The Metropolitan Community College of Kansas City (MCCKC) enhanced its connections with a local informal education provider (Kansas City FIRST Tech Challenge), inspiring and educating students at both the high school and community college level through expanded participation in local and regional robotics competitions.

Teams of MCCKC Engineering and Engineering Technology students worked on robotic kits at the MCCKC Business & Technology fabrication laboratory, which all MCCKC students have access to. This work, along with participation in a small local competition, developed a cadre of interested and experienced college students, who became familiar enough with the equipment to serve as competent mentors for local FTC teams.

The Kansas City FIRST Tech Challenge (FIRST Robotics) regional planning committee supervised a mini-competition at the MCCKC Business & Technology campus. Competitors included local high school FTC teams and two college-age teams. The competition used FTC equipment based on previous FIRST Robotics Competition games scaled down to an appropriate field size.

MCC students were encouraged to network with the high school FTC coaches at the event, with the goal that MCC students sign up in the VIMS volunteer management system on the FIRST website, and then volunteer with a local high school FTC team that is in need of mentors.