A number of roles on our team are filled by parents, and are critical to the success of the team. Parents who have taken the lead for the various roles have been identified on the team directory: https://tinyurl.com/Team766Directory. Some roles require volunteer clearance through the school district (see the section on Volunteer Clearance).
Helpful tips for how to manage all the non-technical aspects of a FIRST team can be found on the website for the Non Engineering Mentor Organization (NEMO): http://www.firstnemo.org
- Work closely with lead mentors and student officers to organize Parent Meetings and other team functions, including competitions.
- Facilitate activities of other parent leaders/coordinators
- Manage student paperwork (keep team manual, directory, and forms binder up to date)
- Ensure communication between lead mentor, student officers, and volunteers
- Should be cleared to level 3 for maximum flexibility
- Manage the meals sign up for team meetings
- Coordinate Kickoff Meeting breakfast and lunch
- Work with student business leader to find food sponsorships from local restaurants
- Work with trip coordinator to provide meals, snacks, waters at events
- Do not need volunteer clearance
- Need at least 10 for build season
- Work in 2-3 h shifts during team meetings
- Monitor activities during team meetings to ensure compliance with safety rules and youth protection policies: https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/youth-protection-policy
- Manage non-technical aspects of meetings (e.g., help with food logistics, etc.) to free up mentors to do their mentoring
- See the manual section on supervision for more tips and instructions: https://tinyurl.com/Team766MeetingSupervision
- Must be cleared to at least level 2
- Reserve hotel room block for FRC events away from the immediate bay area
- Organize drivers and carpools, chaperones/supervisors, roommates for competitions
- Need van, truck, or trailer to drive robot, tools and parts
- Work with meal coordinator to organize team meals and snacks for delivery or takeout at competitions (including waters/drinks)
- Reserve restaurants for team dinners
- See http://www.firstnemo.org/PDF/tips_for_travel.pdf for more tips on trip planning and https://tinyurl.com/Team766Travel/ for past trip examples
- Should be cleared to level 3 for maximum flexibility
- Need at least 6
- Need approximately 1 driver for every 3 students (at minimum)
- Drive student carpools to and from competitions
- Must be cleared to level 3
- Need at least 3 unrelated adults
- Run the nonprofit 501(c)(3) booster organization “Menlo-Atherton Robotics FIRST Team 766” http://www.menlo-athertonroboticsteam766.org/
- Fill roles of President, Treasurer, Secretary. Other directors are optional.
- Do not need to be cleared
- Work with student business coordinators
- Identify and pursue funding sources for the team
- Must be cleared to at least level 2
- Work with students to design and develop mechanical, electrical, or software systems
- See http://tinyurl.com/firstmentoringguide for more information about technical mentorship
- Must be cleared to at least level 2
- Pick up kit-of-parts from FIRST San Jose location on kick-off day
- Handle shipping of robot to/from World Championships
- Do not need to be cleared
Public Relations/Outreach Mentor
- Work with the outreach and media student leaders
- Find opportunities for the team to demonstrate the robots publicly
- Publish articles about the team in BearNotes, Trivocis, InMenlo, Almanac, etc
- Take photos of team events
- Must be cleared to level 2; should be cleared to level 3 for maximum flexibility
- Organize the order for team apparel that is designed by the students
- Order team event pins and other items for distribution at events/competitions
- Do not need to be cleared
- Work with students to obtain thank you letters, gifts for sponsors and mentors for end of the year party and throughout the year as needed
- Should be cleared to level 2
End of Year Party Organizer
- Plan/organize End-of-Year BBQ and recognitions (mentors, graduates, etc.)