engineer bots

[JamesBrown]

This year we had no (literally no) engineering help, we were competitive and won a judges award for this. There were 9 students and 2 teachers who worked on this bot. These mentors hardly ever touched the bot not only because they didnt want to but because students didnt want them to. Many people commented on the fact that when ever they were walking by our pit there were students programming, repairing and inspecting. We didnt even have a mentor who knew how to program in C. When Mentors did help out they didnt do it them selves they taught us how. I loved This year, The bot was designed by students built by students an operated by students.

However Next year we will have engineering help because that is the ideal of FIRST. When we were in our Chairmans interview they said to think about that for next year. What I want next year is engieers teaching the students so at the end of the build season there are a bunch of experts (high school students) who can fix anything on the bot.

Team 195 is the best example I have ever seen. When we were in the practice area at UTC there were multiple teams with adults working on the bot. However The Cyber nights at 20 or so students working on their bot and 5 mentors (or atleast adults) with their feet up sitting at the top of the stairs. Their complex gripper and What appeared to be a shift on the fly transmission obviosly had atleast some engineering influence. However Tom and the rest of the guys from 195 did all or atleast the majority of the work I saw done on the Robot.