It seems to me that many teams go into hibernation after the Nationals and aren’t heard from until the season begins again next winter. But there is so much to do in the off season and there is so much potential for team growth and revitalization in the insuing months that I thought I’d write a little essay to try to stir the pot.
The Nationals is the only event FIRST offers that brings teams from all over the continent together and lets people with our common interest associate. Just imagine what could be accomplished if all the brain power could work together on some common cause.
So my suggestion is that every participant should look on their trip to the Nationals as a unique learning experience and an opportunity to make FIRST and your own team something more. Maybe it is the chance to have distant teams meet, swap ideas and pursue new joint ventures. Maybe it is just the chance to see how other teams operate and share ideas.
But the thought that comes to mind is POTENTIAL. When teams work together miracles can happen.
Point in case- RINOS. The idea began when two students you know as Replic and Aignam thought it would be great to make a program to enlist and train new teams for the NJ Region. In essence, the group approaches schools, recruits new teams and hooks them up with mentors for their first year. The idea caught on with a friendly group of NJ teams who decided to make it go. By working together, the RINOS program is booming and the NJ region is one of the fastest growing with a 97% retention rate. RINOS is a NJ Regional policy now and the students as well as adults have a role in the local region.
So, not to sound preachy, I encourage everyone to look at the Nationals this week and an opportunity to have some fun, show our best and maybe to consider some ideas on how those teams we ally with from XYZ might interact in a larger sense.
Hey I don’t have all the answers but I sure have a lot of questions…
Couldn’t agree more, but be carefull about this RINOS thingie you are doing. Here in Virginia we had a huge team growth in 2000-2002. Now, our economy, especially our tech industries, have tanked. One of our two major sponsors tanked, atleast a few teams are having troubles here. Just a warning, what might seem like a great gracoious idea to spread FIRST can turn around and start sucking money out of other teams, and even each of the new teams. Use caution grasshopper, for the one you feed might bite your hand latter.
Joseph-
We know of the situation in the Va region and the problems with sponsors and the economy. Unlike some of the regions, the NJ region has never really had a single, big corporate benefactor to start new teams and each team has had to scramble to find a sponsor. There is generally enough industry in the Garden State to handle it and we work hard to recruit new sponsors as part of the initiatives. Ultimately we would like to have a set of ready money sources and tech sponsors to hook up with schools and form new teams. The RINOS group acts as big brothers to walk them through their first season. My team mentored last season and found it a lot of fun. We even have some very generous adult mentors from NJ teams who work as free lance consultants starting new teams.
Oddly, we have approached at least three schools in the last year who had the money and tech sponsor offered to them and who turned down the opportunity because they couldn’t find a teacher willing to put in the time to make a team run. TEACHERS (of whom I am one) seem to be the limiting factor here in NJ. Sometimes they make me pretty mad.
So this year we sent out personal invitrations to the regional to 600 hand picked science and math teachers. They were researched by several sophomore students through hard work and internet hunting. If they see the competition they want to be a part of it. We’ll see if the seeds planted will take root.
We’ll make them see the light eventually but for now if we get 6-10 per year it is a good thing.
Remember, we see the fun and benefit of FIRST. Some folks need a little kick.
Wow, that’s a great idea! I assume you contacted all the teachers by e-mail? What did you say? What was the initial response to the e-mail? the response after the regional? Very interested … sounds like it could be a really great tool that FIRST as a whole should start doing … the best way to get the message out to the students is to get their teachers excited about it. The whole thing can be intimidating to a teacher … it is a lot of work and hours to dedicate, but if the teacher sees the end product, I’m sure it’ll put things in perspective.
