Veteran Teams Adopting Rookie teams

[Brandon Holley]

Over the years team 11 has helped a lot of rookie teams. These past two years, we have specifically helpled 1302 (Team Lionheart). We try to include them in everything, including the design of this years robot. We also shared our shop with them whenever they needed to fabricate something that couldn't be done at their own. Our relationship is awesome because we're all friends. They are attending the same events as us this year and we look forward to another awesome year.

[Beth Sweet]

We had a number of veterans help us out this year. Mentorship commitment levels can range from helping out with part donations to having veteran team students working with the rookie students. It's all up to your team.

[Ian Curtis]

While my team has never mentored a rookie our rookie year we were mentored. The team that mentored us did several things. First they invited the team to there workspace and filled them in on previous competitions and let them drive robots from previous years. This really gets a rookie team running to see what other highschool students have produced. Then they came down (a three hour drive) to our meetings a couple of times. Let us know how they were doing where we should be and other tidbits that veterans take for granted. Finally during our first regional halfway through friday our drill motors decided to break. Coincidentally their robot was broken at the same time. They came over and worked on our robot.

[Ellery]

Well The X-CATS have been a main influence for FIRST in the Western NY region typically by promoting FIRST in the Schools and starting rookie teams by having mentors on our team branch off into new teams or by contributing time, and expertise. We've been holding FIRSTRochester meetings at our site, give tours, demos and training seminars to new schools, help manufacture/design parts, lend equipment, share parts, loan out mentors, link new teams with potential sponsor contacts. These are typically the general services we provide as a team to the community and not just one particular team. I am very proud to be part of a great FIRST community here in the Finger Lakes Region. We have some very competitive teams but we have great comraderie as Rochester teams on the road at competitions.

Remember it's not what you know but who you know that will get you far!

Ellery