To all mentors (and others)

[lilwupster]

Team 303 is interviewing as many mentors as we can. This will be used in our Potential Mentor Video which will be used to promote mentorship in FIRST. If you are a mentor, try to answer the questions below the best you can. If you are a student, then feel free to describe your mentors and what they have done for you. Be creative!

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
3. What has FIRST done for you?
4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
5. How did you become involved?
6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
12. What do you believe is expected of you?
13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
14. What is your favorite part about it?
15. Why should someone become a mentor?
16. Anything you might want to add!

Thanks in advance, I hope we get a good response.

[ebarker]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am the head coach/mentor for Team 1311. I also work to start teams in other counties and states by using my advanced age and life experience to meet with the educational and business decision makers in these areas.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
FIRST provides an opportunity for students to become engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) activities at an early age. These activities can confirm or inspire students to pursue STEM as a career option.

3. What has FIRST done for you?
Frankly, FIRST has given me several things. It is an outlet for me to mentor to interested students. It give me a testbed to experiment with educational theories on how to engage marginally interested or typically uninterested students. And it has given me the opportunity to engage professionals and educators on what is right, and what is wrong with our approach to educating and inspiring students.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
I really enjoy working with the students. They are a hardworking bunch of kids.

5. How did you become involved?
It is a long story but I live in the Atlanta area and worked with team 388, Oz, from Virginia helping them with some logistical issues years ago. Then that led to me mentoring a team here and the rest is history. I'm an engineer, I don't teach, and I don't have any kids in the high school.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
For a newbie just keep it simple. Focus on getting a good simple working robot built and don't worry about all the other stuff that many other teams do. Get some experience and work up from there. And Safety takes priority over all other issues.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
Impact. Watching the students, especially the girls get really excited about what they have learned and the newfound confidence to do all this neat stuff. And beating policy makers over the head.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
It has been really rewarding to me being able to make a difference. Directly in peoples lives and indirectly with institutional policy shifts.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Communications, project management, business planning skills are a good start. Then motivational and organizational skills, and of course engineering skills. The same stuff need to coach any type of team, football or engineering.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
I think Engineer should be spelled with a capital "E" not a little "e". The capital "E" engineer has a larger view. They have to know about communications, project management, finance, marketing, etc, in addition to STEM skills.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
Time management. It takes a lot of time to run a team. Some of the time is with the members. Some of it is with adults, parents, educators, administrators, etc. Just like band or football. One of the things I have done is spent a lot of time meeting with the heads of other school organizations such as all the athletics. Our mutual goal is to foster cross organizational support, between say football and robotics for example. This past week this 30 second commercial ran in school as a cross football/robotics promotion. http://www.kellrobotics.org/video/Ro...tball_0001.wmv This is one way we engage students into understanding the "relevance and importance" of engineering.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?
The answer may sound a little arrogant but I'm old and crusty and I'm setting my own expectations. It just happens that much of what I think converges with Deans's and Woodie's vision of FIRST.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
To help these kids find their life direction. Finding out you are a STEM kid is as important as finding out you are not. In both cases they win and will leave the experience a better person.

14. What is your favorite part about it?
see question 13.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?
In order for a mentor to become really effective they have to reach inside and find their own reason for participating. Look at what FIRST is trying to accomplish and see if there is an alignment of common interests. See question 16.

16. Anything you might want to add!
I would suggest to mentors that they read the criteria for the Chairman's Award 100 times. Not because that is our "FIRST pledge of allegiance". Not because we are creating a "robot advocacy society". Not because we want FIRST to be the focus of our life. But simply to really understand what FIRST is about.

There is a strong and natural tendency for FIRST enthusiasts to focus on the gadgets and that is perfectly fine. But engineers are often poor at communications. It is important that engineers, and wanna be engineers learn to communicate to the public about the importance and relevance of this profession and work to change public perceptions of engineers as tinkering gadget builders.

But since we are here, and at risk of self promotion we have some examples of relevance on our website. Women in Technology, Environmental Sustainabiliy, etc at http://www.kellrobotics.org

[Ben Mitchell]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?

Over the years I've played a number of roles. I began in 2001 on team 303, and participated in FIRST for all 4 years of high school. After moving to college, I stayed involved volunteering at the New Jersey Regional.

At my college I was involved with last years FVC event (which was held at my college), and other events from Connecticut to Delaware. I was also the head referee for FVC in Atlanta last year. I am currently on the NJFTC planning committee, preparing scrimmages and events in New Jersey.

Last year I volunteered for a local high school's FIRST team (Ewing High School #2016), and this year I am student teaching at that school and mentoring the team as well.

So in short, I've worn a number of hats, from participant to field reset to refereeing to organizing.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?

FIRST creates a framework that gives students opportunities for hands-on learning by applying academic knowledge towards a practical application. This, at its best, can lead to students to self-actualized exploration of the designed world and their place in it.


3. What has FIRST done for you?

Our opportunities are defined by our iniative. FIRST puts up a framework, what each participant gets out of it is up to them.


4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?

Intellectual conversation and seeing students broadening their perspectives.


5. How did you become involved?

I was on your team from 2001-2004.


6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?

Keep your goals in focus and work towards them. Let the problem drive the solution.


7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?

Inner peace?

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?

I'm going into Technology Education, so my possible future profession and my mission of what I want to accomplish with FIRST overlap quite a bit.


9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?

This depends on what you plan on doing and what you want to accomplish.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?

Essentially my profession and my mentoring are the same job.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?

Keeping things in perspective.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?

To do the best I can with what I have to work with.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?

I dispense vague fragments of wisdom at irregular intervals.

14. What is your favorite part about it?

I don't really have a favorite part, I think of it as a full package.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?

Fame and glory.

16. Anything you might want to add!

The future is happening right now. It is ours to do with as we please. Take that opportunity.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST? I am a Broadcast Engineeer who is an electrical mentor on Team 111 and I also serve as inspector or lead inspector at events.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?This organization teaches students how to work as a team in a corporate type setting. The competition gives students practice to think outside the box while problem solving and forming strategies. Above all it fosters the concept of Gracious Professionalism where students interact with other students and mentors towards a common goal. The experience allows students to investigate possible careers while learning and sets them on the road to higher education.

3. What has FIRST done for you? First has allowed me to take an active role in the student experience while learning new techniques for problem solving and efficient methods of operation.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor? I find that assisting young people to learn and be exposed to the world while being part of a team is the most enjoyable experience.

5. How did you become involved? I began in 1996 when my son needed some help in documenting team activity and progress while building a robot using video. When an electrical problem occured at the first Midwest Regional I was asked to help and have been part of the team ever since.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors? In this period of world history, young people need some positive adult influence in their lives and this oportunity allows adults to participate in that much needed influence while having fun at the same time.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor? Everytime a young person succeeds, chooses a college, wins an award or is recognized for their individual worth, mentors receive an award.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life? In addition to the above, skills I have learned have helped immensely in my professional life. I have the ability to discuss ideas with GM, Ford and Chrysler, NASA, Motorola and a variety of other engineers.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor? One must have a willingness to set aside one's own selfish beliefs and ideas to work towards a common goal where the advancement of the student is the highest priority. If you can divorce yourself from the competitive nature of the actual competition and to keep the student in mind for every decision you make, then you may be a good candidate for a First mentor.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor? I am able to use my understanding of electrical parameters to teach students electrical layout and wiring design as well as the operation of various electrical components and RF wireless communications.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is? A mentor must keep Gracious Professionalism in mind at all times when interacting with all students and team members (your own and other teams).

12. What do you believe is expected of you? I am expected to act with Gracious Professionalism while being the adult influence in a student organization.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids? This is a very hard thing to judge as one may never know the positive influence you have on a young person. Tangible events are the graduation of a struggling student or the acceptance to a college of their choice. Others may be the attainment of Eagle Scout, National Honor Society inductance, student of the quarter.

14. What is your favorite part about it? My favorite part of the First experience is seeing the smiling faces of rookie competitors at their first event.

15. Why should someone become a mentor? One should become a mentor because this program, like scouting, cannot survive without your help. Although there are many organizations that need volunteers, young people are the most in need of guidance.

16. Anything you might want to add! This is perhaps the one organization where an adult can help young people, meet other professionals from around the world, and volunteer your time all while being part of a great competition.

[JaneYoung]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am a non-engineering mentor for FRC 418, LASA Robotics.
I have recently begun traveling to events in other states and have participated as a volunteer. Awesome experiences.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
FIRST can help on many levels of preparation for future goals and achievements.
It inspires students in the areas of science and technology and more.
It provides a window into the real world applications of deadlines, time management, being resourceful, working on teams, using common sense.

3. What has FIRST done for you?
FIRST has allowed me to continue to develop in areas I love to explore and understand. It has introduced me to many inspirational students and mentors, opening the doors to positive experiences/learning experiences.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
Almost every single day with the team and with fellow FIRSTers, I learn something new - not the least of which, how cool these people really are.

5. How did you become involved?
In 2002, my son called and asked me to drive some of the team to a Kick Off. He said that if I didn't help, the team couldn't go. It's gone from there.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
- FIRST is what you make it
- attitude is everything
- don't give in to the can'ts and won'ts
- believe
- if you need help, ask. If you can help, offer. If you try, you will achieve.
- set short term and long term goals for the team

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
- watching students develop and mature in areas of self-confidence, accountability, and having fun being geeks
- watching students go on to college and careers in fields they have thought about carefully, based on their involvement/roles in FIRST
- no matter the outcome of the year, I can always say: job well done - and know it is true

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
You can become as involved in FIRST as you choose. I like that.
I am a better person because of my involvement with the team and in experiencing FIRST.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Different skill sets are required for different areas. The areas that I enjoy working in are the organizational aspects.
For everyone in general I would suggest:
- patience
- listening. If you don't have any listening skills, acquire them. It will make the team flow more smoothly and will make your contributions more enjoyable
- be able to say no and stick to it. If you don't have the ability to say no, acquire it. It will make the team flow more smoothly and will make your contributions more enjoyable
- be able to say yes if your first inclination is to say no out of habit. In other words, think outside the box.
- flexibility is a great asset. If you don't have any, get it.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
My background is accounting/crunching numbers. Details. I use that all of the time. Also, I attempt to mentor students and parents in thinking long term/short term goals and what the consequences are if you don't.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
- Being a member of a FIRST team or a FIRSTer requires commitment in order to make your role/involvement a success. You have to monitor your involvement and your emotions, keeping the experience healthy. Yes, I said - healthy - people!
- you can't become disillusioned because things aren't going as was planned or because resources dry up/change/challenge the team. Just keep swimming.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?
In general:
- consistency
- integrity
- accountability
- honesty
- respect for the process, the program, the team.
I don't know that these are expected of me, but I expect them of myself and of others. Handbooks are great tools for laying out expectations of the mentors' roles.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
I hope they are encouraged to be who they are and to know that they are involved in an incredible program, helping to promote inspiration and recognition of science and technology. I'd like to think I encourage them to have fun with it as well, enjoying their time in FIRST.

14. What is your favorite part about it?
Everything. Not a good answer, I know...but a true answer.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?
- to discover areas about themselves they never knew existed
- to have the opportunity to be around incredible students
- to have the opportunity to be around incredible mentors/adults
- to have an opportunity to make a difference. It can start with driving team members to a Kick Off.

16. Anything you might want to add!
Good luck with your project!

[JesseK]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am an Electrical Engineering mentor who is getting his hands into a bit of everything on the mechanical side this year. I should probably state that I'm 2 years out of college with a BSEE, have a girlfriend who understands what FIRST means to me, and no children.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
Individually, it greatly differs. However, generally it gives them many social and intellectual life skills that are nearly impossible to find in other places at that age level.

3. What has FIRST done for you?
Kept all of my skills I learned in college sharp, even though I don't use them at my job.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
Hearing "oooh, THAT's what that means" and such. After that it's the competitions.

5. How did you become involved?
First in 2004 at college through an outreach program from Georgia Tech, then through Lockheed Martin's outreach program 2 years later.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Not only can you do nearly any system of a robot you want, experiment with new/crazy ideas you may or may not come up with, and have a perfectly valid excuse to gel your hair purple to match school colors, FIRST is also some of the hardest fun with the biggest impact you can ever have as an adult.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
They're all inherent, underlying, and understood. If I had to classify them, one of them would be recognition, specifically at work.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
I have less free time. That's a good thing, since it would otherwise be spent doing something much less constructive.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Passion for science, engineering, or anything along that train of thought. Ability to clearly communicate to a younger generation that is interested in what you have to say, without losing their interest.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
I am able to see patterns in the way things work, I am able to quantize abstract ideas, and I am able to program physical systems. Much of this is reflected in how students decide to design a system on the robot. I also have a knack for taking existing ideas and improving efficiency or quality of the idea, which has a direct application to the robot.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
Balancing time and/or money spent between life and mentoring. The second biggest is how to overcome resistance from other mentors in front of students for ideas you believe will work, regardless of their source.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?
I am to teach students that the world doesn't work by going 'poof' with a wand. I am to teach, explain when necessary, challenge, inspire, and contribute to whichever necessary robotic system I have for the year. I am to leave no stone (or student) unturned when it comes to personal integrity and detail in our joint venture of the build season. During the off season, I believe I am expected to have fun, do crazy physics experiments, and reach out with the students.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
They'll have a better idea of what they want out of the vast amounts of knowledge that exists as well as how they want to contribute to it.

14. What is your favorite part about it?
I can learn new things and expand my own mind right beside a student I am teaching -- learning CAD is a great example. I used to know nothing about it, however after teaching it to myself over a few weeks I can now apply mathematical principles that help students who are new to CAD greatly simplify and improve their designs.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?
It's not about improving only the younger generation, or solving the world's problems; the reasons all pertain to you and everyone around you, as we're all affected when we work to improve each other.

16. Anything you might want to add!
My boss gave me quizical looks when she noticed I was filling this out rather than working So much for recognition

[Tom Bottiglieri]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am a technical mentor for team 125 and am involved at the regional planning level. I also co-created The Blue Alliance and its features.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
FIRST prepares students for the 'real world' by partial immersion into a corporate style product development system. Students are able to exercise their creative muscles and learn lessons about many aspects of life (team work, planning, budgeting, failure, etc.)


3. What has FIRST done for you?
FIRST has taught me technical skills, the value of hard work, team work, and most recently the pleasure of mentoring high school students.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
I love lighting the spark that gets the students excited and involved with different projects. I'm amazed at how motivated and smart these kids are.

5. How did you become involved?
I was on a team as a high school student.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Students (at least the ones I have dealt with) respond well to structure. Meetings are 10x more productive if you can set a schedule and assign tasks. This shouldn't be too hard for teachers or managers, but is sure a stretch for college students.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
It's still fun to win ... Beyond that pretty much everything you would expect.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
I am a much better person for being involved in this. I have created many close bonds through the program.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
PATIENCE! PATIENCE! PATIENCE!

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
I am currently in charge of software development on the team. I help students learn how to program and try to help them develop problem solving skills.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
Finding balance between the team and other commitments. FIRST is very addictive, as it is very fun. It is very easy for technical mentors to fall into the trap of doing too much work on the robot. Sometimes it is difficult to step back and let the students learn for themselves.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?
Endless worldy knowledge.
I'm not kidding. I should probably read all of wikipedia before January.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
I have a very competitive, optimistic spirit. I feel like this, in combination with the technical skills we try to teach, help motivate them to work hard to accomplish their goals.

14. What is your favorite part about it?
The people. The robots. Everything.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?
It may seem like a daunting task at first, but if you like mentoring, technology, sports, or any combination of the above, I think you will love it.

16. Anything you might want to add!
Did I mention its fun?!

[DonRotolo]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am the walking reference book and supply house. What the kids don't know, I point them towards a resource to learn; what materials they don't have readily available, I likely have in my basement; What skills or processes they don't know or have, I offer to teach.
2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
The see there is a process to designing and building something, and they have a relatively safe environment in whch to try new things.
3. What has FIRST done for you?
Consumed a lot of my spare time, but fired up my interest in building stuff, the fun kind of old-time engineering and problem-solving.
4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor? The spark that lights in a kid's eyes when the understand something, or succeed at a new skill.
5. How did you become involved?
My employer sponsored a team, and a company-wide e-mail asked for mentors. I stuck with it while many dropped out.
6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Get involved because the kids have so much to learn but are so enthusiastic. Pace yourself, it's possible to brun out doing this.
7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor? Watching the design process in a fairly pure form, and seeing others approach problem-solving from unusual angles.
8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
Mainly a lack of sleep during build seacon, but see #3
9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Enthusiasm and patience to explain. Common sense and a 'back to basics' approach to deisgn and fabrication. Depending on your role, the team's needs and your background, knowledge math/materials science/fabrication techniques/tools/programming/just about anything will be helpful.
10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
My engineering degree has been stretched past its limits, good thing I aced that MechE class all those years ago. I'm an EE and a ham radio op., so I was helpful for electrical design, and at work I am a wiring and battery expert which really was handy, I fabricate metal for fun, I know a little about programming (at least the theoretical part) and quite a bit on sensors. Web design... Being a generalist and systems guy is helpful, but not only engineers are needed.
11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is? Trying to be in several places at once.
12. What do you believe is expected of you? Be available as a reference. Accurate answers of "I don't know" - no guesses, bas info is worse than no info.
13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids? Someone to look up to, show them what a little education can get for them.
14. What is your favorite part about it? When they let me drive the robot or be the coach on the field
15. Why should someone become a mentor? You will have a lot of fun doing the stuff that made you want to be an engineer in the first place.
16. Anything you might want to add! Don't actually work on the robot, let the kids do it, no matter how tempted you are. You'll use all your management and parenting skills, too.



Don

[emnasson303]

Everyone,

Thank you so much for the great responses!! They are much appreciated =]

[DanDon]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?

I am currently a college student mentoring team 395 in the New York City area. I mainly help with programming, electrical, robot design, strategy, and scouting.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?

FIRST helps students for the future by exposing them to many disciplines that they might not be put in contact with otherwise. It lets them have a taste of the future before entering college and gives incoming college freshman a better chance at selecting a major that will suit them.

3. What has FIRST done for you?

FIRST has done more things for me than could be mentioned here. The FIRST program has given me friends and a sense of community; FIRST has given me people to look up to; it has taken me from being a shy, timid 9th grader to an outgoing and confident college freshman; it has given me technical knowledge and gotten me ready to study engineering; it has allowed me to experience many fields of engineering helping me select one from the ocean of concentrations; and last, but definitely not least, it has given me a passion, something i care about, something that I feel deserves my all.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?

What one thing do I enjoy most about being a mentor? I don't think that I can narrow it down that much. I greatly enjoy the look that appears on a student's face when something that has been giving trouble finally works. The satisfaction when their creation works for the first time, and continues working throughout the season warms me up inside. A great aspect of being a mentor is the fact that it allows me to steer these children in the right direction; to keep them off the streets and perhaps shield them from some of the bad influences present in this world.

5. How did you become involved?

I first became a member of the FIRST program in my freshman year of High School, and have remained a steadfast member since. I gradually climbed the ranks going from an unspecialized freshman that just helped wherever he could, to head programmer sophomore year, to leading strategy and scouting in the Championships in Atlanta junior year, to becoming team leader and captain and operator senior year, and finally bridging the gap between student and mentor in my freshman year in college, becoming involved with 2train Robotics.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?

One thing that I would tell all potential mentors is to look past all the hard work for the moment, look past the fact that it is a lot of work, and take note of the rewards that you receive at the end, take a look at the effect that you could have. That should give you all the encouragement that you need to go forward and continue through the hard times. Also remember that you are not alone: there is a network of current mentors on your team and you are all there to help each other; there is also this wonderful community called Chief Delphi that has almost everything that you could ask for. And whatever isn't there at the moment, once you do ask for it, it will probably show up within a few days.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?

The rewards one gets out of mentoring are great and plentiful. I touched on these in my answer to question number four above. And I'm not going to deny it, winning a competition, or finishing up a finalist, or winning an award, or even doing well in qualifications all give a gratifying feeling despite the fact that this program is not purely about competition.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?

See the two posts that I linked to in question number three above.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?

Patience is a virtue, grasshopper. Wax on, wax off. Most of the technical skills can be attained throughout your mentorship, however you need to be patient; you need to care about the kids; you need to be willing to put in the time and effort that this program demands and deserves. Do not make light of this commitment, however much of a worthy cause it is.

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a
mentor?

I am still a college student...in fact, I've got four years to go =]. But from what I have done, I've been helping the kids organize themselves and work out a framework for the programming in this coming year.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?

Sometimes the biggest challenge is convincing myself that this is all worth it. But that solves itself every time it comes up. The biggest challenge in my opinion is having to step back and let the children participate. Having been on a team for four years, sometimes I want to hop in and take over; but then I remind myself that i was once in their position, and I definitely did not appreciate it when my mentors did as I feel like doing now.

12. What do you believe is expected of you?

I do not believe that much is expected of me other than what I expect of myself. They do say that you are your biggest critic, and I full-heartedly believe that that is true. I expect myself to give my all to these kids, and I do not expect to let myself down. I expect to have fun while doing this, and I expect everyone on the team to have so much fun that they keep coming back. I expect myself to be able to impart knowledge to both the students and the other mentors.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?

See question number four above.

14. What is your favorite part about it?

My favorite part about FIRST or my favorite part about mentoring? The two are radically different yet equally satisfying. My favorite part about being a part of the FIRST is the friends that I've made, the relationships that I've forged, and the sense of community that I've achieved. Who said it was all about the robots? My favorite part about mentoring is seeing the students' eyes light up at the sight of something really cool, and the warm feeling that I get when someone comes up to me and thanks me for the help that I've given them. It might sound cheesy, it might sound like a Hallmark or a Lifetime channel movie, but it's true and it is one of the best feelings in the world.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?

Everyone's reason for becoming a mentor is different and the incentive that will push someone to take this step also varies. However, my personal reasons were a desire to help, a want to influence the students, and a need to continue to be a part of the program.

16. Anything you might want to add!

Despite all the seriousness, do not forget to have fun. That is one of the best parts of this program and do not let it get away.

--dan

[Taylor]

Be creative! that is dangerous advice

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
As faculty sponsor and coach, I organize all team meetings, set the budget, secure grants and large corporate sponsors, aid the students in robot design, fabrication, & assembly, organize team trips, and order pizza. There's probably more, but it's early in the morning.
2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
Because of what students learn from FIRST, they value education much more. It has also given some students college and internship opportunities that would have been very difficult otherwise. Finally, participating in FIRST allows students to develop problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills.
3. What has FIRST done for you?
FIRST has provided me with a motivation and a drive beyond the classroom walls. It gives me experiences I would normally have never had; experiences I can use daily as an educator. FIRST also inspires me to do my personal best and to inspire others to do the same.
4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
I enjoy the cameraderie among all team members, student and adult. FIRST provides for relationships (both personal and professional) that would be very unlikely otherwise.
5. How did you become involved?
It was part of my job when I was hired.
6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Never throw anything away, when you're purchasing something for the robot, buy it in threefold.
7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
This is a difficult question to answer without getting excessively cheesy. Honestly, feeling the satisfaction and pride the students get from designing and building a competition robot, with minimal help from adults, is my biggest reward.
8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
I have grown immensely as a leader and organizer. It has given me responsibilities and accountabilities beyond anything else I've done.
9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Patience, perspective, and a fair amount of stubbornness.
10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
The parts of my collegiate education I use the most as a mentor are the organizational leadership and supervisory components.
11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
The biggest challenge is to keep yourself and your team above the various negativities that evolve during a season.
12. What do you believe is expected of you?
Success.
13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
I offer the kids a constructive obsession outside of school hours.
14. What is your favorite part about it?
The best two days of the FIRST year are kickoff and last day of competition.
15. Why should someone become a mentor?
Because it is a surreal experience that nothing else can duplicate.
16. Anything you might want to add?
Yes.

[Dave Campbell]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST? I am the team advisor/lead mentor for Team 1038, also formerly with Team 144 (post-Chairmans Award) in the same capacity for 4 years. I am also the event director for a regional FLL and I'm the Affiliate Partner for Ohio FTC.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future? Students apply the educational tools they have accumulated throughout their education. They get the "why" that many classrooms cannot deliver.

3. What has FIRST done for you? I have been able to work with some of the finest students in our community over the past 10 years. I have also made amazing business contacts who will allow the students to succeed after they leave high school and college.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor? Watching the students solve the game problems - and helping them achieve success.

5. How did you become involved? My school principal approached me about an activity that would be good for students. I contacted the sponsor of the team and began discussing the start-up of a team. The sponsor was looking to work with a new school, and they took my program in.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors? Be careful, FIRST is addicitve. There will be difficult challenges you'll face personally, but the successes greatly outweigh the negative times. Make sure you balance your contribution to the team and your own personal life.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor? All intrinsic: lots of friends, students who keep coming back thanking me for getting them farther ahead in life than they expected.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life? It has helped me learn balance between family, work and play.

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor? Patience, knowledge, unique skills, dedication, humor

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor? I have a B.S. in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology - Miami University, and I'm a teacher by profession - 14 years teaching pre-engineering and computers. FIRST is my course of instruction.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is? Making sure the students get the full benefit of the program - even if it means the team does not achieve what the mentor could have done. Hopefully the team and mentor goals are aligned and also achieved, but that's not always the case...

12. What do you believe is expected of you? Gracious Professionalism - Always!

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids? I give them the opportunity, they take advantage of that and achieve amazing things.

14. What is your favorite part about it? Having my new mentors show up after college and they were students in my program!

15. Why should someone become a mentor? It makes a huge difference in the lives of others. Take your knowledge, skills and abilities and give the kids a positive role model to look up to.

16. Anything you might want to add! FIRST is the best method of delivering an application based education that I have ever encountered in education. No matter what subject area- there is a correlation to something in the FIRST program.

Thanks

[Molten]

I am just starting as a mentor this year, so I am not sure how much this will help. Sorry, it took me a while to respond. I hope this helps.

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I have been the head draftsmen in the past, so one of the things I did was make sure I trained somebody to be my replacement. I currently am used mainly for my random mind. For instance, we are going to have a musical light display for charity. I am coming up with ideas that will push the members to their limits of design and manufacture.
2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
It teaches them many things. These include ethics, manufacturing ability, and safety concerns. Not to mention the connections one gains from working with the different teams.
3. What has FIRST done for you?
It has given me a chance to learn how a machine shop works better. I now try to keep them in mind whenever I design stuff. Also, I have never had that many 'good' friends. Now I have gained several while I was on the team.
4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
I am not expected to do all of the work and I am not held responsible for the students. I get to be involved while only doing what I want to do.
5. How did you become involved?
I was a member of the team when we first shifted from BattleBots to FIRST. I was their sole draftsmen in 2006 and the head draftsmen in 2007.
6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Let the students do the work. This competition is meant for them to learn, so keep this in mind and only teach them. Don't do the work for them. This will allow them to learn more, and conveniently it takes a load of work off of you.
7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
It gives me an excuse to go back and relive the days that I was a member. I know I sound like I am an old recounting the 'good ole days' but I find that I truly do enjoy remembering these moments.
8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
It makes it a little busier. But it does make you feel like you are giving back to the people who taught you.
9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Patience. I sometimes am showing someone how to draft and know that it would only take me a half hour to make a part. However, I sit there and walk them through it and it may take them two hours to make it. But the main thing is that they made it.
10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
I have not gotten a job in this capacity. However, I have used a lot of my experience from PLTW and SkillsUSA competitions (and many others) to help convey different ideas to the members.
11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
Finding the right balance of helping them. My main goal is to teach them. I have a hard time with this because I would rather do it myself.
12. What do you believe is expected of you?
I am just supposed to teach them. Nothing more, and nothing less.
13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
One student in particular knows just about as much as I do about drafting after only one year (this is my fourth year drafting). I like to think that my teaching has something to do with this.
14. What is your favorite part about it?
I love getting to see a robot being made. Also, I get to see my friends who are still members on a weekly basis.
15. Why should someone become a mentor?
It really gives you a sense of fulfillment. It goes into the old cheesy saying, 'it is better to give then to recieve'.
16. Anything you might want to add!
Mentoring is great. I particularly suggest you target the students who are graduating. They can often relate to the members in ways that few 'adults' can. Learning from someone I can relate to always helped me.

[Jimmy Nichols]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST? I am a mentor for the machine team helping the students with their design ideas, I am also the pit boss at the competitions. I am also the Judge advsior for both the FLL and FTC tournaments that our team hosts.
2. How does FIRST help students for the future? FIRST provides a medium in which students who are interested in engineering or engineering tech can get a leg up in the field by getting to interact with adults who work in industry.
3. What has FIRST done for you?FIRST has provided me with a way to help the students of my community to figure out what they are intereseted in and to help them learn about engineering, design, problem solving, troubleshooting, etc. It has also helped me to fulfill my desire to teach and to encourage young people to strive for knowledge.
4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?I enjoy working with the students, to see their excitement when our team is successful or when they have finally figured out that one concept that they were stuggling with. I really enjoy getting to meet like minded people from all over the country and world who are into FIRST as much as I am.
5. How did you become involved?I became involved with Team 1038 in 2004 when I chose to mentor the team as part of my Senior Design project for my program at Miami University.
6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?I would tell new/potential mentors that helping these students can be, at times, very hard and frustrating, but you must learn to have patience with them. In the end the goal is biuld up the students and not to biuld a robot.
7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?Getting to see the students excitement when our team wins or when something the disigned or biult becames an integral or crucial part of our robot. To see the sense of accomlishment on their face.
8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?FIRST has taught me how to be a better teacher, to have more patience, and has shown me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?The one thing needed is patience. You don't need to know everything, the internet can serve for answering most questions, but being able to work the students and not get frustrated with them when they don't get it or are confused is all you need to be a great mentor.
10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?I have used my skills from being a former maintence tech to help with maintaining the robot with the students at the compeition. My current role as a Contorl engineer has helped me help the kids realize their design ideas.
11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?Maintaining your patience with their limited skillsets is still the biggest challange.
12. What do you believe is expected of you?To do what I can to help the students learn and to biuld up their self-esteem.
13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?I think I help them become more confident in the skills; engineering, design, troubleshooting,etc.
14. What is your favorite part about it?My favorite part of being a mentor is getting to help the students learn.
15. Why should someone become a mentor?Someone should become a mentor if they are into education, helping the youth of the world, and it doesn't hurt to be into robots either.
16. Anything you might want to add!

[David Brinza]

1. What role do you play as a part of FIRST?
I am the lead mentor for Team 980, The ThunderBots. I also serve as a robot inspector at competitions.

2. How does FIRST help students for the future?
The practical application of knowledge gained in the classroom coupled with working in a real project environment inspires students to work smarter - a skill that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

3. What has FIRST done for you?
FIRST provides me an opportunity to give back to society. If I can inspire a few students, even in a small way to reach their potential, I feel that I've accomplished something that I wouldn't have in the absence of FIRST. It provides a "common ground" for my sons and me as well.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a mentor?
Actually, two things: Seeing the "switch" turn on in students when they realize that they can accomplish complicated tasks by staying focussed and being part of the celebration that the FIRST competition events really are.

5. How did you become involved?
My oldest son, now a UCSB graduate, was a member of Team 16 (Bomb Squad) when I attended the inaugural St. Louis regional (2002). Dean Kamen spoke there and I "got" his message. A few weeks later, I surprised my son at the FIRST Nationals at Epcot Center. While walking through the pits there (an inspirational experience itself), I met Team 980. Their lead mentor literally worked across the hall from me at JPL and he invited me to join the next season. I've been with Team 980 ever since.

6. What encouragement would you give to new/potential mentors?
Keep the "big picture" in mind. Sometimes the best lessons are learned through failure, so don't let setbacks get you down. This program teaches the value of persistence to students (and mentors), an extremely important attribute for being successful.

7. What are some of the rewards you get as a mentor?
Most importantly, watching students grow in confidence as a result of their involvement in FIRST. I enjoy the "FIRST family". I can feel the comraderie at FIRST events and I value the exchange that occurs right here on CD.

8. How do you feel FIRST and being a mentor has affected you and your life?
The FIRST program has invigorated me by providing this opportunity to share my passion for problem-solving and teamwork with young people. Also, I've learned that I can function with even less sleep than I did before!

9. What are some skills needed to be a mentor?
Skills: motivator, innovator, facilitator, and sometimes "levitator"
Virtues: patience, understanding, determination and Gracious Professionalism

10. How have you used your background knowledge (profession) in being a mentor?
I find using a systems engineering approach helps the team architect our robot concept early in the process. Later, systems engineering guides our decisions as we trade performance against resources (mostly driven by mass, but also time). The project management process has been valuable as well.

11. What do you feel the biggest challenge of being a mentor is?
Managing time and balancing doing the important things versus urgent things. There never seems to be enough time to do things right, but ... (Oh yeah, that's been my signature "tag" for years)!

12. What do you believe is expected of you?
I need to "be there" for the students. They should feel comfortable asking questions, especially questioning why we are doing things a certain way. I need to assure their safety and demonstrate GP consistently.

13. In what way do you feel that you help the kids?
I believe that I can help impact students lives when just a little "push" can move them in a direction where they can reach their potential.

14. What is your favorite part about it?
At the end of a season, to look at how the students have progressed in initiative, critical thinking and self-confidence. Along the way, I make new friends and can share experiences with my "FIRST family". FIRST brought me together with my sons, in spite of the distance between us (Arkansas to Los Angeles), we would talk about FIRST on the phone during the season and then meet at the Championship.

15. Why should someone become a mentor?
Mostly because you want to help young people reach their potential. For a retired engineer or manager (btw, I'm a long way from retirement), it's an opportunity to guide students into the world of development projects.

16. Anything you might want to add!
Thanks for putting this survey together. It's a bit long but well-thought out - good questions.

I'm interested in seeing how you gather the responses and package your final product. Please share it with us on CD!