Mentorship

More Than a Robot:
Building Our Students’ Futures

A successful FIRST robotics team is built on far more than just metal and code. It’s built on community, expertise, and real-world connections.

While fundraising is essential, some of the most valuable contributions we receive don’t come in the form of money. They come in the form of your time, your talent, and your connections.

Our mission is to give students a hands-on introduction to STEM, business, and creative careers. The best way to do that is to connect them with professionals who are already in those fields. This is our open invitation to you—our community—to get involved.

Become a Mentor (In-Person or Virtual!)

You don’t need to be a “robotics expert” to be an incredible mentor. Mentorship can be a one-time virtual chat about your career, a few sessions helping us solve a specific problem, or a season-long partnership.

We’re always looking for experts to guide our students. Are you a…

  • Mechanical Engineer or Designer? Our students are learning CAD, 3D printing, and mechanical design. We’d love your feedback on our robot’s structure!
  • Software Developer or Programmer? Our robot runs on Java. If you have experience with Java, Python, or even just general programming logic, you could help our coding team fix bugs and build new features.
  • Graphic Designer or Video Editor? A huge part of FIRST is our “Engineering Portfolio” and branding. We need to create a “brand” for our team, document our process, and create compelling videos.
  • Business or Marketing Pro? We’re running a small business! We need help with project management, creating sponsorship packets, managing our budget, and learning how to “pitch” our team to judges.
  • Public Speaker or Storyteller? Our students have to give a 15-minute formal presentation to judges. We would be so grateful for a chance to practice our pitch and get your professional feedback.

Provide In-Kind Services or Supplies

Do you own a business or have access to resources? Donating services or supplies helps us stretch our budget further than we ever could on our own.

Examples of our “Wish List” include:

  • Printing Services: For our team banners, t-shirts, and informational handouts.
  • Manufacturing Access: A machine shop, 3D printer, or laser cutter we could use to fabricate a custom part.
  • Tools & Materials: We’re always in need of new tools for our toolbox, raw materials (like aluminum or polycarbonate), or 3D printer filament.
  • Snacks & Drinks: To keep the team fueled during long build sessions and competitions!

Create Community Opportunities

We want our students to learn from the world and give back to it.

  • Sponsor a Field Trip: Can our team tour your workshop, lab, or office? Seeing professionals in their work environment is incredibly inspiring.
  • Community Service: Our teams strive to give back to the community as well as learning from it. If you have a service opportunity that we could help with we’d love to see if we can help meet your needs!
  • Connect Us: Do you know someone who works at a cool tech company? An introduction is one of the most powerful things you can provide.

Let’s Connect!

If you read any of this and thought, “Hey, I can help with that!”—we would be thrilled to hear from you.

There is no such thing as an offer that’s “too small.” Please reach out and let’s start a conversation.