Quote:
Originally Posted by Pavan Dave View Post
Many mentors around my age and older, who were FIRST students and now are mentors are irritated and almost fed up with FIRST to the point where we're uninspired by FIRST now. Is the point to gain a new base but lose an old one? The point is to inspire but if the contrary, is it really worth it?
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Quote:
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by Sean Lavery - Perhaps you should consider that it is we who are changing as we experience a new viewpoint more than it is FIRST that is changing?
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Sean's point here right on. As a mentor for FIRST for 10 years I can honestly say that working with FIRST from a mentor's point of view has pretty much stayed the same. FIRST HQ's job is not to inspire, it's our job as a mentor. We need to shield the students on our respective teams from the political mine field that is FIRST (and any large corporation).
Remember, as a mentor, you are "they" and you are the reason the students come back. Do not think that you are supposed to be inspired by FIRST, but FIRST is to be inspired by you. FIRST is giving us the forum and it is our job to inspire.
I was never a student in FIRST, but pretty soon the majority of mentors will be former FIRST students (which will put me in the minority). I think that this year I may concentrate some of my WFA speeches at Regionals talking about how FIRST changes as you move from student to mentor as I fear Pavan Dave's sentiments are common among many former FRC students.
Anyway, remember that as mentors we have much more influence over the student experience than FIRST HQ does, hands down.
Paul