How much does your school's general population care about your team?

[MyNameIsPaul]

most kids know about it cuz we're in the announcements frequently.
BUT most people think it's just a few kids sitting in a dark room playing with their circuit boards and taking them to lame competitions..


Honestly this was my view when i first joined.

I help my team with twitter and instagram and word of mouth to try to connect with the general population since there's only a few of us on the team that truly get around socially.


TIP: try getting kids from all social groups on your teams, not just the "computer nerds" as the rest of the school thinks of robotics.

[SteveE]

We are not given any money or a place to work from our school. We have not for at least 6 years. They give us very little resources. The student are great and so are the teachers they just don't help us a lot. Mostly I feel like they like us but don't really care about us.

[Anyun]

Not at all. We barely get funding. The only time people even know there is a robotics team is when we drive our robot or chairbot (sofa mounted on driving base for fun times) around school.

[ezygmont708]

Our administration, student body, and community now know when robotics season is. It wasn't this way two years ago! Last year we hosted the first week 1 MAR district event. Honestly, our team was unknown within the school, we had dwindling numbers and little to no accolades.

Our event last year exposed our school population (1700+) students to FIRST. Now people ask questions, we reveal the game to the school, and over half of the high school came to see the event during the school day!

This is a benefit of the district model. It brings the events back into the schools. In fact the two convince stores near our school (Wawa) are interested in supporting our event in the future.

We also built a T-shirt cannon over the summer, which helps get the crowds amped up at basketball and football games!

[dheerm]

Generallly, only some people that weren't on the team would know about. By some people, I mean like people who were either close friends with or related to members on the team. But since our win at TCNJ(we have not won in a looooooong time), it was all over our school. All of a sudden everyone wants to join the robotics team because the news has spread all over the place.

[Robby Unruh]

Originally Posted by dheerm

Generallly, only some people that weren't on the team would know about. By some people, I mean like people who were either close friends with or related to members on the team. But since our win at TCNJ(we have not won in a looooooong time), it was all over our school. All of a sudden everyone wants to join the robotics team because the news has spread all over the place.

First, congratulations on your regional win! Second, enjoy the new students on your team. If our team had a couple more students it would be a godsend.

[ace94x]

I am on 2 teams, FTC and FRC, my FTC team just recently got its own room because a new principal came to the school and had an FRC team at his old school. But the school has no idea that it is there, my FRC team, is not offiliated with a school, we have become an orginization so, no one really knows us, so we do tons of demos each year, probable 30 demos per year, and get maybe 1-5 students to come for 1 meeting, and never return, so because your school is so into it, Congrats you have beat the system lol

[BenGrapevine]

"you guys are cool."

[kiasam111]

Originally Posted by BenGrapevine

"you guys are cool."

I wish people would say that more...

This thread is describing the exact issue that FIRST is trying to fix. One day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, some kid from FIRST is going to change the world. That kid could have easily become a world class sportsman, or something else like that. It's our job to capture those kids and show them the possibilities that Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths present, in the accesibility that is FIRST.

I'm presenting the school with one of our World's Entrepreneurship Trophies next Thursday, and I'm doing it two days before we leave for the Hawaii Regional. It's mainly to gain support from our new principal, but I'm hoping some new kids will see how great this program is, and how it can change lives.

[jar24]

=>0

[AllieS4246]

Originally Posted by faust1706

By the end of build season, we are left with maybe 10 students. 2 programmers (though thats how many we've had for 3 years), 1 design, an electrical student, and some build. We do have a sign by the highway for our winning of stl Regional in 2009 and placing 31st at internationals two years ago. We show off our robot every spring assembly. It will be nice because this year, we can actually do something with our robot instead of hanging inner tubes. We start off with way too many kids who dont do much, especially the business side, then as the season grinds on, they stop coming, until competition of course.

It is not that much better at this side of the river either. We have a team of about 30, but when all is said and done about 6 of us sustain the team entirely. We try to do demos at our school, but only the administration and about 1/3 of the teachers are in full support. We have had to hide the basketballs and frisbees to keep those less interested from breaking things, and like any team, when competition time comes around everyone is a game genius/ driving savant. We are working on getting an off-season event in place, and those who are less driven by the club are complaining about putting in the time and effort.

On a separate note, as a driver/ captain of the team, I respected your team very much, and thought your drivers exhibited much GP. Our qual match 75 with you was a blast. Your buttons are the best, and I do hope we get to work with you again/see you at our off-season event (if it is a go). Much respect, ratchet!

[AllieS4246]

Originally Posted by ace94x

I am on 2 teams, FTC and FRC, my FTC team just recently got its own room because a new principal came to the school and had an FRC team at his old school. But the school has no idea that it is there, my FRC team, is not offiliated with a school, we have become an orginization so, no one really knows us, so we do tons of demos each year, probable 30 demos per year, and get maybe 1-5 students to come for 1 meeting, and never return, so because your school is so into it, Congrats you have beat the system lol

I'd never guess that by the looks of your team. Just socializing with the drive coach for your team, you have it together. Our team is hoping to exhibit some of your GP habits and imagery in the future. (Unfortunately no fish emoji)

[Celia]

I would wager that over half of my school doesn't even know we have a robotics team. I noticed a few people talking about what their school gives them, so I thought I'd weigh in. Our school provides us with a room to work out of and a couple computers, along with a donation each year. We actually prefer this to being the high school's team. With this arrangement, our team cannot get cut when budget cuts come around. If we were more affiliated with the school, the team would have been cut long ago.

More in keeping with the thread, however, we are just the nerdy kids who practically live at school. No one cares, and no one knows, which is extremely unfortunate. We grew this year though, totaling in at 19 kids! Last season we had 15, and five were seniors. I swear, recruiting nine new members in a year must be a record on our team.

[Arrowhead]

not very much for our FRC team
Our school happens to be home of 3 FTC teams, including one of last years world champions, so when most of our school thinks of robotics, they instantly assume FTC :/

[littlemissLish]

our school gave us a room in the back of the school, however they do not even mention when we go to competition. we have gone up to the office to let them know that we are going to competition and they have never had us on the announcements. we go to some school events and people sign up, but no one actually joins. we have 25 students this year, two of which don't even go to our school. schools need to voice their teams more in my opinion.