[Eric Brummer]

I agree fully. Not wanting to sound like a jerk, but some of the things you list, our team does do, but the only reason we do any of it, is because our mentor is amazing enough to allow us to. It's part of the entire FIRST program. We operate as a business, and therefor more and more jobs are granted to the students. Those that say they run their own teams without help from their mentors should consider the fact that they have the best mentors in the world. The only reason you are doing those things is because your mentor feels you can and is allowing you to learn and grow. I'm sure there are some teams that have "below par" mentors because thats how life works. The mentors job is to teach you to a point where they aren't needed. There are always things that are over looked by us, since we are still in the learning process, so thats what the mentors are for, to double check things, and teach us when we do mess up. Just because you are doing a job doesn't mean you are replacing the mentor.
I respect our mentors far beyond any regular school teacher, because not only have they taught us far beyond normal and typical school requirements, they give us the freedom to go even farther, all in the name of learning and maturing; what FIRST is all about. Thats my opinion, and I hope it doesn't clash with that of the origional poster to much.