which is better as a student or mentor....

[smurfgirl]

They are very differently, but I am inclined to say that both is equally good.

As a student, you have been working incredibly hard for between several months and several years with other team members to achieve many common goals. Teamwork is often tough, especially in high school. Building a successful robot is pretty tough. Getting some kids excited about things like FIRST is also pretty tough. No matter how small the success is, whether it's just shipping a robot, maybe winning a match, winning an award making some kids smile, having fun with your team, winning a regional or the Championship Chairman's... on any level, this success validates all of your efforts and brings an incredible level of joy.

As a mentor or anyone who has worked with members of the current winning team (this includes some that may be better classified as alumni because they worked with them in the recent past), you get a very different but equally joyous feeling when your team receives an award. You have watched these students learn and grow for between several months and several years. You have guided them through the process, seen every step of the way including all their struggles and the hardest moments, and now you can see them at their peak. Knowing that your students are happy and have learned valuable lessons through all of your time is also a wonderful feeling.

So, from either perspective having your work validated, in some way, either in the form of an award or a self-realization, is a very happy moment for all parties involved. The emotions may not be exactly the same, but I don't think they can be compared or one can be quantified as greater than the other.