Hello! We are an all-girls private school in Toronto, Ontario, and we are in desperate need of mentors. Our school has NO shop facilities whatsoever and is generally not very supportive of our Robotics team. We need a lot of guidance as we don’t quite know what we’re doing. (Well, we do… but we don’t.)
We are looking for
a mentor to help with fundraising
two mentors to help with building. Would prefer if you knew C, too.
Thanks so much!
(Also, we would like to know roughly how much your mentors get paid… we’ve heard varying things. Thanks)
I always thought mentors came for free ( outside of gushing grattitude from the kids).
Unfortunately Rochester has this big puddle between the two cites and there’s that border thing as well. I can offer some suggestions, I suppose.
With Forums like CD you’re more than welcome to easily ask for guidance and we’re all pretty willing to offer up free guidance pretty much. As for looking for mentors close by how about asking some of the parents or PTA, make presentations to local technical companies to see if any of their employees would like to volunteer to help out the team. Typically if you ask they will come.
As far as Fundraising you can look on the FIRSTrochester.org 2005 website -> Team Resources theres a Fundraising Package that we made to help rookie teams do just that.
Seeing that you are from Canada, I would suggest to get in touch with Karthik Kanagasabapathy (who is a member of the forum). Send him a PM and let him know that you are in a need of mentors. He knows all the teams in Canada and he will do what he can to help a team.
Find a local tech company and approach them about supporting your team, either finnancially or with mentor support. Often, companies are extremely impressed with the FIRST program and are willing to help out. Ask team member parents if their companies would be interested or have contacts at other companies who might be. Do a presentation to the school administration or PTA.
My greatest recommendation would be to network with another team, if at all possible. My team has worked extensively with rookies, and I think that having a group of experienced support would help. I believe 1547 is an all-girls team in Canada as well, though I don’t know where they are from. Having another all-girls team could make it easier for your school-board to be supportive.
If that’s no issue, there are many amazing teams in the Toronto area. Try attending GTR if you can this weekend, maybe you’ll meet a team who will be interested in helping you.
You should be able to find a few mentors on here that will help out as they can from a distance.
For my part, if there are particular questions that you have about the code or the electronics, please feel free to PM me or email me. I’d be happy to help.
BTW, We’re all highly paid mentors. In appreciation, gratitude, and friendship that we get from our students!
Team 1547 would be pleased to be a resource to help Havergal. We can coordinate through Vance Scott, or you can contact Trafalgar school’s principal - Ms. McInroy directly. Unfortunately a lot of corporations will not fund private schools, however I do know of a potential that may help you. I also may know a potential mentor. …Mrs. S
My suggestion is that you contact team “Miss Daisy” i forgot the team number, but they offer a “team in a box” DVD that is very helpful in giving basic build ideas/schedules as well as a whole lot of fund raising tips.