Hello everyone
I apologize if you just received this email as it was sent to all registered FLL Challenge coaches (Lead 1&2) in Virginia and Washington, DC. I wanted to send it out on the ListServ for people who have not registered
a team yet or just want to stay informed with what is going on this season!
IMPORTANT SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT
Over the past months, Virginia-D.C. FIRST LEGO League has been monitoring the current state of the pandemic across the
region. We have been working closely with regional tournament directors, key volunteers, and other members of our community to evaluate the situation and the capacity we have to hold in-person events. As we head into the winter, COVID-19 cases (as reported
by the CDC) continue to rise and many school districts are delaying plans for in-person instruction. We are committed to delivering a quality STEM experience in the safest possible environment. Because of
this and other reasons, we will be holding all regional qualifying tournaments and the championship event in a remote event format.
What is a “Remote Event”? Teams will be able to participate in a “traditional” FIRST LEGO League
event, but will do so from their own communities. Remote Events will still consist of Robot Game rounds and Project/ Core Values/ Robot Design judging; and will end with awards and opportunities for advancement. While our goal is to make the experience
as close as possible to a traditional FIRST program event, modifications will be made as we transition to a remote environment. VA-DC FLL is working with FIRST to
develop a platform that will be used to facilitate a comprehensive remote experience. We are working to develop guidelines for teams, which you can find HERE and
will continue to update those guidelines as they become available. Also be sure to join us for our “How to Prepare for a Tournament” webinar
on Tuesday, December 8th at 7pm.
When will events take place? Remote events will take place across Virginia and Washington, D.C. on the following dates. Certain materials and information will need to be submitted before the
day of that event and that guidance will be released in the next few weeks.
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Week 1 Regional Qualifying Tournaments: January 23 & 24 *TENTATIVE*
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Week 2 Regional Qualifying Tournaments: January 30 & 31
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Week 3 Regional Qualifying Tournaments: February 6 & 7
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VA-DC FIRST LEGO League Championship Event: February 27&28
Tournament Preference Selection will be open from December 1st to Dec 10th with
tournament assignments being posted mid-December. Find out more about how to register for a tournament HERE!
Will there be other events? As VA-DC FLL continues to monitor the situation, we hope to offer a Spring/Summer Scrimmage
season for teams who competed over the winter as well as teams that did not. Depending on what things look like, these events can be held remotely, but perhaps in-person events will be able to take place (decreased restrictions on gatherings, more opportunities
to hold events outside). Please check our website (http://va-dcfll.org) where we will be posting information as it becomes available. FIRST will be keeping registration open
longer than previous seasons. So there is still plenty of time to start a team when a school or community group is ready!
We know that this season presents so many challenges and hurdles, but with that there is room for innovation and opportunity. The founder of FIRST, Dean Kamen said, “Everybody has to be able to participate in a future that they want
to live for. That’s what technology can do.” Thank you for providing those chances for students participate. Thank you for creating these experiences for kids!
Please reach out to [log in to unmask] with questions or feedback.
Stay safe, stay inspired!
Virginia-DC FIRST LEGO League
Regional Planning Committee
