Posted on the FRC Blog, 11/12/15: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-whats-a-first-senior-mentor
What’s a FIRST Senior Mentor (FSM)? And why should you reach out to your FSM?
**Blog Date: **Thursday, November 12, 2015 - 15:53
Today’s blog post was written by Ashley Liles, FIRST® Senior Mentor/AmeriCorps VISTA Programs Manager.
What’s an FSM? Another wonderful *FIRST *acronym, FSM stands for ***FIRST *Senior Mentor.
*FIRST *Senior Mentor because these wonderful individuals are funded and directed by *FIRST *HQ to serve all four *FIRST *Programs. *FIRST *Senior Mentors work with Regional Directors and Program Partners to recruit, support, and expand *FIRST *in their local areas.
They are Senior because they are experienced; in this case, “Senior” has nothing to do with the age on their driver’s license or whether they qualify for AARP benefits. These *FIRST *Senior Mentors are seasoned experts with *FIRST *programs. Some *FIRST *Senior Mentors have technical skills and others nontechnical skills, but they have all supported multiple *FIRST *programs as Coaches, Mentors, Volunteers, Parents, Alumni, etc.
The last word in the *FIRST *Senior Mentor title is the most important: Mentor. *FIRST *Senior Mentors exist to provide support and mentorship to *FIRST *in the Field; this might mean a *FIRST *Senior Mentor helps start new teams and supports existing teams, recruits and supports Coaches/Mentors, recruits and trains volunteers for FIRST events, or helps connect teams to resources. The role of the *FIRST *Senior Mentor is to assist teams and students like you!
If you don’t know your [i]FIRST Senior Mentor, you’re missing out! Learn more about the 51 individuals in the US and Canada currently serving as *FIRST *Senior Mentors. Reach out to your *FIRST *Senior Mentor, introduce yourself, your team, ask for help if you need it, or even offer your assistance to your *FIRST *Senior Mentor.
Don’t have a *FIRST *Senior Mentor in your state- don’t worry! Many *FIRST *Senior Mentors provide virtual guidance and support across state lines; reach out to [email protected] for support, or if you have any questions about the *FIRST *Senior Mentor Program. Good luck this season!