[tjwolter]

I was a first year mentor last year, on a rookie team. But as to volunteer work I had been at that point already in year 15 of a DIY robotics program in the middle school after school program. So I have a sense of perspective here that makes be brave enough to say something just a bit controversial.

With tons of respect for the teaching profession, and much affection for my many teacher friends, where we are there is a significant aversion towards teachers being involved in something like FIRST unless there is a stipend involved. This goes beyond the fact that many of them have so much else going on that it would hardly be practical for them to take on a lead role. We have a very politicized environment at this time where teachers are not encouraged to go the extra mile with this sort of thing UNLESS they get paid.

Like one of the other commenters above we are an off school team. We build in a Maker's Space that one of our mentors has created. My other lead mentor is a software engineer with a very understanding boss. (meaning his wife, but his employer is pretty much on board also!). I'm an ER doctor at a stage in my career where I have the luxury of doing what I want, when I want to do it.

Our district has been supportive financially. Mentors don't pay travel expenses. But we are not offered a stipend and if we were we would all toss it back into the kitty anyway.

Not everyone has our situation. And I understand that there may be a (one time) state matching grant this year that can be used for stipends if that were a desired use.

T Wolter