GSSEM FIRST | Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan

Expand your knowledge and help build a better future.

With GSSEM FIRST, Girl Scouts develop real-world problem-solving skills.

We've teamed up with FIRST® to provide Girl Scouts with an exciting, hands-on exploration of STEM and robotics. Summer through fall, teams develop unique solutions to a challenge; then, they present their work at the GSSEM FIRST Robotics Expo in the spring.

Learn about GSSEM FIRST at your convenience! Find a virtual informational session at www.gssem.org/firstinfo. Our FIRST Robotics LEGO League Mixer is on January 31, 12:00 PM–2:00 PM.

Team Registration Deadlines

FIRST LEGO League Challenge (FLLC) - No New Teams
FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLLE) - March 1, 2026

Program Sponsors

Get Started

Learn about GSSEM FIRST at your convenience. Find a session at www.gssem.org/firstinfo.

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Fill out the agreement form for your team's level:

FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLLE)

FIRST LEGO League Challenge (FLLC)

Register your team with FIRST.
1. Create your team on the FIRST website.
2. Complete and submit your Consent & Release Form and background check.
3. Invite your second coach and have them complete and submit their Consent & Release Form and background check.
4. Invite Lana Jaeger-Barstad to be the team administrator by entering ljaeger@gssem.org. This allows GSSEM to pay the full registration fee to FIRST.
Ensure you and your co-coach are registered adult Girl Scout volunteers with current background checks.
- If you're not sure of your membership status or have trouble registering or renewing, please email helpdesk@gssem.org.
Register your team with GSSEM:
Please do NOT include anything about your team members or co-coach.
- Grades K–3: FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLLE)
- Grades 4–5: FIRST LEGO League Challenge (FLLC)
Coordinate with Alanna Munson.
- Email ljaeger@gssem.org to pick up your robotics kit at your nearest GSSEM service center.
Have fun!

About the Program

Why Has GSSEM Partnered With FIRST? toggle arrow

We've partnered with FIRST for a few reasons:

Experience & Resources
FIRST has over 30 years of experience creating challenges and curricula for children and adults. Girl Scouts knows girls; FIRST knows robots!
FIRST's Core Values
Everything FIRST does is centered around its Core Values:
- Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas
- Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems
- Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world
- Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together
- Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences
- Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!
Not too different than Girl Scout values, right? By participating in FIRST teams, girls continue to receive a program consistent with the Girl Scout Law and other Girl Scout principles.
Competition on a Global Scale
FLLC and FTC teams have the opportunity to advance in their divisions to statewide and global competitions, a scale GSSEM would be unable to provide on its own.

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Girl Scouts who participate on a FIRST robotics team for a full season automatically earn ALL three Robotics badges.

Many badges may also be tweaked to go along with the FIRST robotics program, such as:

Inventor, Product Designer, and the Entrepreneur badge series
Coding for Good badge series
STEM Career Exploration badge series

Each season's challenge can usually be tied to a badge as well, and the team can earn these while researching their solutions.

Juniors may also earn their Bronze Award by expanding on their Innovation Project for FLLC. If the team addresses a local issue, they may choose to put their solution into action to earn their award.

Example: GSSEM's FLLC team, the Robo Dragons, was challenged to make a public space more accessible, sustainable, or durable during the City Shaper 2019–20 challenge.

Their solution was to build a communication board for children who have difficulty communicating. After the season ended, the team raised funds to install a similar board at a local playground, which earned them their Bronze Awards!

FIRST Details

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May, June, July

Registration opens.
FLLE/FLLC teams begin researching seasonal theme and practicing with robot kits.
Teams go on optional field trips.

August

Challenge for FLLE/FLLC is released.
Teams begin building their robots and planning their research projects.

September, October

Challenge for FTC is released.
Registration for FLLC closes.

November, December

FLLC and FTC teams compete in local qualifying tournaments.

March

Registration for FLLE closes.

April, May

GSSEM FIRST Robotics Expo takes place and all teams attend.

FIRST LEGO League Explore (K–3 Grade) toggle arrow

FLLE teams consist of 3–6 girls, in grades K–3, who research the season-specific topic and choose a related issue they'd like to solve.

Teams brainstorm potential solutions to the topic issue, and, after picking one, they build a LEGO model to represent it. Over the course of the season, each team prepares for the GSSEM FIRST Robotics Expo.

For the expo, teams create and bring:

A LEGO model of their solution, including at least one programmed robotic part from the WeDo 2.0 or SPIKE Essentials LEGO Education sets.
A Show Me Poster with details about:
- How they explored the topic.
- How they created and tested their model.
- Participating team members, like names, project roles, etc.

You could be an FLLE coach!

FLLE coaches don't need to have any robotics experience—just a willingness to learn! FIRST provides extensive training materials, as well as Team Meeting Guides that outline each session and step of the FLLE coaching process.

Sample Team Meeting Guide »

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FLLE teams consist of 5–10 girls, in grades 4–5, who compete in three arenas.

FLLE Arenas

Innovation Project
- Teams research a problem relating to the year's challenge/theme.
- Teams brainstorm a solution and create a prototype (which doesn't have to be built with LEGO elements).
- Teams prepare a 5-minute presentation and accompanying presentation board that outlines their process and solution.
Robot Game
- Teams receive a 4' x 8' game mat with assorted themed LEGO mission models and instructions on how to score points.
- Teams must build a robot using an EV3 or SPIKE Prime kit and program the robot to autonomously complete selected missions.
- Teams get 2.5 minutes to complete their missions during the competition.
Core Values
- Teams must demonstrate an understanding of FIRST's Core Values and complete a teamwork activity at the competition.

All GSSEM FLLC teams must attend a non-GSSEM regional qualifying tournament at their own expense October–November. State championships are held in December for advancing teams.

All GSSEM FLL teams must also attend the GSSEM FIRST Robotics Expo in the spring, although it's more of an exhibition than a competition.

You could be an FLLC coach!

FLLC coaches don't need to have any robotics experience, though some coding experience is helpful. FIRST provides extensive training materials, as well as Team Meeting Guides that outline each session and step of the FLLC coaching process.

Sample Team Meeting Guide »

FIRST Tech Challenge (6–8 Grade) toggle arrow

GSSEM is proud to sponsor Girltastic, our pioneer, Cadette-level FTC team that meets in White Lake.

Due to the high cost associated with running FTC teams, GSSEM requires every new FTC team to accept all GSSEM Cadettes who'd like to join—up to 15 girls. Girls will be placed on teams during the open registration period.

Interested in participating?

Please submit the FTC interest form if you're interested in joining Girltastic, volunteering to mentor the team, or starting a new FTC team.

You could be an FTC coach!

We highly recommend at least 1–2 coaches* have robotics/coding experience, although it's not required for all of them.

Or 1–2 coaches who have access to mentors, associates, friends, and/or family members with robotics/coding experience.

FIRST Resources

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Training Links

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Registration Instructions

FIRST LEGO League Explore PDF
FIRST LEGO League Challenge PDF

For questions or more information about this program, please email Lana Jaeger-Barstad at ljaeger@gssem.org.