Kettering University Rookie Robotics Team

[Chris Fultz]

8/18 -

Originally Posted by magnasmific

Friends,

This team is designed on the ideals of what we consider to be, the perfect team structure. One of our biggest complaints with our previous FIRST experiences was the structure of the teams. We felt that the students did not get as much of an experience as they could have, had they been in a system where their input was considered. In simplicity, it is a democracy.

We are straying from the politics of team structure, and letting the students structure themselves. We want fewer parents and engineers working on the robot, and more student involvement.

We plan to have a group of Kettering Students mentor the team. No engineers, no politics, no one in it for the wrong reasons.

Yet it seems you have already decided a lot of the team structure.

8/20-

Originally Posted by magnasmific

We already have students from a different area (Oakland county and Macomb county) helping set up the new team. Parents, engineers and students; all with exceptional corporate connections. These people heard about what we wanted to do, and ran with it. We're moving along quite nicely.

But now you have all these parents and engineers and corporate connections - you are forming the type of team you said you wanted to avoid!
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The majority of the comments in this forum are exceptional and show true maturity from some of the current FIRST college all-stars. Their wisdom should be taken to heart.

I am really bothered about the implication that mentors and engineers ruin a team and spoil everything for the students. The engineers and mentors provide the "I" in FIRST and FIRST would be nowhere near where it is today without this exceptional leadership shown by so many of these volunteers. Anyone can get together and build a robot - that is entirely not the point - the learning and inspiration into science and technology needs the mentors to happen. I will stop here, there are plenty of other posts on the "I" and what it means.

As I said above - listen to your college student peers - they have been where you are today.