Do StudentsFIRST members hate all coaches and mentors?
A: No, we don’t hate all coaches and mentors. We know that the majority of coaches and mentors truly put students first and we celebrate them with our Hall of Fame. StudentsFIRST was formed to support students whose coaches and mentors have taken over the robotics program, deprived students of learning opportunities, and denied students the agency to make changes.
If a student is a member of StudentsFIRST, does that mean they hate their own team’s coaches and mentors?
A: No. They may love their coaches and mentors, but resent competing against mentor-built bots in competitions. Or maybe they have a friend who is a student on another team where student education is not the top priority.
Is StudentsFIRST a part of FIRST?
A: No. StudentsFIRST is an independent group of students and adults.
Is StudentsFIRST advocating for not having any adults on teams?
A: No, not at all. Coaches and mentors have their places on teams, and many coaches and mentors are wonderful and supportive. StudentsFIRST is here to help in the minority of cases where adults put their own interests ahead of student education.
Why raise this issue? Doesn’t it only affect a small minority of teams?
A: We’re raising this issue because 1) when a coach denies students opportunities to learn, students have no recourse and they need an advocate, and 2) mentor-built bots do affect all teams, because it means student-built bots are unfairly competing against industry professionals.