[JaneYoung]

This past Wednesday, we had our annual sponsors reception. We started inviting sponsors to our shop at the school a few years ago. It gives us room to set up the robots and displays. We did a brief demo having last year's robot climb the ramp of this year's robot. They loved that. We set out fingerfoods and punch on the wooden work tables (complete with vises) and this year we had the added touch of the book, FIRST, Behind The Design, among the awards and the technical notebooks that we have done this year. We hang a sheet from the ceiling and project a slide show/video of the build and some of the matches onto it with music playing quietly in one section of the shop. Also new this year, was a small display of jewelry that the team made during a jewelry making workshop this spring. Earrings, bracelets, medallion necklaces - out of nuts, bolts, wire, ribbon - there were several purchases made along with oohs and aahs. We give each of the sponsors a plaque that has a letter of thanks, a photo of the team, and a photo of the year's robot. We also give them a copy of the slide show/video and a t-shirt. It is an opportunity for the sponsors and supporters of 418 to come see the team in our work environment and everyone enjoys the evening together. The students surprised the mentors with individual customized framed photos of the team, complete with little tubes.