GEARED UP Mentor Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GEARED UP: Mentor Conference, where innovation meets inspiration!

Join us on May 17, 2025, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Kossiakoff Center, for a day filled with knowledge-sharing, networking, and empowerment.

We want to hear from you! What topics are most important and critical for you? What topics can you share with the community? Help us program and plan the 2025 conference to be the most impactful yet.

This conference is proudly presented by Aramco America and aims to equip mentors with the tools and insights needed to effectively guide an increasingly diverse generation of students.

10:00am EDT

WE NEED YOU: Join a FIRST Advisory Committee

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Want to help shape the future of FIRST in your region? We’re looking for smart, passionate mentors like you to join advisory committees focused on programs, outreach, accessibility, and events.

In this session, Dave, Joey, and Denyse will walk through what these committees actually do, why your voice matters, and how you can get involved. Whether you're a behind-the-scenes strategist or a community cheerleader, there's a seat at the table waiting for you.

Speakers

Denyse Carroll

Robotics and STEM Specialist, Prince William County Public Schools

Joey Kerns

614, 38344, FRC, FLL

Dave Hairston

Board Member, FIRST Tech Challenge Team Advisory Committee

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Outreach Room 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Panel, Outreach

Host Organization FIRST Chesapeake

11:00am EDT

The Spirit of Mentorship: Lessons from a Woodie Flowers Award Winner

Saturday May 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

What does it mean to be the kind of mentor who shapes lives far beyond the robot? Join Ken Lesley, FIRST Chesapeake’s 2025 Woodie Flowers Award Winner, as he shares reflections on mentorship, leadership, and the values that defined both Woodie Flowers' legacy and the heart of FIRST.

Drawing on decades of experience guiding students at McKinley Technology High School, Ken will discuss what it means to truly inspire—not just instruct—and how small moments of encouragement can change a student’s trajectory.

Whether you're a new mentor or a seasoned veteran, this session offers a powerful reminder of the impact you have — and the responsibility we all share to lift up the next generation with gracious professionalism, empathy, and wisdom.

Speakers

Kenneth Lesley

Director, Academy of Engineering, McKinley Technology High School-NASA Rover and Cell Phone Locker manufacturing summer internships. Coach of Firebird Rob

With a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, Ken’s first career was in the petroleum industry. He became an expert at controlled directional drilling. Ken transitioned into the software industry after traveling around the world for 15 years, making holes in the ground, and... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Outreach Room 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Presentation

1:00pm EDT

Your Brand Could Be Better: Storytelling, Identity & Community Perception

Saturday May 17, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Your team already has a brand—whether you’ve worked on it or not. In this honest and energizing session, Jen Scharl explores how mentors can help students define, refine, and elevate how their team is seen by schools, sponsors, and the broader community.

Learn how to connect visual identity, mission, and messaging into something authentic and memorable. Whether you're a rookie or a regional powerhouse, your brand deserves more than clipart and a catchy pun.

Speakers

Jen Scharl

Founder, Kerning & Contrast

Saturday May 17, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Outreach Room 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Presentation, Outreach

Host Organization FIRST Chesapeake

2:00pm EDT

Volunteering for Impact: Why Giving Back Helps Your Team Stand Out

Saturday May 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Volunteering isn’t just good citizenship—it’s a strategic move that builds leadership, community visibility, and award-readiness (hello, Impact Award). Join Jen as she connects the dots between volunteering and building a high-character, high-performance team.

You’ll learn how to help students find the right volunteer opportunities, track and share impact, and use volunteerism as a team-building and recognition tool all season long.

Speakers