THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

If your team is lucky enough, in addition to having committed students, you will also draw into your team a number of committed parents.  Parents committed to helping your team are like gold and will make the job of the team leaders much easier.    

OPEN HOUSE FOR PARENTS / FAMILIES

Take time to get the word out about the program and your resource needs to parents.  The best way to do this is to hold an open house sometime in the fall.  Describe the program, obtain videos of previous year’s competition (available through FIRST), and, if you can, have members of veteran FIRST teams come in as guest speakers.  They may even be able to bring their robot.

TIP  When you interact with parents through an open house, be sure to obtain parent contact information (e-mail and phone).  Then you will be able to create a parent e-mail distribution list, which you can use to communicate team information and ask for help when you need it.

TIP  Be sure to inform parents that, last season, FIRST students were eligible for more than $8 million in scholarships to colleges and universities.

TEAM ROLES FOR PARENTS

First, ask the question if the parents have any technical skills.  Who knows, you might find the best robot build mentor via your parents?  Also, consider parents who can do the following for your team:  keep attendance, keep track of finances, handle clerical tasks, build parts of the playing field, take photos or video during the season, lead fundraising efforts, supply meals for the team on certain dates, etc.

TIP  Similar to searching for mentors, work to find parent volunteers you are comfortable with around teenage children.  While the parents may not spend one-on-one time with student team members as mentors would, you want to minimize any problems in this area.