Keep FIRST in Michigan (FiM) from killing FIRST Lego League

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Nemo

FIRST should create an actual middle school program.

It's super awkward to use FTC as a middle school program, because then you have 12 year olds competing with 18 year olds. Making FTC middle school across the board is a bad option because that would remove access to FIRST at thousands of high schools.

As for FiM, they're at least trying to adjust the middle school issue in a way that they have available. I think their solutions is among the best options available to them. It helps that MI has funding for FRC registration fees, so the access issue is not as bad as in most places.

Leaving middle school kids hanging like this is a big mistake. While FIRST drops off the earth in middle school, athletics and fine arts are continuing right along, and kids get established in those activities instead. FIRST programs are competing with those activities for peoples' energy.

You make it sound as if FIRST is the only STEM option on the planet. Students need a variety of STEM options and a variety of Arts options, and ...

The STEM choices aren't (had better not be) FIRST or nothing. If they are, FIRST and its participants and supporters have failed.

Blake