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.

10:15am EDT

Advocacy When You Can't Be in the Room - Reaching sponsors, legislators, and partners online and in person, for teams that can't always travel.

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

Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Advocacy is a core part of the FIRST experience, but many teams are not in a position to regularly do in-person outreach with sponsors, legislators, and possible partners. Join Denyse Carroll of FRC Team #2068 shows how to successfully engage in remote outreach as well as face-to-face.

Speakers

Denyse Carroll

Robotics and STEM Specialist, FRC 2068 / FLL 37711 / FLL 61461 / TAC

Saturday August 8, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Access & Advocacy, Presentation

11:30am EDT

She Leads FIRST: Women in STEM - Building confidence and leadership for girls in STEM, and creating team cultures that recruit and keep them, from FLL through FRC

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

Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

An extension of the FIRST Championship Women in STEM panel to a regional audience. The panel applies across every program level — FLL coaches, FTC mentors, and FRC veterans all benefit from hearing how to create inclusive team cultures and recruit and retain women in STEM.

Moderators

DeAnna Williams

Program Manager, Mentorship & SheLeads, Girls with Impact

I'm DeAnna! I'm a non-profit program manager passionate about designing programs that empower young people. I bring a strategic, data-informed, and equity-driven perspectives to everything I build. I thrive at serving communities and addressing social issues through an intersectional... Read More →

Speakers

Elise Spontarelli

Executive Director, Vector Space

Elise Spontarelli is co-founder and Executive Director at Vector Space, a community makerspace in Central Virginia. She's made an entrepreneurial career rendering lines, arcs, and polygons. You'll often find Elise giving her designs life by plasma cutting, laser engraving, and screen... Read More →

Mary Thompson

FLL 18610 | FLL 103 | FLL 112 | FLL 58553 | FLL 58554 | FLL 58555 | FTC 8535 | | FTC 8702 | FTC 14691 | FTC 20337 | FTC 22200 | FTC 24179 | FRC 8592, FRC, FTC, FLL

Denyse Carroll

Robotics and STEM Specialist, FRC 2068 / FLL 37711 / FLL 61461 / TAC

Laurie Gray

mentor, FRC 10224

Saturday August 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Access & Advocacy, Panel

1:30pm EDT

Beyond the Robot: Building Meaningful Community Partnerships Through Outreach

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

Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Successful FIRST teams do more than build robots—they build relationships. This session explores practical strategies for creating sustainable outreach programs that strengthen community connections, increase team visibility, and expand opportunities for students. Participants will learn how to identify potential partners, develop mutually beneficial relationships with schools, businesses, civic organizations, and local governments, and create outreach experiences that support both team goals and community needs.

Drawing on experiences from mentoring FIRST teams, leading STEM initiatives, and building partnerships across education, industry, and nonprofit organizations, this presentation will provide real-world examples of outreach efforts that have resulted in increased team support, improved student engagement, and stronger community impact. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas and tools to help their teams move beyond one-time events and develop long-term partnerships that advance the mission of FIRST while strengthening their local STEM ecosystem.

Speakers

Geoff Estes

CTE Supervisor, Harrisonburg City Public Schools

Geoffray Estes serves as the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Supervisor for Harrisonburg City Public Schools and is the current President of the Virginia Technology and Engineering Educators Association (VTEEA). Over the course of nearly three decades in education, he has taught... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Access & Advocacy, Presentation

2:45pm EDT

SheLeadsFIRST: Empowering Inclusivity and Change - Real-world actionable steps to improve team recruitment and retention

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

Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

FRC Team #2068 takes the stage to share their strategies and intentional efforts to ensure more female representation in robotics. - - Come hear about their program and strategies and how your team can advance equity, empowering girls, and lead change in robotics and FIRST teams.

Moderators

DeAnna Williams

Program Manager, Mentorship & SheLeads, Girls with Impact

Speakers

Denyse Carroll

Robotics and STEM Specialist, FRC 2068 / FLL 37711 / FLL 61461 / TAC

Saturday August 8, 2026 2:45pm - 3:30pm EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Access & Advocacy, Presentation

4:00pm EDT

Every Which Way to Think - Including Neurodiverse Students in FIRST

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

Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

A session on supporting neurodiverse students within FIRST teams: practical strategies for inclusion, communication, and structuring team activities so that every student can contribute meaningfully. Repeats a well-received 2025 session.

Speakers