Who builds robots? / Where?
The students build the robot in the school's tech shop. We have lathes, mills, a sand blasting cabinet and a small CNC machine available to make parts.
Do you have a dedicated machine shop?
See above.
Do you reply on corporate sponsors?
Yes. One of our corporate sponsors is an industrial plastics company and they weld and fabricate some plastic components for us.
Who manages the team?
The lead teacher manages the team and coordinates part of the build.
How involved is your school?
The first two years the school was not involved at all. They didn't have any interest in the team. After we won two regionals last year, the school decided to give us a small amount of support.
How involved are the parents?
A few of the parents are actively involved, bringing food to meetings and driving to regionals.
What is your budget?
Each year we go to two regionals. The money for the regionals, the championship (if we go) and the KOP is provided by the school board which is very supportive of the FIRST program and supports teams in a number of schools across the city. The money to build the robot is provided by our sponsors and is usually around $2000.
How are you compensated?
Mentors sometimes get free food, but their work is all volunteer.
What is your typical build season schedule?
We usually work:
- Monday to Thursday: 3 to 7PM
- Friday: 3 to 5PM
- Saturday: 9AM to 4PM