[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Kelly

I think you're missing part of my earlier point. If we wanted to show students what professional engineers can accomplish, it would be a lot cheaper for teachers to just stick a NOVA special on the Apollo program in the VCR and pop out for a coffee. Programs like FIRST deserve to exist because they show students that THEY can become engineers and build cool things. Science has a bit of a stigma in our society and kids think they need to be super-geniuses to excel in it and programs like FIRST can dispel that myth.

We're apparently talking past each other. I agree with what I see you saying, but it seems to be presented in an argumentative tone. Maybe I didn't word my thoughts as well as I could have, or maybe you're assuming a bias on my part that is coloring your interpretation of what I wrote.

Here's a minor revision to one of my earlier statements that might help clear things up: In order to "change the culture" we don't necessarily need to show people how to do something. We just need to show what they are capable of doing with the right training and study.

To quote myself: "Build season is another story, that's when general engineering experience comes in handy, but at competitions it's all about knowing your machine." Mentors are wonderful during the build season and I'm not proposing we eliminate them from FIRST entirely. I just think students should have a large enough role on the team that they can capably work on it in the pits.

I didn't accuse anyone of wanting to eliminate mentors, so I don't know why you chose to deny it. I certainly never suggested that students shouldn't be expected to work on the robot.

Originally Posted by CommanderRachek

I would like to reiterate what Kelly has said about our sponsor: he was not as involved as a team member or mentor, obviously, but he was not just some god throwing money down from Olympus. He knows what FIRST is. He just happens to disagree with the way the program is run in that regard.

If he disagrees with FIRST's emphasis on mentoring, I think he might merely think he knows what FIRST is. Have him get involved -- or at least watch a little more closely -- and take a while to reassess his opinion. Have him look at the results (number of students going on to pursue careers in science and technology) and then ask him again if he disagrees.

The thing is, just looking at the products of modern science and technology doesn't inspire much. The reason people shy away from technical fields is that they see it as some kind of black magic.

Inspiration doesn't come from seeing the products. It comes from seeing the process, from realizing that doing it is within (or just barely beyond) your grasp, and from being a part of it. The inspiration is from participating in the design and build and competition, with the mentors.

I can tell you right now that I would never, ever have joined my robotics team if I hadn't been allowed to be involved in the actual business of design and construction. "Watch Professionals Build a Robot Club" would have bored the stew out of me.

If anyone has misunderstood my position to be defending cases where the mentors do everything and the students merely watch, please correct that misunderstanding now. The FIRST experience can't be compared to a science lecture or a documentary video. FRC teams in particular should be recognized as close partnerships between students and mentors.