Who do you bring?

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by maxlobovsky

I understand, but i was wondering why she seperated engineer mentors from all other mentors.

On out team the engineering mentors focus mostly on the building of the robot and game strategy while other mentors like teachers are expected to police the team and make sure the kids are doing what they are supposed to. Particularly on the road when the teachers value truly come into play and have to maintain order of 30+ kids in the hotel and make sure they are fed, safe, motivated and reasonably well behaved.
That job mostly falls on Ms. Foos and my wife and they do an incredible job.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by ToMMan b182

I hear about teams who only bring a few kids on Thursdays, or to nationals. This really bugs me. Everyone has a role on the team, no matter how trivial. Even if it is inputing data into a scouting database, they still can lend a hand and be part of the great thing that is called a FIRST competetion. I mean that is what its about, right? Isn't about learning teamwork, sportsmanship, and gracious professionalism... not just "who knows the most about building a robot"?

Our team takes 3-4 adults and 10 students on Wensday night to the regionals we travel to (2ish hours away to both Annapolis and VCU). The rest of the team, 30 or so more students and chaparones, come down Friday morning and spend the one night. This is done for several reasons.

Not everyone can miss that much school and not suffer grade wise. We got some heat last year from teachers about students not doing homework and grades plumeting durring build season.

Parental help. As a school trip, we need to have x adults per x students. As a team rule, we pay for the adult chaparone hotel rooms.

Cost. It cost the students $50 for hotel to go to both regionals and the team payed the rest. To add another night to hotels for that many people would add $1000 per regional. This would have to come from somewhere.

As for nationals, we decided not to go this year because about half of the team would already be in Atlanta for a band trip and would be unable to participate with the FRC competition. When the team has gone to Nationals, the entire team flys down at the same time.

We also do have an hours system, where we log offical meeting hours and you have to attend 80% of them to go on any of the trips. As far as I am aware, no one that was attending meetings near the end fairled to go on a trip because of hours. There were some that were close, and were pushed along to the extra meetings that were added to the schedule near the end (but were not part of the 'offical hours' count)


Wetzel

[IMDWalrus]

If we qualify, everyone that chooses to can go. The only people that would be turned down would be the ones that are misbehaving or those who have contributed absolutely nothing thus far. I think we send the largest group of animators to Nationals.

Having a big corporate sponsor makes traveling far easier.

[Ryan Albright]

everyone pays there own way so youc ome up with the money you go

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by IMDWalrus

If we qualify, everyone that chooses to can go. The only people that would be turned down would be the ones that are misbehaving or those who have contributed absolutely nothing thus far. I think we send the largest group of animators to Nationals.

Having a big corporate sponsor makes traveling far easier.

How many animators do you have?

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

As for nationals, we decided not to go this year because about half of the team would already be in Atlanta for a band trip and would be unable to participate with the FRC competition. When the team has gone to Nationals, the entire team flys down at the same time.

Band over FIRST!!?!?!?!?!?!
What is this world coming to?!!

[OneAngryDaisy]

Originally Posted by maxlobovsky

I understand, but i was wondering why she seperated engineer mentors from all other mentors.

geez, another dude comes out and refers to me as a she. i think I'll go and change my title. why must you all discriminate against daisies?

[tophq]

our team simply chooses the ones we need to get stuff done. we try not to ask ur sponsors for too much. we want to do as much by ourselves as possible. we simply take those who NEED to go (i.e. tech crew, drive team, and 3-4 mentors/chapperones. i don't think we'll be going to AT this year though.

[sweetmotoxchik]

Our team chooses the students that go by useing several different things. We constantly do grade checks and we have to be in good standings with all of our teachers. They also look at how much time you have dedicated to the program and how many events we have attended. Our teachers just pretty much look at how much energy we have put into the team because obviously someone shouldn't be going if their not as dedicated as someone else on the team.

[Stina236]

We decide on three things:
1. Grades
2. Contribution to the Team
3. Whether or not you turned in your money on time

works for us...

[Bcahn836]

Originally Posted by OneAngryDaisy

12-13 mentors and parents?!?! That's a 1:1 ratio...

We bring however much kids we can afford to bring (this year about 17) as well as our 3 mentors and 2 engineers. For the kids it ultimately comes up to who put in the most time.

Yes, and it works. This system ensures that each student is watched over by atleast one or two adults. We, students, must confirm everything with this person who ever it might be for lunch, medication, ect...
Additonally we have 13 mentors for each of our subteams all of them are some sort of engineer. Our sub teams consist of electronics, drive systems, arm and end, public relations, command and control, manufacturing, systems intergration and Strategies. And we are trying to bring the mentors in charge of each sub team or two,and two students from each subteam. Toss in a few parents and you have 12 students and 13 mentors and parents.

[Bytor]

What's the difference between mentors and engineers?

Two slide rules and attitude!