What does your team do during the summer?

[MrForbes]

NURC


(please click on the big NURC, it's a link!)

[Robyn Needel]

Fundraising is a great idea if you can do it. We go to off-seasons and our team is one of a group here in Baltimore that hosts our own Battle o' Baltimore in August. It's my dream to go to IRI one of these years....

[Drivencrazy]

Team Driven, 1730, hosts at least 4 summer camps for up to 8th graders. We also do a variety of presentations and fundraising. In the fall we host the Cowtown Throwdown. All of these things are a blast and are worth missing a few days of vacation.

Another thing worth doing may be to build sample drive trains or innovative ideas in preperation for future years.

[commodoredl]

Last year we built (or attempted to build) two small robots out of scrap parts, utilizing new drivetrain and manipulator concepts for practice. This year, we plan to train new members that we recruit in the spring, do a lot of demos and community service, fundraise, and attend the Ra-cha-cha Ruckus in the fall.

[Team 135]

Our team runs camp for younger kids. Last year we had 3 different ones for the different age groups. The youngest did shooters of some sort (cannot remember, I was rarely there for the first group). The second group built compressed gas cars and raced them down the track. Finally the third group built vex bots to pick up racket balls and drop them in different holes. The second part of the task was to climb steps for a bonus. No one was able to do this, except myself and a few of my FRC buddies who have had experience with VEX, so I would not recommend it.

Other than running the camp, the FRC team goes to IRI with the new team members and gets them introduced into what it is all about. There is also a little fund raising that goes on.

[breeahnuh]

My advice: DEMOS! DEMOS! DEMOS! VOLUNTEER! VOLUNTEER! VOLUNTEER!

Our team spends the summer making appearances & presentations throughout the state and volunteering at multiple robotics related/ non related activities such as Engineering Week & Dole Plantation's Family Fun Day .

Our biggest summer activitiy is our Annual Roboticss Luau with Castle & Cooke/ Dole Plantation, in addition to many of our members and mentors being actively involved with Waialua's four time National Championn EV team.

[gorrilla]

we sleep


and repair old robots...

[OScubed]

Other ideas:
Demos
Community service
Build a different drive train for an old robot (Crab or swerve?)
Leadership boot camp
Basic skills cross training (electrical team learns mechanical, vice versa)
More demos
Help a rookie team get started
Sponsor or run FLL day camp sessions
Additional demos
Relax and enjoy it - you only get a few before you have to work full time

Cheers,
Lee

[kjhobin]

My team usually holds some summer camps for kids in middle school and participates in our towns 4th of july parade. We decorate a float, stick the robots on it, and do demos as we march and pass out flyers.
See: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/31634 (Thanks Liz!)
http://www.baristanet.com/2008/07/post_34.php (That robot was on the back of the float!)

[kristafer]

Last summer our team did a few fund raisers and car washes. In the past we have also gathered up any of the team members junk and have had a yard sale because one mans garbage is another mans treasure. We have done a yard sale/car wash combo at one site. Hitting two birds with one stone kinda thing.

We served lunches to the students who were in summer school, we did a concession stand for the basketball team who had an off season practice at our school, we did our kids camp, which outreaches to the kids in our community to help them better understand science, math, and technology, we have done robot demos, of course off season competitions, like IRI, and many other things. I believe that the summer time is the perfect time for teams to fund raise because it doesn't get in the way of any of the build time. Also you could always start on your web page, chairman's award submission, Woodie Flowers submission, and entrepreneurship award.

I hope this helped and good luck with any of your future endeavors.

[RyanCahoon]

T-shirt cannon tank.

[Josh Drake]

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

T-shirt cannon tank.

That was last years summer project. This year is Lego camp, and probably some type of fundraiser.

[BornaE]

Originally Posted by squirrel

NURC


(please click on the big NURC, it's a link!)

Second that,
oh and your link wasn't big enough

[NoahTheBoa]

We teach. We give tons of workshops about all aspects of FIRST and robotics to try and get more people involved. We've given presentations all over the place to a total of several thousand people. We use VEX to let participants actually apply the concepts they learn and we hold a competition at the end of the workshop. VEX is great for this. Yeah, I suggest you do demonstrations and teach, not only is it a great way to get more sponsors and teams involved, but it is a great learning experience for the students giving the workshops.

Our biggest summer project is generally our summer workshops in Hawaii and New Zealand. We've been invited back to Hawaii for the third year by Governor Lingle.

[Mechanical]

Fundrasing is always a great idea. Last summer we attended Summerfest is Sayville where we spread the word about FIRST and our team. We also sold hex bugs which were a big hit. The summer is also a good time to clean up you shop and things like that.