Introducing the FIRST 2026-2027 Season: FIRST CANOPY 

Engineer a thriving planet with FIRST.  

Nothing on Earth thrives alone. Every gene, species, and ecosystem is part of a rich web of biological diversity which powers clean air, fresh water, and food. With STEM as their tool and nature as inspiration, today's boldest innovators are finding new ways to strengthen the connections that protect our shared home. Building. Problem solving. Growing stronger through teamwork. 

Important FIRST Lego League Changes and Upcoming Plans 

Where we are now:

• You have likely read about significant changes coming up for FIRST LEGO League, specifically the relationship between FIRST and LEGO Education. You can read the details here. If you haven’t seen this yet, sit down: FIRST & LEGO Education Partnership Update

• Yes, these changes will be significant. Yes, we will dearly miss FIRST LEGO League and these changes will require us to adjust our program substantially. Yes, it will probably be a little bumpy through the transition. We’re confident, though, that the FIRST K-8 program will continue to provide the same life-changing opportunities to our kids across Alaska as we all model the FIRST Core Values through the transition to a new program. 

• If you want to be kept up to date as FIRST creates the new program, you can sign up for updates here.

Next season, 2026-2027 BIOGLOW:

• Alaska tournaments will play using FOUNDERS EDITION. This is the FLL we have been playing for decades. For FLL Challenge, you can use Spike Prime (or your trusty old EV3, NXT or RCX if you still have one that runs.) FLL Explore was designed for your Spike Essential or WeDo. Same as our prior seasons.  

• If you choose to register for FUTURE Edition, you will need to buy a CS & AI robot (or two, if you are FLL Challenge) and we will support some sort of celebration for you, separate or as part of our Founders tournament. PLEASE NOTE THAT FIRST WILL NOT BE USING THE CS&AI ROBOT AFTER THE 2026-27 SEASON. 

• LEGO Education has said that they will discontinue sales of the Spike Prime and Spike Essential robots as of June 30 2026. They will continue to support it until 2031 with software updates etc. but they will not sell these robots next season. We have some unanswered questions about this: 

• • • If they run out of stock before June 30, will they make more to complete orders? We don’t know. 

• • • Will they continue to sell motors and sensors? We don’t know. 

• • • What robots can new teams use next year? Great question! We see several options and hope to help facilitate some of this in the coming months. 

• • • • • Buy a Spike Prime or Spike Essential before they run out. FIRST has assured us that whatever they come up with, we will be able to use the old robots through the 2028-29 season. 

• • • • • Borrow a Spike, EV3, or WeDo robot for the season. We hope to help with that as much as we can. 

• • • • • Buy a robot from a retired team. 

• • • • • Buy a robot from a reseller online, new or used. 

• If JEDC can secure grant funding quickly enough, we may have some to lend or sell.  

2027-2028 and beyond: 

• FIRST is working on creating a new K-8 STEM program that continues to build on the Core Values and incorporate everything it has learned running FIRST LEGO League for the past 28 years. It is using input from the field about how to create the optimal experience for kids and volunteers. As information comes out, we’ll roll that out to Alaska teams. Be sure you are registered as Lead Coach 1 or Lead Coach 2 for an FLL team to receive Team Blasts, or you can sign up for Team Blasts at: https://www.firstinspires.org/resources/library/fll/email-blast-archive. 

Keep an eye out for future updates, and email Alyson at acooper@jedc.org or lwild@jedc.org if you have any questions.

BIOBUZZ Scoring Element and More Revealed!

The BIOBUZZ scoring element, Pollen, has been released! Additionally, each of the robot kit companies have released a starter bot base! Each base is capable of intaking the Pollen, but we will have to wait till the Season Kick-off on September 12th to see what the bots will do with the Pollen! 

Get a headstart on the BIOBUZZ Season!

Inside the FTC BIOBUZZ announcement FIRST released a series of "Skill Builders". These are designed to set teams up for the Kick-off of the 2026-2027 Season, and introduce foundational FTC skill in a series of guided challenges revolving around the core aspects of BIOBUZZ. We recommend all FTC teams check these out!

Continue robotics in the FLL off season! 

Many summer camps still have space! If you are by Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau, don't miss out on robotics camps!

Additionally JEDC is running a Technical Trades camp (Grades 8-11) and an Entrepreneurship camp (Grades 6-8)! 

Go Northern Knights! 

Alaska's own FIRST Robotics Competition team 10950 Northern Knights took first place with their alliance at the Minnesota North Star Regional event! This secured them a spot at the FIRST Championship in Houston, and they were also bestowed the Rookie All-Star Award! We are proud to have the community and culture they created represent Alaska in the highest level of robotics competition. 

Well done this season! 

We had four Alaskan FIRST teams compete at championship! FRC team 10950 The Northern Knights, FTC Teams 3825 Ψ Lynx  and 18185 Lightbotics, and FLL 27622 Electric Lynx!

Well done this season! 

Five FTC Teams and three FLL teams have advanced to Premier events!  

FLL

3954 Lego Nerds - Western Edge Invitational

29124 Archebots - Canada Cup of Robotics

522 Dirtbusters - WAFFLE Invitational