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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.
Type: FRC clear filter
Saturday, August 8
 

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
avatar for 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
avatar for Conaway Haskins

Conaway Haskins

Mentor | VP, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, FRC 9709 | VIPC

avatar for Tom Milnes

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
SC
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
avatar for Joey Kerns

Joey Kerns

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

avatar for Alicen Adkins
Sponsors
avatar for Qualcomm

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
avatar for Matt Sanders

Matt Sanders

Program Manager, FIRST Chesapeake
Saturday August 8, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FRC, Unconference
 
Sunday, August 9
 

9:00am EDT

DEEP DIVE: FRC Season Planning & Build Process Workshop - Get your hands dirty planning how to help your students get their hands dirty
Sunday August 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
A working deep dive on FRC season planning: attendees build their own season calendar, set milestones, and assign roles during the session. The most consistently requested FRC topic nationally — bring your laptop and leave with a concrete plan.
Speakers
avatar for Joey Kerns

Joey Kerns

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

Sunday August 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FRC, Panel

9:00am EDT

(OFFSITE) PRIMER ON SHOP TOOLS AT X LAB (ADAM + ELISE) Primer on Shop Tools at X LAB
Sunday August 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom A (400) @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
An offsite hands-on session at the JMU XLabs university maker space: tool use training, shop safety protocols, and practical experience with equipment most teams cannot access locally. Unique to this conference; capacity is limited by the host facility's safety requirements.
Sunday August 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom A (400) 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FTC, Panel |   FRC, Panel

11:00am EDT

DEEP DIVE: Building a Team That Outlasts You - Succession & Sustainability for generations of students
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
A deep dive on building a team that outlasts any individual mentor: succession planning, institutional knowledge transfer, mentor recruiting pipelines, and team identity that survives departures. For mentors thinking three to five years ahead.
Speakers
avatar for Conaway Haskins

Conaway Haskins

Mentor | VP, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, FRC 9709 | VIPC

T
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FRC, Panel

11:00am EDT

PROGRAMS TEAM OFFICE HOURS with Bonnie, Matt, and Alicia
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Open office hours with the FCH programs team — drop in for an org-chart walkthrough, registration help, contact-routing questions, or open Q&A. A standing resource throughout the day for mentors who want direct access to staff.
Speakers
avatar for Matt Sanders

Matt Sanders

Program Manager, FIRST Chesapeake
avatar for Bonnie Crites

Bonnie Crites

Senior Program Manager, FIRST Chesapeake
avatar for Alicia Haun

Alicia Haun

Program Coordinator, FIRST Chesapeake
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FRC, Unconference |   FTC, Unconference |   FLL, Unconference

11:00am EDT

(OFFSITE) PRIMER ON SHOP TOOLS AT X LAB (ADAM + ELISE) Primer on Shop Tools at X LAB
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom A (400) @ 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
An offsite hands-on session at the JMU XLabs university maker space (extended block): tool use training, shop safety protocols, and practical experience with equipment most teams cannot access locally. Capacity is limited by the host facility's safety requirements.
Sunday August 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom A (400) 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
  FTC, Panel |   FRC, Panel
 
GEARED UP Mentor Conference
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Saturday, August 8
Sunday, August 9
Allegheny Room (80) Technical
Bar + Arcade
Board Dining (40) Team Management
Conf Room 2 (35) Curriculum
Conf Room 3 (35) Outreach
Conf Room 4 (40) Access & Advocacy
Conf Room 7 (165) Fundraising & Planning
Festival Drum (Expo Hall + Demos)
Grand Ballroom A (400)
Grand Ballroom B (275) FRC
Grand Ballroom C (220) FTC
Highlands Room (300) FLL
  • Access & Advocacy
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