Quote:
Originally Posted by OZ_341
I understand what you are saying and in fact our team has accepted students from other local communities, neighboring schools, and other countries for the past 6 years. We don't want any kid to be without a FIRST Team to join.
My point is that when Team 341 gets to the end of build season we are struck by the reality of our place in the school hierarchy. When we go to test our robot, every viable space is occupied (day and night). The gyms and auditoriums are reserved with other traditional activities. We lost our storage facility last year, for a larger exercise room. Thousands of dollars have been spent over the last few years upgrading sports facilities on site.
How many basketball courts, baseball fields, football fields, exercise/weight rooms and tracks does an average school have? I am a big sports fan, but there is no balance.
I have already mentioned all of the nice things our district does for us. But that does not mean I have to be satisfied. Until my kids don't have to beg for storage space or a place to practice, I simply will not be completely satisfied. I will continue to push the envelope.
I can only speak for my team, but I do believe what I said. Our school is proud of our team and often brags about our accomplishments in the community, but we will not have changed our school's culture completely until we have all of the things I mentioned and a few more.
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I guess when you put it in terms of hierarchy in the school I can understand a little more what you meant. I understand the struggles from being the lowest on the totem pole. In fact 397 had the police called on us several times when we set off the silent alarm at school. We disarmed it but then a group in the school armed it again. (I know who it was but its not appropriate to point fingers.) This happened for 3 consecutive days, the real problem is that we get fined whenever this happens. But of course because the other program is something the school is proud of and encourages we get blamed. I agree that it would be great to get a FRC team in every single school, that having them classified as a school sport and having their equipment and uniforms and travel paid for. I would love to live in that sort of world. The problem is that the structure is not there.
I applaud 341 on accepting students from anywhere, to me this is a quality that needs to be emulated by every single team. If a student has no access to a FRC (or similar) program then please support the student.