Orginazation Problems

[JaneYoung]

I think you are beginning to identify growth needs in your team by discussing the school handbooks and developing a team handbook. That's a great start. Combining different schools into one team comes with challenges and opportunities that requires the respect and attention of team members as well as the mentors and parents involved. It takes everyone working for the betterment and longevity of the team.

In robotics you are working with machinery and tools, the focus has to been on the machines for safety - your team mates and your mentors count on that. There has to be consistency and control of emotions on a robotics team. The new team members learn this from watching their team role model appropriate behaviors.
Jane

[Beth Sweet]

Well, I've been on both the student and mentor side of this argument and fought very hard for both.

When I was in hs, 2 of my good friends on the team were dating, and they were still in that "first stage" of dating where it's just like, awwww, we're together! The mentors tried to just say something here or there at first, but at one of the competitions, the whole thing blew up.

One of our mentors who had recently joined us from another team sat down with all of us girls and we had a little talk. (I'm hoping that I remember this correctly, it was a few years ago) She told us about how on her old team, there had been a little issue with relationships, and that was why she and the other mentors were so cautious. Apparently while on a robotics trip, two of the seniors had gotten a little bit too "affectionate" and the young lady ended up pregnant. At that point, she had to put off college etc.

From the student standpoint, I get it. You're getting into the whole dating thing and you want to take full advantage of just being together for a weekend. But you also have to look at it from the other standpoint. You are in a program that is very professional. If your mom and dad worked together, they probably wouldn't be going around kissing and holding hands all day, would they? Probably not, because that's just not accepted in the professional world. Through this program, you're basically in the professional world. You're working with professionals, representing your school and sponsor companies, it's kind of like an audition for the workplace.

At competitions, as I'm sure you already know, it's almost like you stop being high schoolers for a while and you're on this whole other level above the peers you left back at school. And they hold you to that too, your mentors, the other teams, the VIP's watching you from their little room. Because of this, our kids are expected to act more like they would in the professional workplace than they would in high school.

So I guess what I'm saying is, we expect FIRST kids to be at a level above other kids. As such, your mentors expect that of you on every level.

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

I think Beth brings up a very good point...so I offer a simple rule of thumb:

If you feel embarrassed doing it in front of your entire team, than don't do it. When I say entire team, I include chaperones and teachers...you get the gist.

[techtiger1]

Genia and Beth have this issue pretty much covered just add on though since I like the topic. My team is no stranger to this at all. We have had many issues like this come up, the trick is sitting down and discussing these problems so you get organized. Also, a team handbook like Mr.Martus would not be a bad idea. As far competition time well u bring your best to the competition enough said. Finally, this just goes to show you that FIRST is much more then robots and competitions.

-Drew

[InsanelySane01]

The problem is that...the mentors DON'T treat us like we're anything more then a bunch of dumb kids. They don't think that we're any higher then their students in their classes. The ONLY female mentor said to my friend, who has a hard homelife and likes to give hugs, to EVERYONE not just the boys. that she was being "permisqous" which is absurd because she's the most non-sexually driven person I've ever met. They honestly treat us like we're their slaves, when we won the Scranton Competiton we didn't have many of the mentors, actually we had one mentor and my mother. When it was just that one mentor we were treated like perfessionals. When they treat me like a perfessional maybe I'll be a little less bitter about it all but while they continue to treat us like we're obnoxious 5 year olds. I think I'll keep being pissed about it.

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

Well, I've been on both the student and mentor side of this argument and fought very hard for both.

When I was in hs, 2 of my good friends on the team were dating, and they were still in that "first stage" of dating where it's just like, awwww, we're together! The mentors tried to just say something here or there at first, but at one of the competitions, the whole thing blew up.

One of our mentors who had recently joined us from another team sat down with all of us girls and we had a little talk. (I'm hoping that I remember this correctly, it was a few years ago) She told us about how on her old team, there had been a little issue with relationships, and that was why she and the other mentors were so cautious. Apparently while on a robotics trip, two of the seniors had gotten a little bit too "affectionate" and the young lady ended up pregnant. At that point, she had to put off college etc.

From the student standpoint, I get it. You're getting into the whole dating thing and you want to take full advantage of just being together for a weekend. But you also have to look at it from the other standpoint. You are in a program that is very professional. If your mom and dad worked together, they probably wouldn't be going around kissing and holding hands all day, would they? Probably not, because that's just not accepted in the professional world. Through this program, you're basically in the professional world. You're working with professionals, representing your school and sponsor companies, it's kind of like an audition for the workplace.

At competitions, as I'm sure you already know, it's almost like you stop being high schoolers for a while and you're on this whole other level above the peers you left back at school. And they hold you to that too, your mentors, the other teams, the VIP's watching you from their little room. Because of this, our kids are expected to act more like they would in the professional workplace than they would in high school.

So I guess what I'm saying is, we expect FIRST kids to be at a level above other kids. As such, your mentors expect that of you on every level.

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

With all due respect, by remaining pissed about it to this point, you are affirming their image of you.

You want to be treated like a professional, so you need to continue to act like one even if the odds are against you.