Chief Delphi - Student Expectations for Travel

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Re: Student Expectations for Travel

When we were a rookie team, I know none of our mentors got more than 3 hours of sleep at competition, and I know I got less! There's just too much to figure out if you've never done it before, and too many plans to make just to get you through the next day. Fortunately, once you've done it once or twice, you can "wing it" and get plenty of sleep!

Re: Student Expectations for Travel

Quote:

Additionally, I found it necessary produce a list of rules for the head mentor to follow while at competition. Some of the gems that earned exasperated sighs and eye rolls as he read the list include:
Have your cell phone turned ON, charged, and on YOU at all times.
Answer your phone when someone calls you.
Eat food during each meal and get at least 3 hours of sleep a night.
Try to be somewhat responsible and a role model.
Do NOT use duct tape at any time in any manner.
Do NOT obtain, fabricate, carry, or use any zombie defense weapons of any sort including projectile launchers/shooters, blunt objects, sharp objects, etc.
Do NOT get upset with your offspring.

He later tried to collaborate with other mentors to find loopholes to a number of the rules, particularly the one regarding zombie defense weapons.

LOL, those are fantastic, especially 2 of the last 3.

I was a first year mentor last year and by the end of Boston I was so tired I was crying when I got home. We actually don't get too many behavior issues either because the kids are so exhausted after the days of competition. But yes, sleep is a must for mentors too! As well as eating.

Re: Student Expectations for Travel

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahBeth (Post 1186603)

How does this go over amongst your kids? As I said, its not that we WANT to take our kids' phones away but I'm not sure how else to motivate them to get out of the stands if they're not scouting and go talk to other teams, check out the pit, etc.

Rereading what I wrote I feel that I made it sound like we were super strict with it. We do allow the kids to have their phones on less "important" days during competition. Generally they have their phones on Thursday but Friday we generally have them and Saturday when they get them back depends on how we did.

The kids grumble because they don't want to be disconnected from "life" but overall it has worked pretty well. Our team inteacts with other teams so much more now and they make friends out of it.

After reading the comment that parents wouldn't want students going on a trip and not having their phone I felt I should add this disclaimer. Since enforcing that rule we have never traveled and only done local events. If we did travel we would have to reconsider that rule and make sure the parents have mentors phone numbers to reach us if their kid does not answer.