Attn: Present & Future College Students, Think carefully before you mentor

[keneajer]

Originally Posted by Bethie42

I found this thread a year or two ago and really appreciate the advice contained within. I'll be majoring in comp. sci. at a college halfway across the country [LeTourneau U] starting in August and am considering what steps I should take to stay involved with FIRST. FIRST will be in my life no matter what, I just have to decide how and how much.

I'm planning to lay low my first year but am still hoping to keep in touch with my team back in Oregon, help out where I can with organization and so on, mostly in the off-season. You know, the occasional email: 'How's the NASA grant application going? Is recruitment up? Time to book hotels for regionals!' and so on.

I know this could change when I actually get to college and am floundering in coursework, but I have a dream. Longview is a town of ~70 k people, with several public and private high schools, yet there are no FIRST teams in the area. I envision students from LeTourneau [an engineering and aviation college] working as junior mentors to a team based at Longview High School, funded by one of the several manufacturing and technology corporations in Longview, and under the wing of LeTourneau faculty.

I know this is a far-fetched dream, but I have seen so many amazing things happen with FIRST that I think it's possible. Last night I contacted all the STEM teachers at the high school, mentioning the idea and asking what their input it. So far one has responded with interest, and said [to my excitement] that the school had done VEX in the past.

People who know me say that if anyone can mentor a team in college, I can.
This year I started seven FLL teams in my town and mentored two of them. Coaching those FLL kids was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, if stressful at times. I think this bodes well for my future as an FRC mentor, although I know the difference between starting an FLL and and FRC team is exponential.

My biggest asset to my FRC team has not been technical, even though I was lead programmer this year and loved it; it's leadership, organization and ENTHUSIASM. I'm so far from being burned out on FIRST, it's not even funny, but I think a year off to regroup and plan further schemes to conquer the world through FIRST is a good idea.

Thank you all for your advice.

I wish I have found this tread back when I first strat my program or started college. This was my third year as a mentor and im going back for a fourth but im planning on laying low because Im almost done with school and I would like to move on into my career. I'll still help out with stuff but I know I need to start moving on with life and stuff.

Im a big asst to the team because I been helping them with the chairmans award. Teaching them how to set up a intreiw, pre-pare qestions and how to
frame something corrrtly. One of the things I been leting the team know is that im going to be busy, but some how that happens I allows put stuff to the side and help the team. This year was different year because I had project after project in school and I got it done and all but I wish that I had lay low a year or two. For one of my projects I had to create a half an hour show so I decided to do it on FIRST. Here is the link to it http://youtu.be/7apTSmhGfFI . One thing that this show did it open my eyes to what other teams are doing. After this semseter I was really burnt out from all the projects and robotics but I look what i have done and I think I did a good job. I dont mind helping with stuff or help a student get an event together it he/she needs it.

My best friend and I and his dad where on the same team together. One day I was talking to him about school, friend on the same robotics team. One thing that he say that is that maybe there should be where a rule on the team that you cant come back for one year if your a student going into
a mentor postion because of how close we are to some people on the team (friend and stuff like that). My best friend gose to school out of state but he is still involed in FIRST. As for me FIRST will be close to me im trying to find differnet ways to help FIRST where i am going to be.