[iscrc2]

I'm the second vote for "just to get it to work". We are a second year team. I think "just getting it to work" (for us) implies the other choices (except winning maybe). But I don't think the goal of winning is fair to the kids because they are attempting something that is almost utterly new to them but other teams often have huge resources (numbers, money, years) and competing against them is not realistic.

I had the most eye opening experience with the kids last year in "just getting it to work" when we brought the machine out for a round and another team asked us "can you move?" and the team captain of that round answered "sure! no problem!" and I had just finished a re-wire and had no idea if it would move or catch fire. And darn if that machine didn't work just fine. I have no idea what our score was that round but we didn't care. The team was elated that in fact it had worked! I think they accomplished all your choices (except win) by "just getting it to work".