Quality vs Quantity- The New FIRST
 

In our mad dash to get FIRST to become a global empire, are we loosing the idea that quantity isn't as important as quailty?

With more and more teams, will the good sponsors and mentors run out? Will new teams be forced to do the ole' carwash routine?

What about the Nat's last year? We had many kids who set a bad example for FIRST. In our expansion, have we forgoten to teach kids to behave?

So the question is, is this new larger FIRST a better one with more teams? Or are we kidding ourselves and we need to worry about quilty over quantity?

Some teams are already using carwashes as a large part of fundraising. I really doubt that FIRST teams will run out of sponsors. Maybe major sponsors will run out, but local companies will always be around. Mentors will also never run out. There are hundreds of thousands of untapped resources including schools, companies, engineers, teachers, and students. These will never run out.

I have an online friend in Massachuetts who wishes to get involved with a team. She'd like to volunteer but she doesn't know how to contact any teams.
Getting mentors are not the problem.
There were some teams at the nationals who need a lesson in FIRST etiquette. They had no concept of gracious professionalism.

Re: Quality vs Quantity- The New FIRST
 

Please explain JosephM. Did something happen??

What did they do??

Re: Re: Quality vs Quantity- The New FIRST
 

Basicly, they trashed it after the party and after the Mandy Moore concert. Many kids were obnoxious and roudy (sp?). A few durring the VCU regional irked me a little (most likely the specail guests who like to push over trash cans, but their not in FIRST) or the great southern hospitality (READ: NONE).)

Sponsorship availability
 

I don't know about you guys, but some teams here in VA are feeling the sponsorship crunch. A lot of teams are going around to local businesses trying to raise money without much luck, because FIRST is a huge expense that they maybe can't afford in this pseudo-depression of ours.

We're lucky - we got enough money to pay our registration fees. Getting through the season, though, will be tough.