ParentInformationSession

NikkiBaird

August15,2016

Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

2

Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

3

Engineering&ScienceinCrisis

• In1993,1in5E&Sworkerswere

50+.In2010,1in3,accordingto

theNationalScienceFoundation

• In2013,only16.3% ofstudentACT

testparticipantsexpresseda

qualifiedinterestinSTEMcareers

• USDepartmentofLaborprojects

thatthedemandforSTEM-based

jobswillexceedqualifiedcollege

graduatesby3:1 in2018(including

foreignstudents)

4

ColoradointheSpotlight

• STEM-orientedindustriesrepresent30%ofColorado’seconomy

• Coloradohasoneofthehighestpercapitaconcentrationsofscience,

research,andengineeringfacilitiesinthenation,including24federal

researchlabs

• Coloradoisatop-5stateforadultswithpost-secondarydegrees,butinthe

bottom20%inproducinghighschoolgradswhoearncollegedegrees

• Coloradoproducesonly22collegedegreeholdersforevery100studentsit

graduates– andSTEMdisciplinesmakeupafractionofthosedegrees

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BESTRobotics“BoostingEngineering,Science,andTechnology”

• Foundedin1993byTed

MahlerandSteveMarum

ofTexasInstruments

• Nowmanagedthrough

AuburnUniversity

• Anational6-week

competitionheldeachfall

• In2014- 18,000students

from842teamsin19

states

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2ParallelCompetitions

RobotCompetition

Design&buildarobotin6weekstomeetanewdesignchallengeeveryyear

BESTAward

Createa“company”todemonstratedesignprocess,andtomarkettherobottopotentialindustrybuyers

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TheGame&HowItWorks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69P3Ux3aitM

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BESTAwardComponents

CompanyPresentationExhibit

Spirit&Sportsmanship

CommunityOutreach

EngineeringNotebook

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WhatBESTProvides

• HardConstraints

• CriticalThinking

• CreativeProblemSolving

• AnalysisSkills

• TechnologySkills

• ProjectManagementSkills

• LeadershipSkills

• TeamSkills

• RealWorldApplications

• Inter-disciplinaryLearning

• PartnershipsWithHigherEducation&Business

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WhatMakesBESTDifferent

• Awell-establishedcompetitionwithatrackrecordofgrowth

• Uniquecombinationofdesigntrade-offsandreal-worldproblems

• Anemphasisonindustry-valuedskillsthroughtheBESTAward

• Entirelystudent-led

• Anemphasisonmentorshipfromwithinthebusinesscommunity

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WhatBESTDoesForStudentsFromaStudent:

"Forme,BESThasalwaysbeenmorethansimplya

'roboticscompetition'.It'sacrossbetweenthe

technicalknowledgeneededtomakesomething

workandthecreativeexpressionrequiredtoshow

thatsolutiontotheworld.It'sgivenmeachanceto

useeveryskillIhaveandthensome,forcingmeto

growinwaysIneverknewIcould.WithoutBEST,not

onlywouldIbelackinginmyabilitytosolve

problems,butIwouldn'tbe...me."

FromaParent:

"MysonshaveparticipatedinBESTforseveral

years. PriortoBEST,oneofmyson'sacademicgoals

wasnon-existent.Withhislearningdisabilities,allhe

understoodwaswhathecouldnotdo. Whathehas

learnedthroughBESTiswhathecan do. Helearned

byexperiencethatbuildingarobotdidnot'see'his

disabilityandthathehadsomethingtooffer. Heis

workinghardathisgoaltobecomeDesignLeadin

theupcomingyear. Hehasconfidencenowandhas

aSTEM-relatedacademicgoal. Heisstudyingforhis

METdegreeandstartedtakingafewcollegecourses

whileinhighschool. BESTchangedhisworldfromI

can't toIcan! Thisprogramissomethingallchildren

shouldhavetheopportunitytoparticipatein."

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BESTinColorado

• RockyMountainBEST– firsthubinCO,establishedin

2010

• In2014,overcapacitywith32teams

• EstablishedanewhubcampaigntoincreaseBEST’s

presenceinCO

• FrontRangeHub

• Hubgrowthhasenabled36teamstoparticipateinCOin

2015,with10moreonthewaitlist,andplansfor42

teamsin2016acrossthe2hubs

• Update:Theyhave68in2016!!

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ALongWayToGo

COHubsCO’sCurrent

Regional

Competition

COTeamstravelover800milesandmiss2daysofschool,

typicallyduringfinals.In2014,ittook9requeststoget5

teamstogotoregionalsbecauseoftimeandcost.14

FrontRangeBEST

• 501(c)3non-profitfoundedDecember2014,tohelpbringSTEM-focused

opportunitiestotheyouthofColorado.

• Weidentifyanddevelopprogramsthat:

• Fillnichesthatarenotservedbyregularschoolprograms

• Assistschools&teachersinprovidingSTEM-focusedexperiencesfortheirstudents

• Connectindustryresourcestoschoolsandstudents

• ConnectSTEM-inspiredstudentstoeachother

• 12Teamscompetedin2015.20areexpectedin2016.

• Thereisawaitlistofover40teamsacrossallofColorado

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Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

16

MentorsandCoaches

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Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

18

TeamMeetings

• FirstteammeetingisFriday,8/19(thisFriday)

• NOSaturdaymeetingsuntil9/10,Kickoffday

• Mondays6-8pm

• Teamleadershipstand-upmeetingat5:30pm

• Fridays6-8:30pm

• Teamleadershipstand-upmeetingat8:00pm

• Saturdays9am-4pm(starting9/10)

• Fortherobotteams,theremaybesome“homework”betweentheMondayandFridaymeetings

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TeamMeetings

• Mondayswillbebrainstormanddesigndays

• Fridayswillbeprototypeandtestdays

• Saturdayswillbebuilddays

• FallBreak– 10/10to10/14– canbeintense• YoushouldnotsignupforNotebook,Presentation,orRobotDrivingifyouwillnotbeavailableforFallBreak

• Availabilitydependsonwhentheschoolisopen– typically4-9pmeverydaythatweek

• Practicedayis10/15

• Gamedayis10/22

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WhatHappensAfterGameDay

• EveryyearsofarwehavereceivedaninvitationtoRegionals– inFortSmith,Arkansas

• The6-weekcyclestartsover– Notebook,Presentation,Exhibit,andRobotallmustbe“upgraded”tomeetregionalstandards

• RegionalsdatesTBD,butbasedonpastexperiencewilllikelybeFriday12/2andSaturday12/3.• Inthepastwehavetakenabus,whichwoulddepartafterschoolonWednesday,11/30andreturnonSunday12/4

• Ifyourstudenttakescollegecourses,thisisoftenFinalsWeek– somethingtoconsider

• Aslongaswehaveenoughpeople,wewillgotoregionals.Individualfamiliesmustdecideforthemselveswhethertocontinuewiththeteam

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GradesMatter!

• STEMpolicyisastudentmaynotparticipateinafieldtripiftheydonothaveaCaverageonthedateofdeparture

• Anytravelcostsareforfeit

• BESTisafantasticresumebuilder– butonlyifgradesaregood

• Foryoungermembers,prototypebuildingcanbecomeanobsession

• STEMBESTwillworkwithfamilieswhosestudentsarestruggling

• Wehaveupper-classmenwhocantutor

• Wewillrundedicatedhomework/tutortimesonMondaysandFridaysasneededtobridgewhenschoolisoutuntilmeetingsstart

• StudentsshouldnotbespendingsomuchtimeonBESTthatgradessuffer

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VolunteerHourOpportunities

• Weneedparenthelpandinvolvement!

• Everyteamisrequiredtosend2volunteerstoPracticeDay&GameDay

• Ourownteamneeds:

• Finance– keepingtheteambooks

• LogisticsMentor

• Alonger-termHeadCoach

• GamefieldMentor

• RobotbuildMentor

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• SoftwareMentor

• Spirit&OutreachMentor

• Presentation&ExhibitMentor

• NotebookMentor

• Food&Snacks

• Saturdaylunches

OutreachOpportunities

• Companydonations&sponsors?

• Canwegiveapresentationtoyourteam?

• DoyouknowelementaryschoolsorBoyScout,GirlScout,etc.organizationsthatwouldbeinterestedinlearningaboutrobotics?

• DoyouknowcompaniesororganizationsrelatedtotheGameThemethatwouldbeinterestedingivinga30minutepresentationorvirtualtourtotheteam?

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Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

25

WhattheTeamShouldLearn

• Project&programmanagement(asmuchtransparencyaspossible)

• Teamdynamicsandorganizationalculture&design

• Leadershipskills

• Strategy&problemsolving

• Designthinking– thinkIDEO

• Designframeworks

• EngineeringDesignProcess

• RequirementsDefinition

• AgileDevelopment

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MyGoalsfortheTeam(inthisorder)

• Zeroinjuries

• Learn(includinglearntoteach)

• Havefun

• Createlastingfriendships

• Buildaresumeandnetwork

• Anddratitall,WIN!

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Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

28

ImportantDates

Date Notes

8/19/16,Friday– 6-8:30pm Firstteammeeting

8/20/16,Saturday Registrationcloses– allfeesmustbepaid&theonline

demographics&interestformMUSTbefilledout

9/9/16,Friday ALLFORMSandSafetyTest MUSTbesignedand

returned[Packets]oryourstudent’sregistrationWILL

BEcancelled

9/10/16,Saturday KickoffDay(moredetailtocome)

Weekof10/10/16 BeginningofFallBreak– typicallyanintensivework

week

10/15/16,Saturday PracticeDay(moredetailtocome)

10/22/16,Saturday GameDay(moredetailtocome)

10/24/16,Monday Mandatory Parent&StudentRegionalsteammeeting

11/30 to12/4WednesdaytoSundayTBC RegionalsinFortSmith, AR29

Agenda

• WhatisBEST?

• Whoisrunningthisthing?

• Howmuchtimedoesittake?

• Students

• Parents

• Whatwillwegetoutofit?

• Importantdates

• Howtoregister

• Q&A

30

RegisterHere

• https://stemacademy.ejoinme.org/BEST2016

• AdditionalformswillbeonthewebsiteASAP:

• http://stembestrobotics.com/resources/

• OntheTeamResourcessideofthepage

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Questions?

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