FRC Team in Inglewood (CA) needs mentors

[seinchin]

In 2012, as a first-year teacher, I started FRC Team 4144 in Inglewood, California (note: I do not recommend starting a FIRST team during your first-year teaching in a high-needs school). After three years, I'm leaving teaching to go to grad school in the area at Caltech. There is a core of dedicated students, administration is supportive, and we have basic facilities. There are also two other teachers who have signed on to take over the faculty side of things. However, I was the primary technical mentor, and it would be nice if we could find some more mentors.

While our greatest need is for controls (both software and hardware) help, we could also use mechanical and business/chairman's mentors. I will still be around to a limited extent, but I obviously won't be able to be there 3-5 times a week like I was before during build season.

[mathking]

Seinchin was one of my students and team members on 1014, and then a mentor for us while an undergrad, so I have followed the progress of 4144 over the past couple of years. They have made remarkable strides and it would be a shame if they couldn't keep this progress up.

[treffk]

I recommend sending an email to your Regional Director, Senior Mentor and AmeriCorps VISTA. You may not have the last two in your area but the Regional Director will have a great wealth of information. They can help connect you to people who want to mentor or volunteer in your area or can send a message to see if anyone wants to help. Also you could try approaching local Universities and businesses with technical experience to see if they may have anyone who would like to mentor.

http://www3.usfirst.org/regional-contacts is an easy way to look up contacts in your area if you are unsure of who they are.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by treffk

I recommend sending an email to your Regional Director, Senior Mentor and AmeriCorps VISTA. You may not have the last two in your area but the Regional Director will have a great wealth of information.

They've got SMs. There's two that broadly cover the area.

There may or may not also be some very experienced teams and mentors in the area that may or may not be thinking of "Do we have enough (or too many) mentors here, which would allow someone to go over there?"

[seinchin]

Would 330 and the Torbots be some of those veteran teams?

Contacting senior mentors. Thanks for the help, all.

[DCA Fan]

Lots of good teams nearby you can go to for help:

Team 330 Beach Bots - Hermosa Beach
Team 207 Metalcrafters - Hawthorne
Team 294 Beach Cities Robotics - Redondo Beach
Team 1197 Torbots - Torrance
Team 5124 West Torrance Robotics - Torrance
Team 687 Nerd Herd - CSUDH

Feel free to message me if you have a hard time getting a hold of people.

[Citrus Dad]

I suggest contacting the USC, UCLA and Loyola Marymount engineering schools. There are probably FIRST alumni who could be interested in helping. RAND in Santa Monica also may have some interested folks.

[dcarr]

Originally Posted by Citrus Dad

I suggest contacting the USC, UCLA and Loyola Marymount engineering schools. There are probably FIRST alumni who could be interested in helping. RAND in Santa Monica also may have some interested folks.

There are definitely a lot of FIRST alum at USC. A few of us help out team 597. Depending on distance there could be some interested students here, I will find out once the school year starts.

[EricH]

Is the team still looking? I happen to be able to be available. (Which was what I was referring to earlier.)

I've sent a couple PMs, so far no response.

[SpaceOsc]

Originally Posted by EricH

Is the team still looking? I happen to be able to be available. (Which was what I was referring to earlier.)

I've sent a couple PMs, so far no response.

If they dont take you, than id be happy put our hat in the ring! (We need mentors, currently have one)