How Do We Approach Our School For Robotics Letters?

[KTorak]

We unfortudently don't get letters for Robotics. We get a letter for making a Varsity team, unless its a sport like Track where we have no "Varsity" team, you get points based on how well you do in meets. We do however get letters for being in Marching Band for two years, but those are paid for through the band, not the athletic department.

[c-squared_2006]

We're still working on it, but you basically have to show the school the importance of robotics. Courtesy is always a plus. This is a delicate issue.

[Dorienne]

Originally Posted by c-squared2006

We're still working on it, but you basically have to show the school the importance of robotics. Courtesy is always a plus. This is a delicate issue.

This is a delicate issue, I will not deny that. It is not unusual for schools to think of FIRST Robotics as just another activity, and not a sport of any sort. What you should do, as other FIRSTers have mentioned in this thread, is bring your supervisors to your workshop, show them around, and show them what FIRST really is all about. Show them what you all learn and how much experience you get in the engineering and business fields.

FIRST is like a real life business. You have a deadline for a "product", limitations on parts and money, sponsorship from major companies and corporations, and "workers" to make the product and have it come alive. Also, there's a whole background to the team, and that is the business side. You have "workers" gathering sponsorship, organizing the team's budget and students, networking with other teams, and conjuring the award entries.

Emphasize this to your administrators. Invite them to a regional event, and let them see for themselves how wonderful FIRST is and how worthy you all are of Letters.

Good luck to you guys, I'm rooting for you!

[Matt Leese]

Originally Posted by Dorienne 007

Hello everyone, I hadn't seen this post when I did like a million searches. All I saw were "do other teams have letters" posts or "our school won't give them to us if no other teams have them" and such. So please don't kill me for not seeing anything.

Anyways, I was curious to know how the teams that acquired athletic letters for their team were able to get them. What tactic did you all use, how did you ask?

My school isn't really too supportive of the team, and doesn't see our team for what we really are and what we can do. The administrators love us and are so excited there's a group like us in the school, but we are really unsure at exactly how much of a help they would be. I would like to ask them as well to get their approval if it will alter our principal's decision in any way.

If anyone can give my team any pointers on how exactly to go about doing this, please do so! Our team needs this kind of recognition. We do so much more than the school knows, and this is the perfect way to get them to know just what FIRST is about!

I know for a fact that the administration of Parkville High School was asked to give letters to the robotics team in the past and it was denied at that time. You may have better luck now but realize that the admistration wasn't receptive before.

Matt

[mechanicalbrain]

well our team does letters. the fact is if none of the other teams (i assume you mean in your school) get letters than theirs nothing you can do unless you want to set precedent. however you definitely want to play up the importance of academics.