What member go to competitions?

[PirateRobotics]

On your teams how do you decided who goes to the regionals or championship? Last year we took over 40 students and parents to Atlanta with us and found out it was just too many people. I'm looking to try to figure out ideas what members are needed for the events. Thanks for the help.

[Nate Smith]

Depending on how far away your regional is, one thing to consider is how my team in high school handled this problem. We sent the drive team and a couple mentors(usually from the sponsor) down on Thursday for unpacking and practice. The rest of the team came down on Friday for the actual competition.

The championship is another matter, however. Depending on how your team tracks participation, I have seen teams set a minimum number of hours that a student must participate in order to be able to attend the championship. If your team members have to pay part of their way to Atlanta, that may do some of the filtering for you, as some may not be able to afford the expense. I would recommend, however, that you provide some sort of individual fundraiser to help team members offset the amount they have to pay...

[lenny8]

Well in our team you have to remain 80% attendance and also have to pay your dues and the set amount for travel/hotel fees which depends on how much you make on fund raising.

[Koko Ed]

On our team we use a Star Chart for students to earn the right to attend regionals and the championship.
The star chart measures attendance, grades (not just the grades alone but they cannot have bad comments on their report card either), community service, speaking in front of the team and writing journal entries amongst other things.

[Anna B.]

I have a question along these lines,
Our team is small and so everyone gets to go to a regional (providing they pay/raise enough money), and everyone does go. I was wondering if the students, on bigger teams, that do not go to regionals/championship, are they inspired? Or are these the kids that are just doing it to have an extracurricular activity on their college application?
For me, a major part of FIRST is what you learn from the competition, and feel that everyone should be able to experience the aura of a competition.
Also, if a team member doesn't go, they only know about their one team, not the multitudes of other amazing ones out there.
I am just curious
-Anna

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Annette B.

I have a question along these lines,
Our team is small and so everyone gets to go to a regional (providing they pay/raise enough money), and everyone does go. I was wondering if the students, on bigger teams, that do not go to regionals/championship, are they inspired? Or are these the kids that are just doing it to have an extracurricular activity on their college application?
For me, a major part of FIRST is what you learn from the competition, and feel that everyone should be able to experience the aura of a competition.
Also, if a team member doesn't go, they only know about their one team, not the multitudes of other amazing ones out there.
I am just curious
-Anna

Going to competition is a privilege not a right. If the kids do not follow the guidelines and rules we set they should not be rewarded. Because if they are rewarded for doing nothing what kind of message are you exactly giving them?

[Anna B.]

That makes sense.
Thanks for clearing that up
-Anna

[Billfred]

The requirement to travel to Chesapeake with the team last year was attendance at 70% of weekday meetings, 60% of Saturday meetings, and $100 to cover food for the 4.5 days we were out of town. (The percentages might be off a smidge--it's been a minute since then.)

The food money was not required in 2007, since our regional was in town that year, but the attendance requirement remained in the ballpark. That year, we brought eight kids and three mentors to Palmetto and did just fine.

I enjoy scouts and a cheering section and all that, but you go to war with the army you have. In our case, it's the army that earned their spots.

[lenny8]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

Going to competition is a privilege not a right. If the kids do not follow the guidelines and rules we set they should not be rewarded. Because if they are rewarded for doing nothing what kind of message are you exactly giving them?

i agree completely and theres always people on the team who want to be apart of it be more bad than good or are never there and expect to go on trips. i too i'm part of a small team and we still have an attendence rule but people meet the requirement (sometimes)

[JBotAlan]

Set out rules clearly at the beginning of the season; make sure all students have read them. Attendance, money requirements (I personally have a major distaste for a "pay-to-play" style program; require them to raise funds with the team's help instead. When we discourage members based on money, we fail horribly.), behavior and grades...make sure it is all very clear.

Work your hardest to design a system that does not exclude anyone, though. I cannot speak for others, but FIRST took on a whole new meaning when I got to witness the sights and sounds of a competition. Don't take that away!

My $0.02.
JBot

[Bryan Herbst]

Our team is relatively small (last year I believe we ran 12 or so students strong, and about half only came to occasional practices), and has taken all of the students who have wanted to come both years (we are going to be a third year team this year).

We had the maximum number of students in the pit most of the time, and the "excess" students were in the stands ing, or walking around scouting. Who was in the pit was determined by who needed to be in it (ex. the programmers were there quite often, the captain was always there, our mentors were there, key drive train people were there, etc.). This year we have more people, and if everyone comes again, it will probably be about the same. If, for example, we have a subsection that deals with funds and publicity, they probably wont be in the pit with the bot very much.

Although this thread does bring up some points I should bring up. We really haven't been able to leave students behind yet, simply because we haven't been big enough, but this year we may have to.

[Andrew Schreiber]

I know on RUSH if you didn't make your dues or didn't have the grades you couldnt travel. If you are concerned about students on the verge of academic failure traveling make sure they realize that they will be forced to study instead of any free time they may have.

About academic requirements, students grades should NEVER suffer due to involvement in FRC. The moment grades drop the students need to be informed that they need to get them up or risk not traveling or even losing build privileges. I know senior students who spent the week before ship not allowed to touch a tool because they didnt have the grades.

Students, don't forget school is MORE important than FRC.

[lenny8]

man i remeber i was failing a class and the mentors told me i had to start bringing my book bag in with me and make shure i study and do homework before i do anything else

thanks Chris noble

[mrs. p]

well, on our team we have a tier system that allows students to decide what they can do. we usually have about 55 - 60 kids on the team but only about 40 travel to all events. all travel has GPA and behavior policies as decided by our school board. all members must complete team "community service project" to travel anywhere. we also have team fundraisers and documented hours that decide who goes where. it's worked out pretty well so far

[ATannahill]

Originally Posted by JBotAlan

Set out rules clearly at the beginning of the season; make sure all students have read them. Attendance, money requirements (I personally have a major distaste for a "pay-to-play" style program; require them to raise funds with the team's help instead. When we discourage members based on money, we fail horribly.), behavior and grades...make sure it is all very clear.

Work your hardest to design a system that does not exclude anyone, though. I cannot speak for others, but FIRST took on a whole new meaning when I got to witness the sights and sounds of a competition. Don't take that away!

My $0.02.
JBot

I have to say that I have suffered from this, I did not have the money to travel to two out of the three events my team went to and as a result my experience diminished, not just because of what I missed at the competition but also because people on the team thought I had lost interest and refrained from telling me about off season projects. Definantly make sure you can help a student that is financially chanlenged.