& RoboticsIntroductory Session -

Student Activities Conferences 2016

David Trussell, Director of STEM Activities

dtrussell@uiltexas.org

UIL Robotics: the early years?

In this session…

• Background

• Pilot program basics

• How Robotics fits with UIL programs

• Team Structure and Composition

Big Picture: New Directions for UIL Academics

• Contests with different formats, different structures

• Moving outside the old Spring Meet box

• Examples: Congressional Debate and Film

• Both have seen tremendous participation growth during three years as pilot programs

• Both are now officially adopted contests

UIL and STEM• Current competitions include Calculator Applications,

Computer Science, Mathematics, Number Sense and Science• All are paper-and-pencil test format (except the programming component of

Computer Science)

• Existing STEM activities are going strong, but we need a long-term approach

• New activities, and evolution of existing ones, should be designed to engage today’s students – and tomorrow’s

• Expansion of STEM programs is key to the big picture for the future of UIL Academics

UIL and STEM

• New programs that are collaborative, project-based and engage students’ creativity

• Not all UIL activities have to fit these criteria, but we need more that do, particularly in STEM

• Robotics is a perfect fit for the future of UIL Academics

Robotics in TexasWhen program development began…

• UIL had no previous involvement with Robotics

• Multiple organizations offering well-established programs of Robotics competition

• Many UIL schools already participating with Robotics organizations

Where would UIL fit in this already active landscape?

Robotics Program Development

• Informal discussions ongoing for several years

• A perfect fit for the direction we want to go with STEM

• Pushed toward immediate action during Sunset Review process

• Pilot program development authorized by UIL Legislative Council in October 2014

The UIL Pilot Process• Acts as approval of concept and development for a

new UIL program

• Rules for pilot events are not included in the UIL Constitution & Contest Rules

• Allows flexibility for ongoing adjustments during the pilot

• Examples of recent pilots and timeframes

Robotics Pilot Objectives• Facilitate growth of Robotics participation statewide

• Provide avenues for schools with diverse needs:

• Large or small

• Different geographical regions

• Limited resources or substantial resources

• Well-established robotics program or just getting started

• Think big…but not too big to be manageable

Three Possible Approaches to Program Development

• Build a completely new UIL-developed contest

• Build a program that would try to encompass Robotics in Texas across the board

• Implement a program through partnership with established organization(s)

• We chose the third approach

Pilot Program Participants• Following extensive research and careful deliberation, two organizations were chosen for participation in the UIL pilot program

• BEST Robotics

• FIRST Robotics

• Both organizations have a proven track record, with more than 20 years of successful robotics competition in Texas

BEST Robotics• Low-cost participation model• Compact fall schedule

• Season kickoff in September• UIL Robotics State Championship – BEST Division

• December 8–10, 2016 • Dr Pepper Arena – Frisco TX• Qualification based on BEST Award scores in

the fall 2016 BEST competition season

FIRST Robotics• Experience working with state activities associations on

championship competitions

• Offers multiple programs suitable for different levels of program development, resource availability, etc.

• The UIL pilot includes two FIRST programs:

• FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)

• FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)

Inaugural 2016 UIL Robotics State Championship – FIRST Division

• July 28–30, 2016 at the Austin Convention Center

• FTC July 28–29, FRC July 29–30

• Held in conjunction with the annual Texas Robot Roundup event

• Qualification based on performance during the 2015–2016 FIRST competition season

• Invitations were sent to teams in May

2016 FIRST Division Championship Results

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) State Champions• Team 3781 - Austin Westlake HS • Team 6209 - Austin Vandegrift HS • Team 6710 - Austin Westlake HS State Runner-Up• Team 10782 - Laredo Martin HS FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)State Champions• Team 118 - Clear Creek ISD • Team 148 - Greenville HS • Team 5242 - Dallas Wilson HS • Team 5726 - San Antonio Harlandale HS State Runners-Up• Team 418 - Austin Liberal Arts & Science Academy • Team 1296 - Rockwall HS • Team 4587 - Houston Jersey Village HS

Robotics as a UIL Program• It’s different –

• Seasons and schedules

• Competition structure and events

• Team structures

• Championship qualification

• Robotics is a standalone program, not an addition to UIL Academic district meets

Robotics as a UIL Program• UIL Robotics will include a fall (BEST) and a spring (FIRST)

season, with some overlap (FTC)

• Your school CAN participate in both

• UIL Robotics is automatically included in the qualifier meets for FIRST and BEST teams that are UIL-eligible

• There are no separate qualifier meets for UIL Robotics

• Starting a team and participating in the BEST and FIRST competitive seasons allows you to qualify for the UIL Robotics State Championships

Robotics and UIL Rules• BEST and FIRST are independent organizations that

have their own rules and guidelines

• One of the important aspects of pilot development is determining the best ways to incorporate UIL rules and structures

• UIL rules will determine team eligibility to compete for UIL Championships and specify championship criteria

• FIRST and BEST rules will determine how the contests are run – contest structure, judging, scoring, etc.

Robotics and UIL Rules• Both FIRST and BEST allow participation by teams

that are not eligible for UIL competition (private schools, club teams, etc.)

• Those teams will continue to participate but only UIL-eligible teams will be ranked to qualify for and win UIL State Championships

• Two-track scoring

Team Composition and Student Eligibility

• UIL is a membership organization that, by rule, is composed primarily of public schools (and open enrollment charters)

• To be eligible for UIL honors, all robotics team members:

• Must be full-time students at UIL member schools

• Must meet standard eligibility requirements under state law (no pass no play) and school district policy

Team Composition and Student Eligibility

• To be eligible for UIL honors, teams must be:

• High school-based

• Have a majority of students in grades 9–12

• UIL rules do not allow for the awarding of middle school state championships

Team Composition and Student Eligibility

• Pilot status allows for some flexibility in combined and composite team structures:

• High school-based teams that include some middle school students

• BEST and FTC

• Teams that include students from multiple campuses

• Primarily FRC

Team Composition and Student Eligibility

• Teams that do not meet the criteria for UIL eligibility can continue to participate with FIRST or BEST

• Non-UIL teams (home school teams, club-based teams, etc.) would not be eligible to receive UIL awards or championships, but can receive awards from FIRST or BEST and advance in those organizational structures

• Also true for middle school based teams

UIL Classifications in Robotics

• Robotics is not split into conferences 1A-6A

• Divisional splits based on school size will be evaluated and phased in based on participation

• Initially two divisions, small school (1A-4A) and large school (5A-6A)

• Film example

• FIRST Division Championship in July had one division

• BEST Division Championship in December may have a small school/large school split – working on details

UIL Overall Championship Points

• No sweepstakes points are awarded for pilot contests

• If officially adopted, Robotics would receive points toward overall Academic State Championships

• Pilot contests do not factor into Lone Star Cup

Championship Qualifications• UIL-eligible Robotics teams will be ranked based on

their performance in FIRST or BEST qualifier meets, using pre-defined scoring criteria

• Teams will be invited to participate based on their rankings and the number of slots available for the championship event

• Waiting lists will be maintained

• Consideration of geography and other factors could be added as the program develops

BEST Division Pilot in 2016• BEST competition season is already underway

• UIL rankings and championship qualification will be based on BEST Award participation

• BEST Award = comprehensive

• BEST structure is based on local hubs

• Efforts ongoing to increase the number of hubs

• Connect with a hub to prepare for next fall

FIRST Division Pilot in 2016–2017

• The pilot is continuing this year

• Will continue to include FTC and FRC, with similar qualification structure for the state championship

• The 2017 FIRST Division Championship will be a spring event, in May of 2017

• Additional details will be announced soon

How to Participate in UIL Robotics – in a Nutshell

• Attend training sessions and workshops

• Summer workshops for coaches, including Capital Conference

• Evaluate the options available and determine the best fit for your school

• Visit the FIRST and/or BEST websites to find out the steps to register a team and to explore available resources for funding and support – links on UIL Robotics web pages

• Participate in qualifier meets during the regular BEST and FIRST competition seasons

• Your team’s performance in those meets will determine qualification for the UIL state championships, as well as advancement within the FIRST and BEST structures

Where We’re Headed• Pilot evaluation will be ongoing each year

• No pre-determined length for the pilot

• Tremendous interest and excitement holds great promise for growth

• Pilot will continue through this year and most likely 2017–2018 as well

What About Robotics for Younger Grades?

• High school program is the focus as we continue development of the pilot

• We will continue to monitor and explore possibilities

Questions

• www.uiltexas.org/academics/stem/robotics

• robotics@uiltexas.org