[bachster]

Good luck! We have found that having 501(c)3 status and operating our expenses independently of the school is very efficient and definitely worth it. Be sure you have someone (an adult) willing to be treasurer, as you will want to have good record keeping and ensure that tax forms are filed on time, etc. Another tip: avoid using your school name in your corporation name (ie, "Superstar Robotics" vs "West High School Robotics"). We discovered after the fact that it is confusing to donors, parents, etc. to understand which organization they are donating to when the name is too closely related to the school name.