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Re: Mentors Input
832 Oscar:
Who builds robots/where?
Students and mentors build the robot.
Do you have dedicated space/machine shop?
We build our bots here at the school in the Engineering Lab. No real machine shop to speak of but we have a small shop. We have Internet access, lots of basic tools, drill presses and band saws.
Do you rely on corp. sponsors to build?
Most of our mentors are from parents of former/present students, or former students. We have some corporate mentors that come in now and then. We also have the support of a place that does water-jetting and machining for us, which helps immensely!
Who manages the team/students?
I do a lot of the management, but the students do as much as I can get them to do!
How involved is your school?
The school is supportive in spirit, but not too materially. They pay for my sub when I go to competitions.
How involved are your students parents?
Besides the ones that mentor not as involved as I would like them to be. Sometimes it's hard to scare up enough drivers/chaperons to go to a competition.
What is your teams operating budget?
We generally get about 15-20K from corporate sponsors. We also have club dues, about $100 per student per year. We also do fund raising to supplement our operating expenses.
How do you get compensated, besides the obvious joy of watching your students grow?
That's about it. But we can dream. I always lose money on this deal!
What is your typical build season schedule?
We meet twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. As build season progresses, we work more, including Saturdays. The last couple of WE we usually work Sat and Sun. One year we worked 22 days straight, WE, holidays and nights. Don't get into this if you want a life from January through mid February (besides a FIRST life)!
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