[SteveGarward]

I agree with Kim's comments - you need to understand what motives a person, so you can give them the right challenge. That's when the magic happens and you see amazing things. And though understanding everyone's required management style sounds big, you may not even have to use it, just know it so you can work with them best.

I also have the following suggestions to think about.
* Let there be consequences to work not done. If you give them the responsibility to complete an award submission and it is not done on time, do not clean it up. Either submit it as is, and let them know you have done so, or do not submit it since it's not up to the expected quality (of course, they have to know clearly what is expected up front). If you give them responsibility to complete it, and clear instructions as to quality standard expected, do not undermine that responsibility by redoing their work. They will expect it, and do less next time. At the same time, you need to find people who are truly interested in doing the job. If there is nobody interested, maybe there is no submission that year. This shows the team that you will not fill all the gaps - if they want it, they will have to step up and work for it.

* In addition to the above, instead of having yourself review and fix up the work, try find someone else who can give feedback. Sometimes they just need guidance to come from someone else. Perhaps find someone to hold a review session to go over the submission with them. Maybe find a business person who can come and give a talk on writing submissions/papers/business plans so they can get ideas.

* Grow a student leadership group. If students are given leadership roles, it can do a few things. First, it develops leaders. Second, in time, it should take some responsibility off you. Third, it gives others something to aspire to. This does not give them free reign, or ultimate power, or anything like that. They need to work with you and the other mentors, but it gives them responsibility to grow in to. The leaders should probably be decided every year to allow others the opportunity, though that doesn't mean someone can't return the following year.

* Perhaps look at the project management aspects of the team. Rather than traditional project management (since the build season is so short), or micromanaging (which often takes away a person's autonomy), look into other styles, such as Agile processes like Scrum. In such a short timeframe with so many moving parts, this can help keep the whole team up to date and moving forward. (If you want to know more about this, feel free to PM me.)

And to reiterate some of the other points:
* Find the right challenge for the person. Anybody will have a hard time doing something they're not interested in. But if they have the right challenge, you can just get out of their way and see what they can do.

* Let them work with the mentors, not for the mentors. This is not a job, nor is it school. The chance to work alongside someone in this capacity is something they don't get many chances to do. A slight change in the relationship from working 'for' them to 'with' them can change their entire approach to the work.

Every team is different and needs to find their balance. Student involvement is key to long term sustainability, as is long term mentor help. If the team is large but the students don't seem too engaged, I would suggest start working closely with a core group and build out from there.