Keeping Interest - Beyond the Robot

[JackN]

The Martians have many goals after the season. Goodrich is not a big community, so during the offseason we work at everything our small little town does. we run the concession stand at little league games, we are painting the dugouts on the towns baseball field,and we always show off the robot at the homecoming parade, summer festival and holiday festival.

For those that think FLL and FVC are the only ways to reach out to younger students you are wrong. Look up the Destination Imagination program, it is a cheap and easy alternative to FLL and FVC (But don't ignore FLL and FVC, they are both still great ways to get interest in younger students).

Another way to keep interest is to have a few team building activites after the season. We have several bonfires after the season to both celebrate and come closer as a team.

Year long commitment leads to far greater success. Your team will be more of a team and not a group of students who are just building a robot. Instead of being in FIRST, you will be FIRST.