Does your Robotics Event have a Quiet Room?
As Robotics teams we endeavor to adhere to the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition through their core values: Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and Fun!
To ensure that your upcoming event values and protects student mental health and is inclusive of neurodivergent students, ask your FIRST regional directors if your event has a Quiet Room. Quiet Rooms are a safe space that allows participants to decompress and regroup so that they can keep up with the difficult and competitive nature of competition.
If and when you are reaching out to your regional director remember to:
- Reach out to FIRST for your regional director’s email if you are unaware of it
- Share what a Quiet Room is and why it is beneficial
- State why it is important to you
- Be wary that they are busy
- Be respectful during communication
- Explain the requirements of a Quiet Room
The letter below is a templated email that covers all points of discussion. When reaching out, feel free to copy or adapt this!
If you intend to run an event yourself and would like some assistance in understanding the requirements for what a Quiet Room must be, visit the FIRST document below.
This project was developed by Krish Joshi of Team 3132 – Thunder Down Under
and the Student Advisory Council of the FIRST Hall of Fame.