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Thanks to everyone for their input and support in our efforts.
Team #5 has experienced many trials over the past few years, and potentially losing our robotics lab is yet another blow to our team. Having just completed its 5th year in the FIRST event, we are glad to have endured this past year. Let me try to explain some of the problems that we have encountered and overcome:
At the end of the 2001 school year, our robotics teacher resigned to take an administrative position at a neighboring school district. Having started the team back in 1997-98 and working as a special project within the Physics class for the first two years, he expanded the program to include a semester long robotics class in the third year. Engineers from AFL, the sponsoring company, came over to help teach the class and build a foundation for which the teacher could use to teach future classes. In the fourth year, the class was expanded to become a yearlong robotics class. Engineers again came over to the school to help teach the class on occasion and to present additional material. In the fall, the class helped to start FIRST Lego League teams at our local middle schools. Unfortunately, little else occured within the class for the remainder of the schoolyear and a golden opportunity was lost. I can only imagine what colleges must think when they see "Robotics" on a high school transcript. "Wow, really? What did you learn?"
Upon the teacher leaving the high school, a new teacher was asked to be the robotics instructor and to take on the role of leading the robotics team for 2001-2002. This was made known to the team before the start of the school year, and little planning for the year was able to be conducted. Thankfully, several parents stepped forward when they heard the robotics teacher was leaving, and were interested in keeping the program running. They have been extremely helpful in organizing the activities of the robotics club which is open to all members of the student body meeting outside of school hours. The class, however, was left to the new teacher who ultimately resigned after 2 months. So, in October, we were again left without a teacher.
A teacher who had been with the school for several years was asked to take over the robotics class and the extra-curricular robotics lab. Unfortunately, she stepped into the program midstream with little background information and only a glimpse of what the program has to offer. As any FIRSTer can attest, it is not until you attend a Regional, experience the enthusiasm and meet other people who are genuinely interested in science and technology that you finally realize the impact the FIRST and these robotics programs can have on young people's lives. She stuck through the year and saw firsthand the importance of the robotics program (class and/or club) and is now excited about being able to teach the class from the beginning of next school year.
Not only did our team suffer from a lack of consistent teacher presence, but they also had to endure several financial burdens.
With the slowing economy, our sponsoring company had to significantly reduce their funding. This leaked out in the spring/summer of 2001 and soon the students were under the impression that the company was bailing out completely. This was not the case, but what a way to spend a summer! The students thought the sponsor and teacher had both left the robotics program. I can't even imagine what they were thinking would happen to the robotics class that they look forward to so much.
As previously stated, we started this past fall with a new teacher and very little funding. The parents and students came up with many different fundraisers and worked feverishly to raise the money. This was recognized at the Canadian Regional as we were presented the Entrepreneurial award. Passing out flyers, collecting pop cans, working concession stands, selling pizza kits, conducting raffles and knocking on doors of local businesses for their support were instrumental in raising the cash needed for the year.
I am proud of what this team has done. Having less than 15 students (only 2 of which are males), we accomplished far more than what people might want to give credit.
The students put in close to 1000 hours in fundraising.
The engineers and machinists worked over 1700 hours.
The team raised over $30,000.
The teacher and parents participated in countless ways.
Now, we are in jeopardy of losing our robotics lab. Without a lab and a place to build, drive and test a robot on a playing field, it doesn't really matter how much time and effort the team members put into this program.
Our school district boasts of a grand Technology Plan. The FIRST program motivates and teaches students, supplies powerful software tools such as Autodesk Inventor, 3D StudioMax, Microsoft Office and Frontpage and lets students meet CEO's, Chairmen, and directors of organizations such as NASA, Delphi, Visteon and General Motors. This certainly helps to achieve this goal.
Sports and athletics are important, but so are academics. Woody is right when he says there is something wrong about naming an engineering marvel, the tunnel connecting Boston Logan Int’l airport to the city, after a baseball star (Ted Williams).
This is why I, too, am concerned about losing our robotics lab to yet another physical fitness endeavor. The athletic teams in our school have support (like all other schools across the US), and we need to keep what little resources we have.
The number of students who will actually continue into college and eventually make a career in professional sports is very slim compared to the number of students who could continue on after high school, attend college and land a job in a technical profession.
A number of our graduates have entered engineering and related fields in college due to our program, and several have continued as interns and co-ops with our sponsor.
The dreams have to start somewhere. The FIRST team shows students that they can achieve whatever it is that they put their mind to.
Without our lab, I'm afraid that it will be very difficult for Team 5 to exist and have continued success.
Let me close by thanking the other teams for their kind words. It is always our privilege to help out other teams and explain how our robots operate. We enjoy working with you just as much, and look forward to seeing those familiar faces and teams at the competitions while making new friends as well. It is nice to feel the support from all over the nation and as far away as Brazil!
Please do all that you can to keep your team alive and well.
Sincerely,
David Bryer
Engineer and mentor,
Team #5
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