[archiver]

Posted by Samuel Lindhorst.

Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.

Posted on 10/17/2000 9:16 PM MST


In Reply to: Talking to school board.... posted by bill whitley on 10/17/2000 3:47 PM MST:



: Im talking to our school board tonight about FIRST, trying to figure out what I'm going to say.

: So far i have --

: History of FIRST
: History of our Team
: How the competition works
: -- (take them thru a 'mock season')
: -- from getting kick off to nat'ls to afterseason

: Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

: Bill

Talk about what it does for the kids. I saw Bill Beatty on the 99 promo tape saying that this program changes lives. It does. When I had the chance to say the same thing on the local cable access channel here, I said it with tears in my eyes. We've turned two or three kids completely around every year. Amazing.

Boards are nervous about the Disney trip IMHO, since they have to account for it to the voters. The trip is a wonderful hook for unwary kids, too bad they never get to use those tickets..lol! It's part of the attracting mechanism.

The opportunity to work with adults, in an adult situation with a lot of pressure, brings out the best in the kids. No 'spoon fed' information here, you either contribute, or get out of the way, we got things to do. Want to throw a tantrum? Please do it over there out of the way of the work area. Don't feel included? Well are you making yourself included? Want a position? Work for it.

Our high school principal was skeptical. He now goes to the wall for us whenever we need it. He's seen it work.

Sam