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Originally Posted by ghansel
In two sentences, Cory managed to say more of (perhaps ironically) absolute truth than all of the other posts in this thread combined.
I'll bite. Hard.
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Being on a team with no adult technical mentors, to answer the question "Why do teams voluntarily do FIRST without adult technical mentors?" would require me to justify the actions of myself and my team to others. This is something I am loathe to do in a largely closed-minded (among other things) community with such a degree of homogeneity of thought as ChiefDelphi (so shoot me... and prove me right). But what I can say is that actions speak louder than words. The only students that left Team 19 after our extremely unsuccessful 2005 season were graduating seniors. I don't know if it would be the same with another team; I don't know anybody on another team personally. But I am proud of them for it. Our motivations are our own. The "inexplicable" fact remains that we voluntarily participate in FIRST without adult technical mentors.
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To each person, their own goal in participating in FIRST. To each individual, due credit for their accomplishments. It's altogether wrong to say that the actions of any person or group of people are wrong when they harm nobody. This goes in life as well as in FIRST.
George Hansel. |
This thread has more do to with answering the question as to why teams decide not to utilize engineers or "adult mentors". I think you have misunderstood what many people have been saying. There is nothing wrong with student-run teams, and there is no reason to try and justify why you do things the way you do them. Frankly, I am a bit confused at what your post is really about. I expect something more fundamental when you "bite hard". Are you announcing that you readily refuse this kind of help, or that you can make it without it? I am also bewildered as to how you can be involved with a team as a "engineer" but not have anyone labeled as an "adult technical mentor"?
This community is anything but homogeneous. There are all kinds of teams with all kinds of people, and you will not find a single team that runs like another. The one common thing that we share is FIRST. We try to remember what this organization exists for: Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. We universally agree, and we should, that Inspiration is the only thing that matters in this organization. As long as your students remain involved and inspired, then mission accomplished.
Props to you for being involved in a student-run team. I can tell you from my own experience that it is a lot of work and is 100% worth the effort, and I think you would agree. However, don't misunderstand what people are saying in this thread. No one is attacking student-run teams, they are just trying to understand why people do it the way they do it. No one was calling anything "wrong", and no one has that right.
My team is student-run because I personally believe that more student involvement is a better outlet for the inspiration of my students. I have my way, others have theirs. The only thing wrong is when people tell others how to run their own teams.
I hope this helps clear things up!
-Alexander S. McGee