High Schools suck
 

They really do. I graduated early to get out. My old high school was rescently ranked something like 91st in the nation in academic standards and the school's always had a big head about academics. So, this creates a problem for us robotics people. Their head is too big.

Blacksburg *the one I want to* doesn't think it ever needs something like a robotics team. They say, "hey, we can give you everything you need here, forget hands on exprerience and stuff they'll teach you in college."

So we have a small team. We have almost a 1 to 1 ratio of students to mentors. Well, not quuite, but it's like 15 students and 12 mentors. The kids in Blacksburg never gave a thought to the team. What once started as a Blacksburg team, has now moved to an ajoining town, Christiansburg, and most of the students are from there.

I never even thought about wearing a robotics shirt to school for being ridiculed out of the front door. So there wasn't even an issue of "oooo, girls in robotics." People just thought it was a joke from the begining. We've had a different work space every year we've competed *this is #3.* And it's taken THIS long to even get the school board to come and see what an amazing program it is. the superintendant's son is even on the team!

Ugggghh, politics.

No offense taken... i realize that it does go both ways. And as to the comment on how girls are treated as far as on their own team... i can't complain... our guys respect us and know that we are just as smart, and they know not to make us mad!

many of the girls on the team are smarter than some of the guys and have. they are as much of the reason we are as successful as we are as what the guys do. so, all the power to you... usually, when we go to the comps to drive, our drive station is split 50-50. i remember a few times when we went up to drive and the other teams would not respect our female human player or driver. thats when we step in and set them straight


...and the thing about making the girls mad at meetings, you got to sometimes cause it makes it that much more exciting :D :p

Geppers!!
 

Why doesn't the students and parents and mentors of those teams in Va do something. This program shouldn't be about politics, it should about wanting theirs students to have every oppertunity to achive something they like/love to do. That is the silliest thing I've ever heard...... A robotics team disbanned because some high person said they weren't good enough, they don't like the program (when they haven't even seen it), and greatly, the super on that one team should be ashamed. It's her school disterct and on a personal note her son is involved. Doesn't she even care about her own son? That is horrible!! Our school boards travels with us everywhere we go and our super knows what we do and where we work and gets calls while we are gone at competitions. She's a great lady and she doesn't have kids on the team...... Class Act!!

The guys on my team like to pick with me too, just because they know that I'll standby my opinion and that I don't back down. There are some younger guys that ahve joined the tama nd they don't know my shop abilities yet and they say I can't do certain things. Poor freshman!! Oh well, when it comes time for me to teach them how to do something they'll understand what's up. I'm glad that the guys on your teams treat ya'll well, and I hope that they continue to do that.



Shelley

Being a girl has perks, and shall I say horrible concequences...
Its those days when all of a sudden every other person on the team (I being the only girl) recalls that I am a female, then they try to impress me and what not. Its quite hard to get work done with a bunch of stupid males around, ah but such is life.

The previous two years one of the female members of our team was the 'Mistress/Goddess of the Lathe'. She was basically the only one who used it. She became very protective of that lathe...
Anywho, the male/female ratio on or team is 32/9. It is lopsided, but there are more younger females on the team, and they are treated, for the most part, the same. We also tried during the assembly the school lets us do at the end of the year last year to get more women to join the team. I guess it worked cause there are more now, but it is late and I am tired and babbling so
~fin

Do you find......
 

Asher.......

Do you find that you have to do most of the work yourself in order to get tings done when they all start goofing off?!? I think out of the girls we spend the fewest hours in the shop, but when we are there stuff gets done!! :o) We have to get these boys in shape!! Well, I just hope that the males on your team can someday realize you are a chic and they don't have to act all Macho or anything......... Macho Macho Macho Man, I wanna be a Macho Man!! Sorry, I had to!!


Shelley