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Originally Posted by AJunx
After reading somewhere that a team will be attending 3 regional competitions as well as nationals this year, I became very curious as to how many regionals each team will be competing in.
I'm sure I could find that information at usfirst.org, but the reason for this thread is that I would like to know the reasoning behind each team's decision to attend [insert # here] regionals.
I would also like to know how teams that attend more than one regional pay for such a venture. I'm sure some teams do their own fund-raising, others have solid corporate sponsorship, others have university grants, and so on. But even so, attending additional regional competitions isn't cheap ($4,000 a pop after the first one) and add a trip to Atlanta for nationals at $5,000 and you've got yourself one hefty budget. Of course, that doesn't even include any of the travel expenses associated with hauling, accommodating, and feeding a team ranging in size from 4 to 60 people. If your team doesn't do fund-raising to pay for additional regional competitions, how do you convince your sponsor(s) to throw down an extra $4,000 so your team can go to a second, third, or even a fourth regional? This question seems all the more relevant if your team is already planning to attend nationals.
So, in short, please let us know: - WHY your team will be attending 1, 2, 3, or more regionals this year
- HOW your team will be paying to attend more than one regional (if you do so)
Thanks in advance.
-Andrew |
Our team just finished the NJ regional, the first of two we’re attending. We’re returning to Palmetto next week. The site of our first ever regional win (2004). Then off to nationals. We had a tough blow to the team when our major sponsor included us in their downsizing efforts which reduced us to having just enough for the KOP and maybe one regional, but due to the hard work of some students and mentors, we managed to secure a new corporate sponsor (DPC).
Along with our sponsors, DPC, Givaudan, and BAE Systems, the team hosts a fund raising FLL Competition. A parent meeting gets us volunteers to work, make and sell food, referee, set-up etc.. The SCET (Student Core Engineering Team) put together a HALO 2 competition at the school (including awards and prizes) to offset travel expenses. The team also talked to local businesses and convinced them to offer discounts and donate a percentage of sales to the team.
Last year after we won our first regional (our third event that year), the students made a presentation to the school board and convinced them give us the funds for our entrance fee to nationals.
Its also important to look for companies that can donate materials like raw stock, computers, software, wiring, graphics, etc., so you can save what money you do have for regionals.
Try to get as much exposure as possible. The team has marched in parades, been at the opening of the movie Robots at one of the local theaters, company picnics where CEO’s and their kids could drive the robot. The more people you can get involved, the more resources are available to you.
There is money and resources out there for teams involved in a program that is as special as FIRST. You just have to find out where its hiding.
To answer the question as to why attend more than one event. Its FIRST! If we could, I’m sure our team would go to every regional if it was possible. Even though the build is only six weeks, we work all year.
Good luck!
p.s. Thanks to all our sponsors.
Sorry for the long post.