why do we mentor?

[MechEng83]

I mentor for many reasons:

My first experience with FIRST was in college when I was on a semester engineering co-op job. My work mentor was also a mentor for FIRST team 180 S.P.A.M. and invited me out to their shop to check it out. I thought it was pretty cool, and I actually learned pretty much everything I know about using a mill from their retired machinist mentor. This alone has been very beneficial in my engineering profession. Even as a part time college "mentor" I learned so much being part of FIRST that I want to continue that cycle of learning with students today.

Secondly, most of our students want to go into technical fields, so they really look up to me as a professional engineer. My opinion matters much more than I first imagined to the kids. I told one of our seniors last year I was proud of her, and she still talks about it like it was a defining moment of her life. I was never cool growing up, but now I feel like a rock star. It's a pretty awesome feeling to be a "hero" to the kids.

Little kids want to grow up to be firemen and doctors. FIRST kids want to grow up and be engineers.

Third, I really like teaching. Not in the classroom/textbook style, but explaining how things work, how to use equations, why things are the way they are. I love the feeling of seeing a student "get it" It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I try to design team exercises that illustrate engineering concepts (like optimization) and still are a bit of fun; last year our team captain came up to me afterwards and said "this was really cool" which absolutely made my day.

And last -- I get to play with robots! How is that not awesome?!?

[tsaksa]

Originally Posted by MechEng83

I mentor for many reasons:

Little kids want to grow up to be firemen and doctors. FIRST kids want to grow up and be engineers.

Not all of them. I still remember when my daughter was in Kindergarten. After about the second or third week, when I came home from work my wife said "You should ask Jennifer what she did in school today.

Me> "Jennifer, What did you do at school today."

Jen> "Oh, We all got to say what we wanted to be when we grow up."

Me> "And what do you want to be when you grow up."

Jen> "I said I want to be an engineer when I grow up."

Me> "Really?"

Jen> "Yup, I decided, I want to be an engineer.

Me> "And why is that? After all a lot of kids your age don't even know what an engineer is."

Jen> "I just think that it's the greatest job in the whole world and I know that's what I want to do when I grow up"

Me> "Wow Jennifer, you don't know how happy that makes me. You want to grow up and be an engineer just like your dad!"

Jen> "What? No dad! The kind that gets to drive the train!"


Oh well. You can't win them all. Actually both daughters eventually decided on relatively technical non engineering careers. But, I could not be more proud of them even if they had both chosen engineering.

[kwojcik]

For the one year that I was in FRC, it completely changed my life. There is nothing more satisfying than giving the opportunity that I had to others.

[rsisk]

I am continuously impressed with the quality of people I meet in FIRST, and I have seen first hand the impact this program has on the students.

[MooreteP]

I was an engineer for ten years and decided to try a new career, Education.
I foolishly thought that it would be a little easier than working with machines as a reactor engineer.
I left my job and used some savings to get a masters in education.

Boy, was I wrong. You can admire machines, but you don't really love them. A machine can be left alone and does not have an emotional component.
I never feel, as a teacher, that I am doing a great job. There is always more that I can do to be better and serve my students.

In 1998, at Rutgers for my first FRC competition, with my first team, 195; I started crying as I saw two of my most favorite things, students (our future), and engineering (my passion) come together in the most beautiful synergy under one roof.

This program has enabled me to make a difference that I believe is good for the future of humans on this planet.

[rsisk]

...because when you mentor, you receive Christmas presents like this:

hey mr. sisk, this is for you and mrs. sisk.

you guys started as just mentors to me. another two people that are my robotics teams. well ok... but over time you two have become more than that to me. You've become life long mentors to me. because you've helped to teach me responsabilty, and deadlines, that when something is due its due. which has made me a better person. You've watched me grow for 4 years but what you taught me with responsibility specifically i will never forget that.

another thing is that you brought me into F.I.R.S.T, and i would never change that. you've taught me alot, and when i get out i plan to build my own robot. And stay a team mentor. so yeah...

thanks.