[precambrian1]

Simply asking the question shows that there is a frustration with "mentor" built robots. Mentors must be aware when students are potentially being overlooked. Students by nature have a lot to contuibute and are more responsive to new ideas and designs. What they may lack in engineering skills is made up for in creativity. Not all design ideas are practical, but that goes for mentor ideas also. Mentors should always be open to student ideas and nurture their desire to be involved. If student members are not active involved in the robots construction we will lose their commitment to FIRST an possibly move on to other activities in which they feel that they are active participants. This would be a great loss to the FIRST program. I have never been a fan of comparing FIRST to Sports, it's like comparing apples to oranges. It would appear that we all have to work harder to keep our apples from becoming oranges