How much does your school support your FIRST Team?

[Robocat1]

We are very lucky. Our current Superintendent/volunteer mentor started the team 6 years ago when he was HS principal. We have teachers willing to supervise a pep bus to our local regional (90 minutes away) and volunteer/work "overtime" - 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. to do so.

Our school is financially unable to support us with money, but they do pay two advisor stipends of about $3000 total (everyone else volunteers). There were 3 paid positions, but budget cuts 3 years ago ended that. Students pay all travel expenses and for school buses.

Our school is also extremely gracious in allowing us to host an Engineering/Techonology Career Fair & all-school assembly (which disrupt the schedule for an entire day) and allowing us to work with no custodians on duty, among other things.

Every year at least 2 of 5 board of education members come to competion.

The school has also added an Engineering Pathway as part of student scheduling (with help from a local university) and a robotics class and the requirement for AP science and math course students to spend time with us during build season.

Qe decorate our main hallway with FIRST posters/banners as well as posters/banners recognizing all of the other teams (athletic & academic) who succeed.

We also sponsor/plan an assembly which provides time for every HS activity to present their activity and recruit new member every Spring. Of course, our team/FIRST gets 5 minutes more presentation time than anyone else!

Football players & cheerleaders have volunteered to "sit" in our dunking booth fundraiser.
So, I guess the point is that support doesn't always come in the form of money!