Press Releases

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Upcoming Events

4-H Robotics Club / FIRST FTC Team Joint Exploratory Meeting and Kickoff

Washington County Ohio 4-H will hold will hold a Kickoff Metting on March 19, 2018 from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M at the Washington County Extension Office, 202 Davis Avenue, Marietta, Ohio. The 4-H Meeting will discuss the 4-H Robotics 1, Robotics 2 and Robotics Master Projects and demonstrate two robots of the style members might construct during the completion of their projects.

smithSpace will discuss options Washington County students have to participate and learn about Robotics. It will allow them and their and parents to understand the commitments required for participation. The meeting will cover membership options of two organizations; Washington County 4-H Robotics Club and the smithSpace FIRST FTC competitive Robotics Team. The 4-H portion will cover the Project Guideline section of the 4-H Project Book, club organizational structure (officers) and the schedule of events of the 4-H calendar. The FIRST FTC portion will cover the roles and responsibilities of team membership, and the activities of the FIRST FTC competition calendar. Forms will be available for students and parents to join and provide consent for either or both organizations. Meetings of each group will he held approximately every two weeks through the summer. The scheduled dates are provides in this page's sidebar. The competitive season of the FTC Team will begin in September. This event is open to all youth, parents and area adults interested in learning more about and participating in robotics

In-Progress Activities

This is the status of our development activities as of January 8th, 2018 Please check back again for the latest status.

Organizational Checklist

✔Decide upon a corporate identify

Activities have already started on smithSpace, “A work place to make and build skills.” The domain smithSpace.org has been registered and work is progressing in establishing a web presence in anticipation of becoming a Not For Profit 501(c)(3) under Federal IRS and Ohio State laws.

✔Develop a Preliminary on-line presence for the organization at www.smithspace.org

Activities have already started on www.smithSpace.org and these pages are evidence of the current state. The site is hosted by the web hosting company, Dreamhost. The pages are of our own creation.

✔File Form 534B and the associated fee paid to the Ohio Secretary of State to reserve the name, Smithspace, Inc.

On-line forms were submitted on December 12, 2017. The processing of our submission is underway and results are pending.

Line up a Board of Directors

An initial set of three directors is anticipated to file articles of incorporation in Ohio. One member has been identified, one additional individual has been offered a position but at least one more director is needed and is under active recruitment. Individuals who would like to nominate themself, or any other person who has already indicated a willingness to serve, as a possible candidate is welcome and encouraged.

✔File Article on Incorporation with Ohio Secretary of State.

Preliminary Articles have been developed.

✔Create the corporation's By-laws

Research on by-laws of similar organizations is complete and preliminary by-laws have been established.

Hold Initial Board of Directors' Meeting.

Once an initial Board of Directors has been identified, a directors' meeting will be held and the preliminary Articles of Incorporation will be discussed and voted upon. Once the Articles are approved, the by-laws wiii be completed, ratified, and voted upon.

Apply for EIN (Employer Identification Number) through the IRS.

Using the EIN open a bank account for the corporation.

Apply for a nonprofit USPS postal permit

May not be neccessary but provides reduced postage rates for bulk mailings if they are ever required.

Apply for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status via IRS Form 1023.

Many existing FTC teams are organized under the umbrella of existing tax-exempt entities such as schools, 4-H, Boy and Girl Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, etc. This allows the extension of the sponsoring entity's tax-exempt status to the subsidary FTC team(s). Establishing smithSpace as a 501(c)(3) will provide member teams the same tax-exempt status which has provided many other FTC teams advantages seeking sponsors and donors in fundraising efforts.

File for tax-exempt status in Ohio.