can you guide your students to success? Join Wheeler School's FTC mentor to find out!

Behind every efficient build season is a shop culture built on clear pipelines and consistent execution. This session breaks down how a lean coaching staff can structure a small workspace into a fast, manageable manufacturing setup. I will share our offseason training frameworks, design workflows, AI Tools, and team structure that help students and mentors confidently take ownership of the tools, test ideas sooner, and keep the team moving forward.

After coaching FTC in a middle school level for three years now, I keep having the same conversation of "Are middle schoolers really able to handle this level of robotics?" And the answer I always give is "YES! A thousand times YES!" This session will talk about the amazing things that can be accomplished in middle school robotics and why and how we can be growing more FTC level middle school programs.

Show off your unconventional, brilliant, and downright unhinged life hacks that your team uses to survive and thrive. Anyone can grab the mic for 5 to 10 minutes to share their favorite makeshift fix, pit organization trick, or weirdly effective workflow shortcut. Come share your craziest solutions that actually work, and steal a few genius ideas for your own team.

For years, teams pursuing the FIRST Impact Award have been told to simply “tell your story.” While generally true, that advice obscures the deep strategic nuance and systemic process these successful teams employ.

This session breaks down a proven, repeatable approach to building a competitive Impact submission, focusing on three core pillars: data management, strategic messaging, and thematic cohesion. Drawing from real-world experience across multiple programs, we will walk through how successful teams organize outreach data, craft compelling narratives, and develop themes that resonate with judges.

Preview the next generation of the command-based programming framework, available in 2027. Learn about what's new, what concepts return from v1 and v2, and best practices when using the new framework.

Featuring: FRC 125, FRC 694, FRC 1678, FRC 1768, FRC 6329

Success on the field starts long before the first match. Preparing students to handle the pressure of live matches requires a deliberate approach to practice and communication. Our panelists will share their frameworks for scouting driver talent within your team, planning high-quality driver practice, and best practices for actually coaching during a match.