Our team is divided into several subgroups, each with a specific task. Besides building the robot, we also need people to program the robot to do its job, people to help with fund raising, and people to help us scout on other teams.
In order to organize all of these subgroups, we have leaders to help communicate between the groups, and to help determine specific goals for the group. In addition, the leaders are responsible for mentoring new club members. Before build season starts, senior team members from each sub-group host training sessions for the newer students. The students are then able to pass down their knowledge, and be more productive.
Here is a summary of all of our subgroups and how they work together to build the robot and keep the club moving.
Finances
The mission of the group is to keep all of our finances organized so we can easily access our debits and credits. We are responsible for keeping up to date with our money, organizing, and making sure our files match the files with the central treasurer. Throughout the year we are constantly organizing and updating our finances. For 'newbies' we teach them how to use the Filemaker program so they can update the finances when they need to. We are proud of our organization skills. Without the finances, there wouldn't be any money for the club!
Fundraising
The fundraising/sponsorship group is responsible for getting all the money the club needs to operate. We hold food sales, raffles, and solicit large companies to sponsor us. It takes a lot of money to keep this club running, and we raise money for everything from supplies to our competition fees. Without this group, the team wouldn’t be able to function. We are very proud of all the sponsors we have acquired and greatly appreciate their help and support.
FLL Liaison
A group of POBOT members, who were previously involved in FIRST Lego League (FLL for short,http://www.firstlegoleague.org/), mentor the Plainview Old Bethpage Middle School FLL teams. FLL Robotics was established as a school club last year in our district. For the last two FLL seasons, we have helped them to build a robot, and strategize about the missions that they are programming for. The POBOTS have also given programming seminars to the FLL teams.
In addition to working with the FLL kids, the POBOTS also volunteer at FLL events. This is something that our team has been doing for the last 5 years, since there has been an FLL tournament on Long Island.
This year, our team built several playing fields for the tournaments, helped to set up for the tournaments, and sold raffles at both the Farmingdale and the Longwood tournaments. Two of our team members volunteered to DJ at the Farmingdale tournament. They did such a great job, that they were asked to DJ at the JFLL tournament in Longwood this year. Everyone had a great time!
While our team was working at the Farmingdale tournament, a Girl Scout team needed some help. We helped them to build their robot, and taught them some programming. They were able to compete, and complete 2 missions! After the Farmingdale tournament, we invited them to our shop, so that we could continue to mentor the team. They came, and had a great time, and accomplished a lot.
Our group is most proud of the help that we give the younger kids. They get so excited when they program the robot to run a mission, and it works. It is a great sense of accomplishment for them, as well as us. They are proud to be our “little sister” teams, and we are proud to work with them.
