Monthly Meeting highlights from April 20th. The students in the AHS Robotic club provided updated “beeping eggs” to the Lions Club for visually-impaired Easter Egg hunts. Anacortes FIRST Robotics (AFR) will be fundraising and increasing interest in FIRST Robotics at the Washington Vintage Motorcyclist’s vintage motorcycle show in Lynden on Saturday May 30th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm; admission only $10 (cash) for adults, kids under 15 are free! See the ARBC Fundraising page (https://anacortesrobotics.org/fundraising/) for more information. AFR was at the Fidalgo STEAM night on April 24th, with AHS Robotics demos for the elementary school students and FLL signups. AFR will be at the Anacortes Waterfront Festival in the Discovery Channel area; Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th (https://business.anacortes.org/events/details/2026-anacortes-waterfront-festival-23469) with robot demos, program information – stop by and say “hi!” if you are there. Additional summer outreach events after Waterfront Festival: 4th of July Parade (maybe), and Open Streets August 30th with ice cream giveaway (definitely!). The next monthly meeting is the Annual Members Meeting – Monday May 18th, 6 pm, at AHS – all ARBC Members should attend for Officer & Director election/ratification. Our fiscal year ends June 30th.
May 2026 Newsletter
ARBC Members Cookout and Potluck. The 2026 ARBC Members Cookout and Potluck is on Sunday May 17 at Washington Park; if you are an ARBC member or a 2025-2026 season coach/mentor, you are invited to attend with your family; RSVP here: 2026 ARBC Members Cookout and Potluck RSVP. Details: 1pm to 4pm; Burgers (Beef and Impossible), hotdogs, and beverages (water, soda) provided; each family group brings a potluck salad, side dish, or desert to share. Frisbees, lawn bowling, and other recreational activities.
FIRST Championships completed, new season starting! The FIRST Championships for the FIRST AGE season took place April 29th through May 2 (https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/first-championship). Near the end of the Championships, the new bio-diversity themed 2026-2026 FIRST CANOPY season was announced (https://www.firstinspires.org/first-canopy) – FLL: BIOGLOW, FTC: BIOBUZZ, and FRC: BIOCORE.
FIRST LEGO League changes: Those who follow FIRST LEGO League closely know that there are changes coming. Since FIRST Washington operates the FLL tournaments in Washington, we note they “will support team development and host events through the 2027-2028 season utilizing SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential.” This is the announced “Founders Edition” version of the program. ARBC will continue with the “Founders Edition” SPIKE-based program for the 2026-2027 season. Although FIRST LEGO League has announced a “Future Edition” using new LEGO kits (because LEGO is discontinuing the SPIKE product line), FIRST and LEGO will be (sadly) ending their FLL partnership after the 2026-2026 season – read more here: FLL Q&A from FIRST. We don’t yet know what the FIRST elementary and middle school robotics programs will look like after FLL ends.
Help Wanted. If you see the value in having robotics programs available in Anacortes, please consider helping ARBC keep them going. Even if you can only lend your support to a single event or activity, it is of tremendous benefit. See the “Help Wanted” page on our website for more information.
The Last Word. If anyone wants clarification of any newsletter item or has a correction or suggestion, contact me. I’ll make editorial corrections to the online version of the newsletter if needed.
