Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman (Post 760518)

For those who live in such a downtrodden community, there is a distinct difference between dreaming about the ideal future and actually making it happen within the REALITY many here trudge through every day. Change occurs at a much slower pace here against a much greater resistance, to the point where even the mildest of victories that are considered trivial or meaningless in better-off communities are celebrated as major achievements locally by those who attempt to affect change. People who think an entire community will up and reverse decades of entrenched mindset overnight are deluding themselves!

Many of these failed levies are for basic school repairs and operating expenses. Extracurricular programs are being cut and families have to pay to play at many schools. If families are reluctant/unable to vote for those basics due to personal finances or bitterness generated by their employment situations, do you think they are going to get right up and throw money and time at STEM programs?

It was inevitable - some generation had to pay the price during the region's transition from the corporate-subsidized, high wages and benefits with little more than a high school education days to the go out and get a college degree in order to obtain a secure, well paying job (and even that relative security is in question for many degreed people working in this area any more.....).

A few high schools and the local universities (Youngstown State and Kent State) are actively working together to pursue and integrate STEM initiatives into school curriculums. YSU is attempting to rally local industry to the cause as well, to create a pipeline of STEM-based students from school through to college and eventually into the local workforce.

Our local U.S. Representative Tim Ryan is very pro-STEM and understands the need to transition the local economy away from manufacturing toward more high-tech endeavors. He recently worked with several veteran local FRC teams to secure $180,000 in funding to startup new FIRST teams locally. We will have one new FRC team from the area in 2009 funded out of that amount. We're hoping that by bringing this and the NASA grant opportunity to the table, schools will be willing to "take the bait" and start up new programs, get their communities and local businesses interested.....well, you know the rest.

There are also several business incubators in the area attempting to attract high-tech industries to startup/relocate here.

These are all noble efforts that run counter to the notion that the area is "dying". However, it still takes an entire community of people to "buy" what these relative few are "selling". The number of people involved in these STEM initiatives pales in comparison to the size of the disaffected general population here who have lost much due to downsizing and shutdowns. You don't walk up to their door and shout "STEM!!!!!" in their faces and get them to do cartwheels in the streets after they just lost their jobs or had their wages cut in half and pensions slashed. You'd be lucky to walk away without receiving a fist to the gut.

Bottom line - it's going to take some time to break people out of their rut and see the light of change - much moreso than other relatively better-off communities in which these high-tech initiatives are more readily embraced. So yes, regional economics and the voting attitude of the communities toward their school districts definitely play large roles in the rate at which area schools adopt FIRST as a program.

Originally Posted by EOC (Post 760530)

It's all about the cost; every time I try to recruit an area high school the reception is very positive until I explain the money envolved; at that point they lose interest and state the cost is prohibitive.
Less cost = more teams!

Originally Posted by NEMentor470 (Post 760966)

... as soon as we say we are not a 501(c)(3) charity the business people lose interest.

Originally Posted by NEMentor470 (Post 760966)

As I understand it, the original FIRST model was for corporations to initiate teams in cooperation with schools. That's how our team was founded. Things went swimmingly until the corporation in question moved out of our state and ceased funding and providing engineer mentors and our meeting place.

Our school wants the robotics program and has provided a very good meeting room and shop and a teacher mentor for us but they are unable to provide money. Seeking a new corporate sponsor is difficult because as soon as we say we are not a 501(c)(3) charity the business people loose interest.

FIRST wants to add new teams (an admirable goal), but they should also think about giving corporations the option to take over teams that have been abandoned by past corporate sponsors. We have a great set-up, a willing school administration, a teacher, etc. but if we don't get major funding and engineering mentors, our outlook is at best bleak.