MassFIRST

[Andy Baker]

Here is what we have done in Indiana:

1. Conduct an "Indiana FIRST Team Leaders" meeting in the fall. This meeting get us ready for the workshops and ensures that the new teams have mentors in their area. This takes place usually in Sept. or Oct.

2. Conduct a "workshop" day so that all of the teams in the state can bring all of their members to come and learn about FIRST. We have meetings about everything from RCU to C Programming.

3. Host a remote kickoff. This is another chance for teams to get together and interact. Teams get their kits shipped directly to Kokomo for easy pickup, while their team leaders can still go to NH for the big kickoff.

4. Host an off-season competition. Borrow a playing field from FIRST and get the right people to run the event. Start out small, find a good facility, and build it from there.

5. Create a website to bring state teams together. David Kelly set ours up at www.indianafirst.org. Not only can we communicate between teams this way, but if we run across a possible state-wide sponsor or organization, then we can refer them to this website and we appear farily organized.

6. Have open lines of communication between teams. We often email each other or call each other.

... and have patience for each other as each team goes through its own issues.

Good luck!

Andy B.