FIRST Lego League & FIRST Robotics

FIRST LEGO League is a program for students 9-14 years old, where they design and build a robot constructed of Legos. They also create and deliver a 5 minute research presentation on the annual competition theme and compete with their robots at a high-energy, sports-like event. For more information and to volunteer, please see below.

FIRST Robotics is a program in which teams of high school students, sponsored and assisted by local companies and volunteers, design, assemble and test a robot capable of performing a specified task in competition with other teams. Louisiana and Mississippi collaborate to offer the FIRST Robotics Bayou Regional held annually in March.

In Louisiana, these two programs are made possible through B.LA.S.T. (Building Louisiana Science and Technology), a nonprofit organization created to bring FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to Louisiana. The mission of FIRST is "to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership."

Tulane supports these programs by providing board members, tournament organizers, mentors and volunteers.

FIRST Lego League Competition Volunteers

The 2009 tournament will be held on Saturday, November 21st at Dominican High School at 7701 Walmsley Ave. in New Orleans and runs from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed as judges, referees, game announcers, timekeepers, photographers, team queuers, pit crew runners, registration desk workers, traffic directors, Lego play table monitors and more! Half-day and full-day slots are available, T-shirts and lunch are provided. If you are interested in refereeing or judging, it is a full day commitment with referee training on Saturday, Nov. 14th from8:30 a.m.-1p.m. at Tulane and judge training on Tuesday Nov. 17th from 7-9p.m. at UNO. All other positions have on the job training.

To volunteer, please fill out our volunteer registration form and e-mail it to Annette Oertling, (see contact information below).

Volunteer Registration Form (PDF)

List of Volunteer Jobs and Descriptions (PDF)