[Gdeaver]

If you want want easy, then have a monolithic team. Same sex, race, culture, religion. Unfortunately, while easy, this will not prepare students for life. In today's society it is a great personal skill set to be able to deal with diversity.

Early on when I first became a First mentor our team tried the girl sub team and boy sub team. Total failure.

Since then my mantra has been, "The girls have to learn how to play with the boys". And just as important. "The boys have to learn how to play with the girls". It is not easy. It is something that requires constant effort ever meeting and intervention to help them work together. On our team the older students really help by their interactions. So it is hard, requires constant effort. The pay off is the power of a diverse well integrated team.

"The girls have to learn how to play with the boys" "The boys have to learn how to play with the girls"