Quote:
Originally Posted by pilum40
Our team left the mentors to build, bag and tag the robot.They also decided to go to a play with the drama department instead of finishing the job. No commitment, pitiful work ethic, and just plain old fashioned male bovine excrement. We're bagging at 1159. The team will ask did we get the robot done? My response, "you weren't here, we don't build your robot. That is your job". I'm ready to pack robotics as an extracurricular into a box and throw it away. My non instructional time could have been spent with my family and friends. i'm totally unmotivated to go to competition. I will go. I have an obligation to FIRST and to our patrons. I'll go by myself if necessary, set up our robot and watch the competition.
I'm done. Good night!  |
It is a painful thing when you find yourself playing Atlas and speaking as one of the founding members of Team 11 (on my own behalf) I know first hand how hard it is on a newer team leadership when you perceive lost opportunity.
All I can say is this: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.
FIRST can be a powerful positive experience but as an adult lead you sometimes have to let the young adults fail and do your best to conserve your resources for those students who will accept the challenge. You may lose sponsors. You may even hurt future opportunities and you don't want that but everyone has limits.
I wish you could motivate everyone but things can be hit or miss and they have to let you help them, not make you clean up after them.