[GaryVoshol]

Do any of the teams have minimum academic standards for participation? Most sports teams do, why not "sports for the mind" teams?

Our school district has a 2.0 gpa standard for sports; the team standard is stricter - you must get at least 2.0 in each class. Any fails or D's, and you are suspended until the grades improve.

We travelled to Atlanta with only 11 team members last year, because several were suspended for grades. That includes the guy who was our lead programmer and chief driver, and another who was our HP. So yes it hurt, but we kept to our standards. Grades are important. Getting below a 2.0 in HS is mostly because you are not doing the work, period. If you can't handle it, you drop the extra-curricular stuff, including robotics, no matter how valuable it may be to you in later life. You could say the same thing about being on the football team, that it's preparing you, but you need to get the grades.

The real value is in those who commented to the effect that you do just what you have to do to get through. That is a valuable life lesson - prioritize, do the important stuff best, but don't skimp on anything.

OK, down off my soapbox now.