Joining Another Schools Team??

[billy9083]

I am a Junior in high school, who was on team 38, the Nonnebots from Woodbury, Ct, my freshman year. Last year the team disbanded and now there is no FRC team at my school. I was wondering if there were any rules prohibiting me from joining another schools team, and, if not what are my chances of having another team in the area, let me join?

[Vaillancourt88]

Last year the team disbanded and now there is no FRC team at my school.

We had the same situation last year. Our "adopted" student became on eof the most active members of the team!! Can you get to Detroit?--we'd love to have you!

[Lil' Lavery]

There are no FIRST rules prohibiting it. Contact any teams in the area (237 has already been mentioned) to see their policies about the issue.
The only thing I'm worried about it that you're trying to join so late in the game, right before the build season. You've skipped the whole fall training period. Because you've been on a team before they're more likely as you already have some experience. Additionally you may have missed any deadlines regarding fees, forms (safety and otherwise), etc.
Hopefully these can be worked around, and you can join a new team.

[IndySam]

It's school policy that the student must be connected with the district in some way because of insurance reasons.

Our career center does have students from other districts attending so they are allowed to join the team.

This year we have a charter school student on the team. That school is one of the affiliates of the career center.

[Richard McClellan]

The one other FIRST rule that might apply is that if more than 5 students with FIRST experience (like you) go and join another team, if that team is in its first year, they will no longer have their rookie status, and wouldn't be eligible to win the Rookie All-Star Award or other Rookie Awards.

Rookie Team Criteria: http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc...t.aspx?id=6632

Of course, this only applies if you were thinking of joining a brand new team.

[David Brinza]

As previously stated, there's no FIRST rule prohibiting you from participating on a team from a school that you do not attend.

For some schools, there's an application process for students joining the team, possibly involving an interview with mentors and teachers. If the school restricts the number of students participating in FIRST, this application process may be restrictive (i.e. not all students that apply are accepted). If a school is turning away it's own students, I doubt that an "outsider" will be admitted. So, you may need to "shop around" to find a team.

Other issues such as liability, sharing team costs, etc. might keep you from joining a team as well...

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by David Brinza

For some schools, there's an application process for students joining the team, possibly involving an interview with mentors and teachers. If the school restricts the number of students participating in FIRST, this application process may be restrictive (i.e. not all students that apply are accepted). If a school is turning away it's own students, I doubt that an "outsider" will be admitted. So, you may need to "shop around" to find a team.

While I cannot speak for 237, 228 has always been a multi-school team. We don't turn away students. So like I suggested before, if he doesn't mind driving 30-40 minutes to get to robotics meetings, then he's more than welcome to join 228.

[joeweber]

The end of the 2003 a we were with a local school and that school closed down the team. The students came to me and my wife and asked what to do. So we started a new team and signed in as home school. We than had students from that school , local schools and had some home school students. Thats how we have be doing it since. We no longer have to fight with the school and the board. We also get to choose our students and now all of our students are great and we have more fun because of it.

[GBIT]

Yea we have one student on our team this year who does not go to BG. It is strictly a team rule and i would check with neighboring teams to see who allows or doesn't allow it.

[Kims Robot]

We have dealt with this in the past, we had one student join from another school district, and then ended up "adopting" a team until they could get their sponsor back a following year, so we had several students who were not part of our school district working at our school. Im not sure if states other than NY are different, but where there is a will there is always a way. What we had to do was get permission from the outside student's current school districts for them to participate. Once we had that, it covered any legal issues. Its just like if a soccer team from another school comes and plays on your soccer field. Same concept. Their school has given them permission to participate there and that means all the legal issues are covered.

[Jay H 237]

Sadly I don't see you able to join 237 due to Board of Ed policy.

I'll explain,

Several years ago we had students on our team that went to Kaynor Tech in Waterbury (adjacent town). Kaynor Tech is a vocational school that has, and never had, a FIRST team so a few students who were interested joined our team. I don't know the exact specifics but the Board of Ed was less than thrilled when they found out. Basically they were worried about insurance coverage for these students who didn't go to Watertown High School which our team is based out of. Since these students were already on our team the BoE allowed them to be "grandfathered in" and they could stay on and be part of our team until they graduated. No additional non-Watertown High students could join though. The students could come back as "mentors" though after they graduated.

The other catch here to is a few of them actually lived right here in Watertown (and thier parents paid taxes to Watertown that went towards things like the insurance) but since they were not enrolled in Watertown High the BoE still wouldn't allow them. They only went to Kaynor due to it being a vocational school and offering classes Watertown doesn't.


Art has given you a nice offer if you chose to be part of GUS 228. Some school districts have nothing against non students or the school comprises several towns. Since you're in Oxford you may ask about the Gaelhawks in Shelton too and see what thier policy is.


Jason

[Akash Rastogi]

It all depends on the other team. I know that some teams don't allow students from other schools or it is sometimes a school policy that they don't want to be held responsible for someone who is not their student. Other than that, you cna join another team. We have several kids from other schools and districts on MORT this year. Just contact their team mentors, coach, teachers, or team leaders.

[keen101]

I don't think FIRST has a problem with it. in fact schools can have two teams this year!


I think the decision is up to the other team though.

[artdutra04]

I'd check with Team 237 from Watertown, as they are probably the closest team to Woodbury. (And if I remember my FIRST history right, I believe team 38 was involved in the founding of team 237.)

Though if you want to drive forty minutes to Meriden, I'm sure 228 would love to have another team member.

[DAN1504]

last year 1504 had members from 3 different districts on the team