[redbarron]

Originally Posted by Goldberg204

1) We are not sponsored by any professional engineering company's, just local companies who are willing to help us out.

2) After I graduate, if I do come back, I will not put a single nut or bolt on the robot. This is a highschool club and it will continue to be, I should not even do the slightest modification for the kids. Ill give them my suggestions and my input on the situation, but I wont touch the robot.

3) I don't look down on the teams that have engineers build their robots but I think that it is just unfair. There are some teams out there that have NO way of getting engineers to help them out so it is an unlevel playing field. I just dont see the point in having 20 students up in the stands while 10 grown men mess and fix the robot. Even though, I get great satisfaction when we blow out a team and 10 men run out onto the field yelling, picking up the robot and sprinting back to their pit with it.

4) The reason we don't let an adult touch our robot is because this is a HIGHSCHOOL club. If this was a community club, and any age could join, then I could understand, but this is for kids, in high school. I know that in the name, no where does it reflect that it is just for the kids, but are you really helping kids when you build a robot for them? When the kids grow up, dont you think one day they will be in the same situation again saying, man, wheres Mr. so and so, I dont know where to drill this.


Sorry if I came off to harsh, but this kind of thing really sets me off

To take it as far as calling it a community club if engineers are working with the students is just crazy. I see your point as far as a pit full of adults is concerned, but the whole point of FIRST is to spread the idea of going into a career of science and/or technology. Now if FIRST gave you the inspiration to realize that you could become an engineer, then I am glad that the way to give that inspiration back to the kids is to not even touch a bolt or nut on the robot that they are entering into the competition where everything is not level.Whether you are a team sponsored by a big time name like Delphi who gives you engineers and a healthy budget or a small business local welder who helped you in a bind with his/her expertise, the help is greatly appreciated. And if the team is a successful one in regards to the mission of FIRST then the students will go into a career where they can help level out the competition by providing their experience in the field they chose toward your problems/concerns/ideas towards your robot. I just do not see a feasible explanation as to why it would be a bad thing for an engineer to "HELP" (not take over the bot and build it to his/her taste) a team.