GEARED UP Mentor Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to GEARED UP 2026: Mentor Conference! Join us at James Madison University’s Festival Conference & Student Center in Harrisonburg, VA, for two days of learning, connection, and community.

You power 10,000+ students across DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. This day is built for YOU. Whether you’re a rookie coach launching your first team or a 20-year veteran looking for fresh ideas, you’ll find sessions, workshops, and conversations designed to sharpen your skills and recharge your passion.

Proudly presented by Aramco Americas. See you in Harrisonburg.

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10:15am EDT

Strategies for Season Build Process - It’s not my robot, why should I care? - Increasing engineering ownership through the introduction of integrated product teams

Saturday August 8, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am EDT

Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Join Dr. Andrew Koch, Lead Coach of 836 Robobees, for a case study of a team restructured from traditional skill-based subteams (mechanical, programming, media) into mission-aligned product teams responsible for specific robot mechanisms — game piece acquisition, scoring, handling, end-game, and frame and electrical. Covers the methods used to realign the team, the cultural and engagement benefits, problems the new structure solved, and the problems that remain. Aimed at mentors looking for team structures that broaden ownership beyond the handful of students who typically self-manage across silos.

Speakers

Dr. Andrew Koch

Saturday August 8, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

FRC, Presentation

11:30am EDT

Building a Community Team That Lasts - The structural decisions, funding, leadership, and succession, that separate teams that survive from teams that thrive.

Saturday August 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm EDT

Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

A panel on starting, growing, and sustaining community FRC teams. Surfaces the structural decisions that determine whether a program survives or thrives over the long term.

Speakers

Conaway Haskins

Mentor | VP, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, FRC 9709 | VIPC

Tom Milnes

Chief Scientist - Ship and Shore Based Navigation Group, The Johns Hopkins University / Applied Physics Laboratory

Lead Mentor of FIRST Robotics Team 2199 "Robo-Lions"

Saturday August 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

FRC, Panel

1:30pm EDT

The Road to the Impact Award - How FRC judges evaluate teams, straight answers on transparency and consistency, and how to prep students for interviews and award submissions.

Saturday August 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT

Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Part of a three-session series demystifying the judging process, this installment focuses on FTC. Covers how judges evaluate teams, addresses transparency and consistency concerns directly, and gives mentors insight to better prepare students for interviews and award submissions.

Speakers

Skylar Crews

Saturday August 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

FRC, Presentation

2:45pm EDT

Vision and Autonomous That Actually Work - Vision systems, autonomous routines, and AprilTags for both FTC and FRC, grounded in real hardware with Qualcomm.

Saturday August 8, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm EDT

Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

A presentation and demo on vision systems, autonomous routines, and AprilTag use cases, deliberately framed for both FRC and FTC audiences. Covers what actually works on the field — not just what is theoretically possible — with industry sponsor participation to ground the content in real hardware.

Speakers

Joey Kerns

Educational Specialist, Robotics & Engineering | Coach, Fairfax County Public Schools | FRC 614

Alicen Adkins

Sponsors

Qualcomm

Engineering human progress.

Qualcomm relentlessly innovates transforming businesses, enriching lives and fortifying societies. Our solutions are pivotal in crafting a smarter, interconnected world. Building on our nearly 40-year history of era-defining technology breakthroughs, we deliver leading-edge AI, high... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

FTC, Panel | FRC, Panel

4:00pm EDT

FRC Unconference

Saturday August 8, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT

Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

An unconference for FRC mentors: participant-driven, with the agenda set in the room based on what the community most wants to discuss. Skilled facilitation captures themes and surfaces concrete takeaways for attendees and the FCH community.

Moderators