Today I had a conversation with the principal of the local HS. I've been the 'lead' mentor of a FIRST Robotics team there- team 1591. In 5 years the program still has not become self-sustained. This past year was so incredibly bad I lost all but one mentor- they became so disgusted with the way things (weren't) happening that they felt (rightly so) it was easier to go back to work and get paid than to take vacation.
See, we don't get paid for this- we donate all our time without any reimbursement from the company. The company puts in 11K, of which I try (every year) to hold a $1000 back to purchase supplies for the coming year, only to find out my budget has been 'robbed'... thus enticing me to spend recklessly instead of conservatively.
Back to my conversation with the principal: Mr. Snyder asked some tough questions that I was just not ready to answer honestly- but I felt horrible when he asked if we had some sort of 'performance requirement'. My lord I felt sick to my stomach- if he thought we were backing out because the kids didn't make it to the semi finals- that would go completely against the entire concept of FIRST.
As it was he told me he was planning some radical changes for this coming year in the program. I smiled as the program desperately needs more teachers, more funding, and more commitment from the students involved.
I would love to see us sponsor Team 1591 again- and perhaps having a year where their funding is lost will finally force them to step up to the plate and do their own work. If not, then I expect that the money, if I end up being able to transfer it elsewhere, will be better spent on programs with more enthusiastic folks.
As I left a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't have to listen to students being called stupid (even if they were). I didn't have to sit and want to scream anymore at them for refusing to work. I didn't have to stare at the clock and realize that I was once again going to be late getting home because there was something only I was able to do.
Just for grins I started to write a list of ways to destroy a team- here is what I've seen done and what irks me:
1) Never write a letter thanking your sponsor. Just take the money and never acknowledge it.
2) Never invite the president of the company to come see the team (skip the lead mentor- have students do it).
3) Never get your name published in a paper because you don't feel like self advertising.
4) Don't do your 'homework'- when you're told to get a ChiefDelphi account and find something, don't do it.
5) Sent out short, cryptic emails the day of or the day before a meeting changing something. Make sure that either the date, the time, or the day of the week is wrong.
6) Refuse to meet off-season for practice.
7) Talk about setting goals but never do it.
8) Never thank your mentors. Nothing says you don't give a care than blowing them off.
9) Never put your mentors in for awards at the competitions- that's why they have those little award tables.
10) Horse around in the shop.
11) Wrap cable ties around someone's neck and try and tighten them up- that way if they do get hurt the mentors will probably be sued out of house and home.
12) Refuse to make any effort to bring other groups inside your school into the program. After all, what do art, mathematics, physics, business classes, and computer programming have to do with FIRST?
13) Don't put together a business plan year after year.
14) Get some additional sponsors and promise them space on the tshirts, but don't tell the primary sponsor about it.
15) Don't finalize a tshirt design until 3 days before the competition.
16) Don't show up to meetings.
17) Only meet 3x a week for the first 4 weeks and then try and start building a chassis on week 5.
Thats all for now.
