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Texas FIRST teams doubling in 2 years
Great job to everyone who was involved in pushing this legislation through.
I see 148 in the background, I'm not sure about the team on the left. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/13937/ Does anyone have the specific details about the $1 million state donation ? |
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One, the school name on the whiteboard, and two, from taking a quick look at their website, I found this: http://www.robochargers.net/IMG_1468.jpg , which I'm pretty sure is the robot on the desk. Great job to everyone who was involved in this! :D |
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1. Pay the entry fees for new teams. 2. Pay the Championship Registration fees for any teams that qualify to "represent Texas". This was just what I heard while we were there. I haven't seen any details of the roll-out. Basically -- $1 million will go straight to FIRST as registration fees. We will have 100+ new "one kit wonder" FRC teams. Hopefully someone has a plan to help them find corporate sponsors and engineers so they can build a sustainable program to survive the rigorous FRC. 148 will of course, do what we can; but I can't help wishing that money was spent in other ways. -John |
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-John |
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while this is a welcome opportunity and initiative, nothing has been said as to addressing any of the actual mechanics of it that I'm aware of. We should be careful of unfounded speculation when discussing it. As John says, the FRC program is rigorous and the teams that form must be able to be self-sustaining with the support of mentors, sponsorships, facilities, and interest. I'd like to thank the members of FRC 3005 for hosting this press conference at their new STEM academy high school and also, FRC 148 for being there. You guys always put the p in professional and represent the robotics community and specifically, FRC, well. Jane |
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New teams are great, but sustaining old teams is greater... |
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Would it have anything to do with the difference between an organization and a business?
It is obvious that people have very strong opinions about the robotic competitions that are available. Here in Texas, there is another strong competition that is deserving of attention and monetary support - BEST. For that matter, there are several robotic programs in Texas and all have value and are capable of making inroads into the deficit that we face nationally regarding math, engineering, problem solving, science, and technology and people moving into those fields. I'd hate to see this thread turn into another discussion arguing and/or promoting one competition over the other. It's very clear on where several people stand - consistently so. .02 Jane |
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If spreading STEM was really the goal, shouldn't Texas should be supporting all STEM programs and not just FIRST? This sort of narrowly-focused grant program is more disquieting than exciting. |
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Anyway, to be more on-topic, I'll go to this: the Chicago area tried a very similar experiment over the last few years, with After School Matters funding the registration fees for a bunch of new teams. The result has basically been what John is worried about - many (most?) of these teams show up at the regional not ready to compete, not very interested, and definitely not sustainable. They mostly disappear after a year or two. As I understand it, they've basically given up on this program because of these problems and will be using the funding in different ways this year, focusing on more fully funding a smaller number of teams that are more sustainable. |
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From a Texas starting point, I can look on a map and see the surrounding states and some of their surrounding states and I know that many of these states are struggling to establish support and working goals in these areas. I know states that are in early developmental stages in expanding these programs in their educational systems and on into their colleges. We see growth each year with the scholarships being made available for college applicants. In my opinion, that awareness is slow but is steadily making an impact. I know this is exciting news and I am looking forward to learning more about it. I'm not going to point fingers or use should and shouldn'ts when we can look at this situation across the nation and across the globe and see that there is a tremendous need for this type of support everywhere in order to build a better, stronger, and healthier future for all of us. Dave - I understand the concerns voiced and share many them. It is important that the leaders that can make a difference and create these incredible opportunities understand these concerns and be made aware of the risks that are involved when these concerns are not addressed. You'll get no argument from me on that. There is a current thread here in CD regarding mentoring a team long distance. Yes, that is an option and can be very helpful, but the bottom line is that the team has to become self-sustaining and strengthen its ties to the community that it is a part of, using and sharing resources. |
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I am nowhere close to the decision makers on this deal but I have spoken with a few staff at the Texas Workforce Commission over the last four years at robotics related events. It is my belief that they indeed are aware of all of the following educational robotics programs: BEST, Botball, VEX, FIRST, MATE-ROV as well as related competitions associated with the Technology Student Association and the Texas Computer Educators Association. This was an informed decision and the case for funding could have been and likely was made by more than just representatives of FIRST. We can all speculate and justify choices for one or all of the above but a decision was made so let's help develop a plan to make it a positive experience for all.
I can say that the Texas Institute for Educational Robotics here at Northwest Vista College will continue to seek funding to train teachers and provide summer camp experiences for students. We will also continue to develop opportunities for teams to attend local FIRST conferences to grow their team knowlege and skill set. We need all veteran Texas teams to join 148 and others who have not yet posted on this thread to help mentor the new teams by providing workshops, shadowing sessions, ...:cool: |
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