Organization

There is no right way to organize a team and no two teams, just like no two robots, ever look the same.
Look at how other teams do it, take what you like and leave what doesn't fit your goals.
Above all please don't look down on other teams just because they don't share the same goals or methods as you. There is room enough for all styles and approaches, and each in it's own way is a valuable experience for the students.
Include mentors and parents in your plans, so they too have a defined role, but you can have your mentors work hand-in-hand, stand back and advise only, or even do some specialized work that'll simply amaze the kids. Parents can be overbearing, but they are invaluable if they have a well defined task, such as, organizing team food for late nights and weekends or providing transportation. Plan too on growth or modifying your organization as circumstances or goals change.

• Decide first on what your focus and team emphasis will be (fun, education, college admission, leadership development, business-school partnership, internships).
• Decide what you can reasonably support with the number of members you have (student/parent/teacher/mentor) and the number of leader quality students available, e.g., if you have 5 chiefs and 20 indians start with a team organization that has a few non-critical open-positions that younger students can grow into as they develop confidence and leadership skills.
• Decide on your team philosophy & style:
  • classroom-style/teacher-driven
  • club-style/student-driven
  • professional-style/officer-mentor-driven
• Decide what you hope to accomplish (a good time, develop leadership skills, increase college admissions, win scholarships)

ChiefDelphi Whitepapers:

Search for keyword "Handbook"

Team 358 Organization

Our Team Rules & Handbooks

Team 358 has a four-fold organizational structure:

Student Officers/Students
Advisors
Mentors/Sponsor Engineers
Booster Club/parents

Student Officers

Student officers are decided by popular election with advisor approval. The positions change somewhat from year-to-year, however, we always have a President and Vice-President. Leadership styles also vary from year-to-year, impacted by college searches, after school jobs, etc. Some Presidents lead by example, while others share leadership and distribute the work load and productivity. All Officers are expected to share leadership responsibilities and lead the other team members by example and direct supervision. Typically, our Team President serves only one term, while other positions, e.g., Head of Engineering, typically turn out to be multi-year terms. A President is expected to have previously served in other team leadership positions.
Responsibilities in the Fall include:

• New member recruitment
• Team meetings
• Training/teaching skills to new members
• Fundraising
• Off-season events, such as, Homecoming parade, Safe Halloween, local competitions
• Team outreach activities, such as, workshops

Responsibilities in the Winter include:

• Kickoff,
• Coordinating tasks with mentors (robot, practice, cart, pit)
• Running Build meetings, organizing sub-groups
• Communicating progess, meeting times, etc. to members
• Organizing the shop tools and materials
• Packing for Competition

President -- organization and delegation of responsibilities. Responsible for member fundraising efforts, team meetings, dedicated to being at all meetings possible, present in Pits to field Judges and other visitor questions, team-to-team socializing, etc.
Vice-President -- shares and carries out presidental duties. Usually expected to become President the next year (therefore must not be a senior), however, "President" is an elected position and you know how elections can be. Also, failure to perform will impact advisor approval.
Secretary -- Communications. If you don't hear about it, it's this one's fault. Responsible for pestering the Advisors, Mentors, Booster Club to be sure everyone is equally informed. Methods of communication include the team website news, schedule, special events list, email, school PA announcements, passing the word in the hall, Club Activity bulletin board in the Commons, etc.
Scout Master(s) -- work with the Scouting mentor(s) to develop scouting system, evaluate game discriminators, investigate event teams. Watch hours of game videos, spend days on the Internet watching posted robot videos, photos, game debates on ChiefDelphi, etc.
Head of Engineering/Machine Shop/Pits -- knows what we have and where it is, is the lead on robot construction and repair. Organizes our competition pit, battery cycling, etc. Usually a multi-year position.
Head of Computers -- robot programming, website, extras.

After the primary leadership positions, additional positions are appointed by the officers with the concurrence of the Advisors, such as, Scoutmasters and Chairman's team, outreach programs, fundraising efforts.

Typical Officer Breakdown and Responsibilities (, 21.9 KB)

Advisors

The advisors are appointed by the Board of Education. At least one must be a faculty member, however, the faculty member does not have to be the Lead Advisor. The Lead Advisor is also the FIRST Main Contact. Our team generally has two full-time and one part-time advisors. Additional faculty members may be enlisted as chaparones on trips to competitions, or other special events.

The Advisors have overall responsibility for the team--think benevolent dictators. Team continuity and long-term grown and improvement falls on their shoulders. They are responsible for handling the school finances, team purchases, administrative reports, arranging for chaparones, and have the final say in critical team decisions. Oversee student leadership and the team to avoid favoritism, cliques, nepotism, and activities detrimental to the team and it's image. The Robotics room must have an advisor present at all times the room is open. They are responsible for seeing that students and mentors receive proper training on the machines and safety operations. The student members elect officers and are responsible for day-to-day team activities, and set the tone for the team, e.g., are we to be a competitive team, or an easy going club. The advisors make sure the officers carry through with their responsibilities. Advisors make the hard decisions and politically unpopular but necessary calls, taking the brunt of critisism. Advisors make sure the students stick to their plans, such as, being competitive by selecting the competition drive team for the season based on driver tryouts and merit rather than popularity.

Mentors/Sponsor Engineers

The mentors have a rather loose organizational structure based only on the primary expertise or interest of the various technical advisors/mentors/parents. There is a lot of cross-disipline effort, for instance, electrical will help out on mechanical systems. One of the three school advisors must be in the room with students at all times and act as the offical chaperones on all trips, but each has their preferred specialty and tends to mentor the students working on that sub-system.

Mechanical Sub-system
Electrical Sub-System
Pneumatic Sub-system
Control System/Sensors/Programming sub-system
Crate/Field Construction

Parent Booster Club

The booster club consists of parents who are Non-Engineering Mentors (NEMs). They take care of all the behind the scenes responsibilities, primarily fundraising and organizing team travel plans and arrangements. They represent team interests at Board of Education meetings, keep the team in the eye of the Administration, and encourage and coordinate parental support. They mentor the students in the areas of fundraising, button making, and spirit activities. Multiple positions may be filled by one parent.

President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer

Team Building, Leadership, Communication

At the beginning of each year you have a lot of new members, new officers, new mentors and it's worthwhile to take some time for team building exercises. They get all the new faces familiar with one another and it's an opportunity to learn everyone's name. Leadership exercises also get the new Team officers operating smoothly in their new roles and responsibilities, and of course smooth Communication is critical to getting anything accomplished.
These can be extended to include engineering or MacGyver mental challenges to bring out the creativity and initiative in team members. Things like egg drops, paper plane contests, mousetrap cars, etc.
Here are a few team activity websites: Leadership Exercises, trust exercises, more exercises, still more exercises.

Recruiting Mentors

You want mentors? If you are really serious then make this effort into a real campaign with a chairperson and committee devoted to locating and recruiting new mentors. Your best success will come from spreading the message out through your existing mentors, parents, and teachers. You want the message to spread to family, friends, neighbors, and the local pool of retirees. If you have an after school or summer job then include your managers, supervisors, and co-workers.
For ideas, check out the National Mentoring Center.

Recognition

Be grateful for your volunteers that make your team so wonderful and let them know in no uncertain terms just how much you appreciate them. Thanking sponsors is discussed elsewhere, but at the end of each season our team remembers and recognizes each person responsible for making the season a success.

Every team member, student or mentor, receives a team DVD of the events of the season.
Season DVD (.jpg, 81 KB)


Each team member is recognized with a
Certificate of Excellence (.jpg, 180 KB)


Graduating Seniors receive a framed team photo autographed by all the other team members.

Senior Photo | Senior Frisbee

Each technical mentor is recognized with a framed team photo. Team Advisors also receive a framed photo as well as gift cards donated by the students.

Mentor Photo | 2008 Mentor Gift & Back

Each non-engineering mentor of the Booster Club is presented with flowers.
.
The spouses of mentors, without who's support our mentor's could not spend such long hours with us, are each presented with a flowering plant to constantly remind them where their spouse is!
.


Get Microsoft Excel Viewer
Get Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer
Get WinZip