FIRST Robotics Mentor Coffee Meeting with Code Red

FIRST General Forum
1

Stop banging your head against a wall and join us for some coffee, cookies
and collaboration!

FIRST Robotics Coaches and Mentors are cordially invited to an informal
meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Tuesday, December 28th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. If you are new to FIRST Robotics, come on out to get some questions answered & make connections. If you are FIRST veteran, please come and share your knowledge and experience with others. This is a great way to have fun, share resources and help build sustainable robotics teams that positively impact students.

There will be coaches and mentors present with experience in programming,
mechanical engineering, team structure and administration, innovation,
marketing, logistics, communications etc .

**Where: **The build space of Code Red Robotics at 921 47th Street in Wyoming Michigan
When: Tuesday December 28 at 7:00pm.

Bring some cookies if you got 'em, and please let us know if you have any questions!

2

Thanks for posting that Corey! Not only are Mentors, Coaches, & active parents invited, but FRC team alumni are also encouraged to join in. We may as well get college students involved over Christmas break.

Our goal is to have fun while we get together and work at building sustainable robotics teams that have a powerful impact on students.

3

This sounds awesome! I hope I can make it!

4

Dang! Sounds wonderful but the drive from New Hampshire would be a bit long. Have fun!

5

How did things go? Was it well attended?

Will you be posting any noteworthy news from the meeting?

**

6

Hello Ether,

Thanks for asking. There were nine different teams represented and over 35 folks in attendance. I noticed that we had array of cookies and a few pots of coffee on hand, but nobody wanted to stop talking about FIRST Robotics long enough to partake. It was a very informal event with Mentors, Head Coaches, Sponsors and School Administrators and few college kids kicking around topics that included:

  1. Team structure
  2. Team Vision & Goals
  3. Recruitment of students and mentors
  4. Shop equipment
  5. Build Season schedule
  6. Project planning
  7. Problem-solving and Brainstorming
  8. Importance of Marketing
  9. Sponsorship & Team Funding
  10. Roles of Mentors
  11. Roles of Parents
  12. Collaboration among teams so that all are stronger
  13. Setting up scrimmages before ship date
  14. Robot fabrication, prototyping, etc.

The general consensus was that Item #2 was key. Establish the right Vision of the team, and getting people on board who share that vision, can result in something very powerful and amazing!

We knew going in that many team leaders were out doing holiday and family things that week. We were able to meet some fantastic people, and we definitely plan to hold more of those in the future. We will also try add Mentor & Coaches seminars to the Code Red Mock KickOff next year. There is some information about the recent one in the announcement we posted on FIRSTinMichigan’s website:

http://www.firstinmichigan.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you have any questions, and have a great time with 2011’s Logomotion!

Thank you,

Jeff

7

I read this thread and was like WUT!

Then I realized that it was from the other Code Red. I wish we could join you!

8

LOL. We hope to meet you guys some day! We have run into teams from New York that have worked with 639, and you are well-regarded. A Code Red Alliance would be sweet.