Why do teams voluntarily do FIRST without adult technical mentors?

[KathieK]

Originally Posted by Katie Reynolds

The "best" way to run a team isn't by having it all student run, or all mentor run. It's not splitting the "power" 50/50 and having students do their half and mentors do theirs. It's about finding what works best for the team - finding what inspires team members and having the ability to realize that you may have to change the way your team is run slightly, from year to year.

As soon as you can do that, you've truly found the best way to run a team.

I agree. Team dynamics change so much from year to year that I think it's critical that teams meet in the pre-season for teambuilding exercises to learn what will work and won't for them. As the FIRST website states. "The FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting, multinational competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way."