Info for starting a new team (again, I'm sure)

[archiver]

Posted by nick237.

Engineer on team #237, sie h2o bots, from Watertown high school ct and sieman co.

Posted on 11/9/2000 9:25 PM MST


In Reply to: Info for starting a new team (again, I'm sure) posted by Greg Young on 11/9/2000 1:38 PM MST:



Greg. Get all the help you can get but explain what is needed. Tell them of how time consuming and involved FIRST can be, dont be shy about how you explain the vast amount of work that will be expected.
Its best to have only the most dedicated and informed members in the team so they wont drop out at the worst possible time because they didnt know it would be a lot of work.
Your best bet is to get a team of engineers ' electrical/mechanical ' people who are used to working together, less conflicts of intrest. Pick the most knowlegable person as a leader of each sub group and make every one underststand that this person has the last word to settle disputes for his group.
There should be a top leader that all information is filtered back to. This person then should deligate work back to the sub groups by use of the students.
Its great to have one sponsor who could write you a blank check but this is rare, try to get the comunity involved, push every factory and store for donations. Hold fund raisers and pummel the local newspapers for coverage of your progress. Involve every student members parents, explain your not a baby sitting service where the parent just gets rid of the student for a few hours a week. Parents are part of the team by relationship.
Have two or three student leaders that can comunicate between other students and the adults, open lines of comunication are a key to success.
Lastly try to hook up with another team near by that can help you when your in trouble, if this fails any and all teams on this site would help if asked.
Have faith in your own ability, you have already taken the first step by considering starting a team.
Nick team 237.


: Greetings,

: One of the teachers at the local high school (Orange High in Hillsborough, NC) phoned me a few days ago. It seems my son has volunteered me to help with a FIRST team that is getting organized at the school.The teacher has sent an application to NASA for rookie team support and is now looking for information on finding sponsors and adult team members.

: What kind of adult team members should a rookie team try to recruit? Parents of the students (who, me?) are an obvious pool, but that pool doesn't necessarily contain the expertise needed to make the project work.

: Engineers. What flavor of engineers are needed? A number of the teams appear to have sponsors that employ lots of engineers and this provides a ready pool of expertise. Is this the best way to go? How do you identify a sponsor that can provide this? Fortunately, Duke University, UNC, and Research Triangle Park are nearby and present lots of possibilities for the team to approach.

: Of course, I may be an optimist and we'll end up desperately trying to find enough people and money to get something finished by the regionals. Life's like that some years.

: Please post or email your advice to help out a rookie team. I'll send it on to the school and stash it away to pass along to anyone else looking for such information.

: Thanks,

: Greg