Peggy,
Being a 4H team, will you have any ties into the school district to assist with resources like space to work or access to a shop? Being a small town will generally make it easier to gain community support but the smaller school district will be scared off by budget. I agree that getting key people to a FIRST event is critical to get the buy in to what you are wanting to do. Their first comment is usually, "I get it now", after attending a FIRST event. Camdenton 4H LASER 3284 will help in any way and are only 90 miles away. We would welcome you to our program to host potential mentors, students, administration, or sponsors if you can not get them to Championships. Let them visit with our students about the value of adding a FIRST program. Our school offers all 4 progressions of FIRST. In a district of 4,200 students, 1 in every 20 students is involved in FIRST. We have to use a lottery in the elementary schools for our FLL programs. So I know it can be done in a rural setting with no industry.
The MO State Fair in August would be another good opportunity to visit and view FIRST teams in a relaxed atmosphere when school is about to start. There is also the National 4H robotics conference being held in September in Farmington, MO. Please contact me so we can visit in more detail. I would love to see another team started in rural Missouri.
mcomer@camdentonschools.org or laser3284.org