Our Mentors

1099 Mentor: 2013, 2018, & 2022-Present
Role on team: Lead Mentor / Team Advisor

Coach T is an alum of 1099; student member from 2008-2012. She works as a mechanical engineer and comes back to mentor the team.

" My favorite part about coming back and helping 1099 as a mentor is being able to pass on the lessons my mentors instilled in me during my years on the team. " - Coach T 

1099 Mentor: 2003 - Present
Role on team:  Business / Public Relations Mentor

Mrs. Didsbury is one of our team's founding mentors and a lead mentor from 2003-2016. She was a math teacher at BHS and after retiring, still continues to come back and mentor the team.

1099 Mentor: 2009 - Present
Role on team: Engineering / Design Mentor

Mr. DeFreitas joined the team with his daughter, who was a student. He has come back ever since to continue mentoring the team!

1099 Mentor: 2011 - Present
Role on team:  Programming Mentor 

Mr. Zucca has been our team's longest running Team Advisor from 2011-2025.  He has supported every aspect of the team during his time as advisor, but his specialty is programming. He also teaches math and AP Computer Science  at BHS. Mr. Zucca still continues to come back and mentor the team.

1099 Mentor: 2016 - 2025
Role on team: Engineering / Design Mentor

Mr. Dackow joined the team with his daughter, who was a student. He has come back ever since to continue mentoring the team! He helps mentor with areas relating to engineering, controls, wiring, manufacturing, and CNC work.  Mr. Dackow works as a Senior Director of Electrical & Controls Engineering.

"Having spent over 30 years making complex machines do what we want them to do, it never stops amazing me how the right keystrokes on a computer and a few wires and parts can make an any machine (or robot) do amazing things."

1099 Mentor: 2018 - Present
Role on team: Engineering / Design Mentor

Mr. Ranchy joined the team with his daughter, who was a student. He has come back ever since to continue mentoring the team!

1099 Mentor: 2014 - Present
Role on team: Spirit Mentor

Ms. Kochman joined the team with her son, who was a student. She has come back ever since to continue mentoring the team!

"I enjoy working with the students and the other mentors. I like to see how technology and creativity inspire enthusiasm and passion in the students and give them an opportunity to learn new things and gain self-confidence and learn how to communicate their ideas and strengthen their communication skills. I also love to see how Poetry, music, design, costumes, presentation, color, public speaking and all the arts are integrated into the competitions and the game/theme for each year." -Ms. Kochman

1099 Mentor: 2024 - Present
Role on team: Mentor + Alumni

Renee is an alum of 1099; student member from 2015-2019. She now come back as a mentor.