10/07/17 – Intro to Mini-Competition
Introduction to the game:
We have split our entire team into 4 mini teams; 3 student teams and 1 mentor team each with a new student or mentor as its leader. For the student teams, skill is equally split up so veteran members are all on different teams. These four teams will compete in a 5190 mini competition after Thanksgiving break. We chose the competition’s elements based off of the hints we thought were shown during the 2018 FRC teaser. The first portion is autonomous. The robot has to go on a teeter totter and balance on it. After that, the robots have to go pick up an 8 x 8-inch plywood cube. One portion will be stacking the boxes into 3 by 3 rows. In another portion, we will be stacking as many boxes as we can in a given amount of time. In the final portion, we will be competing on who has the fastest robot over a certain distance. do to there being an even number of competitions, we have made a tiebreaker portion. the tiebreaker portion will involve elements of balancing and stacking into 3 by 3 rows under a certain amount of time.
All teams have begun planning out strategies on which portions of the competition to focus on and some began making major structural changes that may be necessary for their ideas.
For programming. We setup Xbox controller input for use in driving the robot. We got the X and Y axes of the left stick to move the robot and got a button that we can use for operating the arm. We set up four CAN Talons for use in controlling the wheels to drive the robot. We have not yet done PID( proportional integral derivative controller ). We then proceeded to call the drive method they created in the teleop section of the main robot class so that when teleop becomes enabled they would be able to manipulate the motors using the Xbox controller they configured earlier.
For marketing, we recently finished our NASA grant and started working on the new grant for Shell. We started to find ways to approach to the parents for their contributions through their companies because we researched that a lot of companies that many parents work at have matching programs – whether it is donation matching or volunteer matching – that we can use to build the financial support. I am also planning to do the computer drive this year so we can donate back to Kramden this time.We are also looking for people who are willing to learn website designing from imaginovation. We will most likely continue doing this – grants and planning outreach events.
9/13 – Business Notes
Raw Notes from Business meeting 09/13:
- Going into Imagine Innovation office on Tuesday to present about us for sponsorships
- Invite other companies in the building, later on, no robot demonstration/slides that time
- 4, start at 4:30, Tuesday
- Sameer until 5, Lynn after
- Isabelle, Bhargav, Amy, Ryan, coach, (Ali & Rahul) – makes 4 to 5 people
- They do machine learning, AI
- Expect smart questions
Money
- Natural Instruments Opened – Ryan for programming help
- LabView required for competition robot
- Mentor that teaches Labview
- Makes us unqualified for the NI grant
- NASA Opened
- NASA is mainly for second-year teams
- Extremely difficult to get but we will still apply
- Most detailed grants, all teams will be applying
- Google Ad validation came in and Ali is applying
- We qualify for this grant
- May not get cash money
- PTC Grant for Autodesk & Solidworks
Returning Member signup form – Amy will send me link
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- Amy has updated
- Both Email blast and meeting notes
- Celito (check spelling)
- Sponsor teams locally in Raleigh
- Show interest in engineering
- Solar Company Ivanova (check spelling)
- Local company:
- Bhargav in touch with people that added his dad’s solar panels
- Race Car thing is solar power so contact companies because of that
- FOllow up on the RC with Mr. B – Ali
- United Therapeutics grant needs follow up with FIRST
- Davis Drive (2 Seasons)
- CA (continue contacting)
- Task list sent to Bhargav – need to respond and go over tasks
- Angy awards from build space, t-shirts,
- Alumni, what colleges attend and scholarships
- Jason, Alabama full ride
- Oswin NCSU 2k
- Nationwide scholarship provider (?) Facts
- Cash box for at least thirty dollars
- COllect dues, mr.L tomorrow night
- Getting paperwork done during the meeting – 3 hours necessary?
- Write down agenda for meeting – Sameer in charge
- Bhargav making sure that the projector room is open and ready
- Slides and questions last year
- Go over parent meeting powerpoint
- Practice meeting
- Time commitment
08/30 – Business and Preperations
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today we held a business and planning meeting in a mentor’s conference room. We discussed a few broad subjects at this meeting: important upcoming events, grants, fundraising, outreach, communication, leadership, and THOR.
Important Upcoming Events
On September 6, we will hold a new student interest meeting to show new students the basics of our team and the FIRST community as a whole. We asked all of our current members to wear their t-shirt. We also decided that Bhargav, our president, is responsible for planning details of what we will show and explain in the meeting. Lynn and Sameer, a mentor and coach, have taken responsibility to help him if needed and to follow up to make sure that the task is completed well and in a timely manner. Bhargav is also responsible for making sure that the news of this interest meeting gets out through Falcon News Feed, our school’s daily announcement system, and other forms of announcements.
From September 6 to September 14, we will be holding new student interviews. We established that the main purpose of these interviews is to weed out members who have overloaded themselves and would not be able to put any time into the team or members who were not responsible enough to show up to the interview. We set a goal to have all interviews done before the parent meeting. On top of that we must plan which leaders are going to be doing the interview and finalize the questions they will be asking. We have handed this responsibility to our president, Bhargav.
On September 9, we will be holding a carwash at AutoZone starting at 9 am. We went over what needs to be donated and brought in to run this event and began speaking of the next car wash we plan to hold near the end of september or early october.
On September 14, we are having the parent meeting. Here we will show the parents their own responsibility to the team as well as their students’. We have assigned Bhargav to send all paperwork ahead of time so that new members can come in with it completed or at least have a basic understanding of financial and time committment. We have also assigned him with the task of planning the meeting in the same way he will plan the new student interest meeting.
On September 18, we are having a team dinner/fundraiser at Tijuana Flats. We will be hosting it in celebration for all new students and will be selling our t-shirts there. This event will be held from 6:00 to 9:00. Ash will be in charge of keeping information updated on social media. Also, everyone attending must RSVP. If you have not received an invitation and would like to attend, please contact [email protected].com or [email protected]
Below I have attatched all notes taken at the meeting. This was sent as an email to absent team members to inform them of updates.
Grants
Shell – Help needed with chart that they require
Lowes – Need to confirm whether the grant is coming to nonprofit student organization or to the school
Verizon – Waiting for new students to see if any of their parents work at Verizon
FRC Grants (NASA, NI) – These FRC specific grants open in early September
Isabelle’s sponsorship packet can be found HERE
This will help when applying for grants or speaking to local companies wondering who we are, what we are doing, and how their money will help
Fundraising
$2000 budget from car washes and restaurant events – will host as many as needed to reach this goal – Isabelle
Local companies – Need to start calling and emailing them (HERE for link to spreadsheet containing company information) – mentor lead Lynn and Tammy
Amy has a letter to email them – HERE
Isabelle has a call script with expected questions and answers – HERE
Splitting up the companies among more team members – mentor help Lynn and Sameer
Making phone calls in Mr.B’s room after school – mentor lead Mr.B
Gamma Tech – Talking to Gamma Tech for help with funds – Amir, Josh, Ankit, Amy
Google Ads – if we get enough traffic into the website Google will put related ads into the margins, you will receive a percentage of the purchased sales
Potential problem being related to a school and being non-profit
Carwashes – continue to contact AutoZone for future carwashes
In the winter, sell hot dogs at local hardware store for supplies
Outreach
Contact Davis Drive FLL next week – Angy
Follow up on FLL interest and contact new teams – Charvi, Zuha, Ryan Shah
Refer to the last email for more information
Follow up with Cary Academy FLL – Ash
Next Door Reserve, one day workshop to spark student interest – Zuha
Communication
Keeping upcoming events advertised on social media – Ash
Send weekly emails to Ms.Summers about what is happening within the team- Dean
This involves attending PTSA meetings
Making sure that our fundraisers, car washes, and parent meetings are advertised in Ms. Summers’ emails to the school
Coach and student leader meeting in a few weeks – Sameer
Leadership
Adult positions: Student Advisor – Mr.B, Coaches – Sameer and Angy, Booster club – Jon (president) and Dan (treasurer)
Elected student positions: President – Bhargav, Vice President of Engineering – Ali, Vice President of Programming – Ryan, Vice President of Marketing/Business – Amy, Secretary – Ash, Treasurer – Isabelle
Mentor selected student positions (unchosen): Alternate VP of Engineering, VP of Electrical, VP of mechanical, VP of CAD, Alternate VP of Programming, Alternate VP of Marketing(main focus outreach), VP of Strategy, Social Media Leader, Video Editing Leader
There are still many leadership opportunities available if you show yourself as a leader to the team and mentors – keep trying!
THOR
Holding meeting on 09/10 for THOR preparations as 09/09 will be taken up by the carwash
Pit crew has been set up and assigned by Rahul
Make sure we have a battery manager
Set up a rotation to avoid overcrowding
Previous spreadsheets have been made for this rotation
Try to focus on learning, not only winning
Work on shooting and vision
Without strength in all areas, we will not be able to succeed WHEN we go to Worlds
Updates on vision on robot – Ivan and Ryan
Interact and create relationships with other teams – Bhargav and Josh
Make sure to speak about the robot and marketing ourselves as well as becoming friends
New members will not be part of pit crew
They will observe the competition to begin to understand FRC and the basics of how everything works
Carwash Information
“There will be a car wash on Saturday, September 9th at Autozone. The address is 1017 Morrisville Carpenter Road. We need volunteers to bring soap, sponges/towels, buckets, a hose, and other supplies. The event is to begin at 10:30 am and last until about 2 pm, but we are permitted to extend this time if necessary. HERE is the link to the liability form that all participants, students, and adults, must fill out and turn in to me ASAP because Autozone wants these forms on hand before the event (and by this, I do not mean the morning of). We need posters like the ones that we used last year to advertise the event to passing cars. We will also need our donation jar.” ~Isabelle
Team Dinner Information – Tijuana Flats
“On Monday, September 18, there will be an event for the incoming freshman to meet the team. They will be able to purchase our extraneous t-shirts for $15. We should advertise this to them when they get in as a congratulatory dinner to celebrate them successfully completing the application process. I need you (both team members and any family/friends attending) to RSVP for the event HERE so that Tijuana Flatts can get a head count. Feel free to also share this link with your friends and put it on our team’s social media. In order to get money, everyone who buys food must mention “Green Hope Robotics” at the register.” ~Isabelle
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08/23 – Business Meeting
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Today we held a business and marketing meeting today. I have copied the email sent to all team members, containing all notes taken by me at the meeting. We spoke on the topics of budget, grants, fundraising, new students, competition, outreach, communication, and future meeting dicussion topics.
Budget
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Took every receipt from last year to figure out budget
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Categorized within engineering, marketing, operations, FIRST
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52k budget
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Need sponsorships and grants to cover budget
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Immediate need for money – rent & FIRST fees
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$5000 buffer – start and end with $5000 every year
Grants
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When grants ask how much money you are looking for
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About $5000 for big companies and corporations
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Use your judgment and ask for much smaller amounts with smaller businesses
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Qualcomm – National Sponsor, cannot sponsor individual teams
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United Therapeutics – Rahul and Peter
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Lowes – Yanis
Fundraising
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Cisco parents – max out volunteering hours for money
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IBM and other companies may also match for your volunteering
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Go to a PTSA Board Meeting and ask for money – Bhargav
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They have given money in the past and have many overlooked scholarships
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Find companies that specialize in solar powers for sponsorships
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Mr.B worked with solar power over the summer, contact him with any questions regarding it
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Contact BMW USA and other large companies for sponsorship, also universities
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This may require a meeting or presentation with certain companies
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Go to the websites for other FRC NC teams and contact their sponsors – Zuha
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Can also be found on The Blue Alliance
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Contact smaller companies for smaller amounts of money
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www.ati-ia.com, robotics company hiring a lot of people
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Ask your dentist, doctor, orthodontist, physical therapist for small donations, they will typically want their companies advertised on the back of shirts like ours
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For one day go door to door for gift cards and small donations – Isabelle lead (small groups)
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We can use the gift cards for money in a silent auction
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Cold calling script to contact businesses – Isabelle
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Gamma Tech – Ameer
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Has the best relationship with the company
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Will most likely help out after having to leave their build space
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Cortech is also sponsored by them
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Use new members and new parents for fundraising
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“Team Dinner” after parent meeting as a celebration – Isabelle
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Need to plan place and time – plan for 9/18
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Sell old t-shirts to new members
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$15 or $12?
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Team Dues (still dynamic and has to be decided)
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Mentors helping with fundraising – Lynn and Tammy
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Isabelle planning other events
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Carwash
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Autozone – sometimes says they can’t do it, keep trying
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September 9th and a day in October, avoid homecoming
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New Members
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New team shirts must be approved by the school!
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Estimated about 50 students
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To estimate price of team dues
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Team dues and paperwork – Due October 1
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Student interest meeting
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Purely for student interest
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September 6th during lunch – give freshmen time to settle into school
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Interview
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Between the interest meeting and parent meeting, we must finish all interviews
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Set a schedule for interviews- last year students stood outside a classroom for multiple lunches
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Use to filter through people that do not seem committed enough to even pay team dues
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Parent Meeting
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9/13 or 9/14
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Hand out all FRC paperwork – Due October 1
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Hold a dinner after for celebration and fundraising – Isabelle
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Details in fundraising section of email
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Sell old t-shirts (determine price – fundraising section)
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Parents must register at a school as a volunteer – even if they are just driving students
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Bhargav will give list of student roles during student interest meeting and parent meeting
Competitions
Choices for 2018 events:
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ECU District Event – March 9-11
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Winston Salem District Event – March 29- 31
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Will miss the first Friday of spring break
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** (possible) the University of North Carolina at Pembroke – March 16 – 18
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** (not very possible) University of North Carolina Asheville – March 23 – 25
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State Championship at Campbell University – April 6 – 8
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Will miss the end of spring break
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World Championships in Houston – April 18 – 21
This year’s drive team and pit crew will have to be informed ahead of time and be chosen based on commitment because they will not be able to leave for the entirety of spring break.
See all competitions, meetings, and other events on the team’s calendar: https://ghrobotics.org/
Outreach/ Giving Back
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FRC Workshop – Marie will send out information
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Mr. B signed us up for US 2020 at the Frontier – he will find out the dates and times
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We must try to give back to the community
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Only education and STEM based volunteering will count towards Chairmans
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FLL
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Cary Academy’s FLL team would like our mentoring and would like to meet us within the next few weeks
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Contact Davis Drive FLL, previous connection – Angy
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Follow up and contact more FLL teams – Zuha, Ryan Shah, Charvi
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Provide grants and kits to FLL teams that we cannot take the time to mentor
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Next Door Reserve was looking for local FLL camps, someone should look into it
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Marie will start sending emails with opportunities
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Look for opportunities to give presentations and workshops related to STEM instead of only showing off our robot
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Helps people better understand what we are doing and get interested
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Find a “real-world” use of robotics like the prosthetic leg
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This example has been overused as our main real-world accomplishment
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This was made during a Google competition in Virginia Beach – try to find something like it
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FIRST Pitch – Daylong workshop with rookie teams on how to market your team
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Lots of praise and positive feedback from this in the past
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Try to show ourselves as an older team
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This is our 5th year, we can no longer expect to be treated like rookies
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Continue shooting for Gracious Professionalism and Engineering Inspiration, they are stepping stones to Chairmans
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Find lots of outreach opportunities this year
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STEP – RC Car Race, November – Dean and Yanis leading
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Donate parts for car
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Communication
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Failure in communication across the team
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Clear who is responsible for what roles at certain events
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Meetings in Mr. B’s room during school to keep everyone up to date with information
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Meetings with student leaders, coaches, and Mr. B for ground rules – Sameer
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Potentially extending Saturday meetings until 3 pm and focusing Wednesdays on marketing and planning
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Email Blasts, consistently from one person – Ash
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Clear coach and leader notes included
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Put all spreadsheets in one central location
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Update spreadsheets to avoid miscommunications
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Grants and Master Spreadsheets
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Sign up for future events: https://docs.google.com/
spreadsheets/d/ 1YECT0beKEFc2LBdztTalMoEKIgcPE 4d5JzpYzpTBuOo/edit?usp= sharing -
Sign up for grants and fundraising: https://docs.google.com/
spreadsheets/d/18oxO-2JkVIT- OIZ8r7gSRSSvb8c5YWl4- xMEzEuOk8M/edit?usp=sharing
Upcoming Meeting Topics: Things to Discuss Later
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THOR Prep – this Saturday
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Student roles, strategy
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Robot decisions
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Topics to discuss at parent meeting
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Parent packet with information
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Student training
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Sub-team leaders
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Turning parents into mentors
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Price of Dues
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Grants/ Fundraising
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Outreach
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Freshman Onboarding
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Find someone to welcome them – not Bhargav
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Attendance: Bhargav, James, Isabelle, Charvi, Zuha, Rahul, Maxwell, Ankit, Peter, Ali, Yanis, Neel, Ryan, Ash
Y’all, we are a student led organization. We cannot run with this level of attendance. I know summer is coming to an end and we all want to enjoy our last days of freedom, but we ask that you attend these meetings because we always can use the help.
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08/10/17 – 08/15/17
This week has contained two freshmen orientations and our moving day to Cary Towne Center. On August 10 and 15, we presented at freshmen orientation and had a record breaking number of students show interest and sign up for more information. We also finalized and moved into Cary Towne Center where we spent the day organizing and moving all of our supplies to prepare for more work coming up.
08/09/17 – Business Meeting
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today we held a meeting going over THOR and other urgent and approaching tasks.
Build Space
Mr. B is done with insurance and will be done with the contract by Friday. We are planning on moving into the new build space on Saturday, August 12. Ali and Yanis have the responsibility of making the lists for moving.
New Student Orientation
On August 10, Rahul, Ryan, Bhargav, James, Nihar, Ivan, Isabelle, Sameer, and Mr. B will be there at 7:30am. All flyers, posters, and photo slides must be done by the morning of August 10.
Grants/Outreach
We have to reach out to our sponsors from last year (including Gamma Technologies and United Therapeutics) to thank them and to ask them to continue to sponsor us. We should use the sponsor packet Isabelle has made to reach out to sponsors.
THOR
Positives: We won!!, new members attended and watched, there was a good initial strategy, the new controller worked well, lots of team spirit, learned new positions within the team, never gave up, good involvement, good job new coaches, and team members did well in pit.
Negatives: the pits were too crowded, we need a battery manager (use computer to confirm battery), parts organization, only one driver, there were no scouts, we didn’t queue in time, inspect robot, need to stop making last-minute changes, need to change bumpers faster, need more leadership, we need to be more friendly (gracious professionalism), need to avoid going to the pits after matches, and need more drive knowledge.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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FEBRUARY 9, 2015
Another exciting meeting to plan our next fundraiser! We are going to run the concessions stand at the VEX tournament this Saturday. It is a challenge deciding how much of each item to purchase and what to price the items so that we make a profit. Our biggest challenge is not knowing how many people will be there for the day, so we estimated based on the number of teams registered. Once we made a good guess, we thought about what foods people would want to eat throughout the day. Since we will begin at 8:00 am, we added fresh fruit and granola bars for breakfast. Lunch will be our favorite standby – Papa John’s PIZZA!
FEBRUARY 1, 2015
As a way to celebrate Superbowl Sunday, the Business team decided to plan a tailgating party at Kramden for our build team! We treated them to chicken wings, burgers, ham and cheese roll ups, salads, chips and salsa. It was a nice change from the typical Papa John’s pizza.