Wednesday, Jan. 29

We will be practicing tonight from 6 - 9.  Please make sure you have no exposed skin when attending.  It is an optional practice.  There will be no homework time tonight.

Please Volunteer at our Events!!

Directions for Registering as a Volunteer at our Tournament

Bedford FRC District Tournament April 3, 2014 - April 5, 2014

Help Needed:

• Wednesday Set-up helpers are needed from 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM.  
• Thursday 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
• Friday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Saturday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

If you would like to help in our concession stand, you do not need to register in VIMS.  Concession workers should contact our concession chairs, Broderick Gin or Tanya Brothers, or sign up here.  

A description of volunteer positions may be found HERE!

Register in VIMS (Volunteer Information Management System)  Tutorial

• Create an account, OR log in to your account HERE.  (If you just created an account, you will need to create your profile, log out, then return to the page and log in again to move to the next step.) 
• Click on the "Apply for an Event" link.
• Select FRC - FIRST Robotics Competition
• Select Michigan in the drop down bar.
• Click "Find an Event" 
• Click "Select" for the MI FRC Bedford District
• Add up to 5 jobs you are interested in, in the order of interest, by clicking the "add" button after clicking on the job.  
• Check mark the days you are available to help.
• Type anything you want to let us know. 
• Click submit!  You are done!!! :)  

You will immediately get an email from FIRST stating you registered.  As we get closer to the event, you will receive emails from the volunteer coordinator outlining your assignment.  

If you have questions about volunteering, please contact event coordinator, Debbie May, or Volunteer Coordinator, Sandy Smith. 

Now that you have signed up for our event, please consider working at the events we are competing in as well! :)   Follow the above procedures, but instead of Bedford pick Center Line.  You can also sign up to volunteer at states and worlds. Volunteering at Worlds is really fun.  You can sign up to work on field reset, and if our team makes it to worlds, you can request our field so you can see all of our matches.  

Give volunteering a try!  It is a great experience!

Monday Practice

Practice is on for tonight, but the homework time from 5-6 is cancelled.  Regular practice will begin at 6 and run til 9 tonight.  It is optional.

Week of Jan. 26

Week of January 27

When grade cards are posted, please provide me with a copy of your grade card, including your current gpa.

Monday - Wednesday:  Homework/Tutoring Time:  5 - 6 PM, Main Practice: 6 - 9 PM

Thursday:  Mandatory Meeting Cancelled,  Those wishing to attend the School Board Committee of the Whole meeting should wear BX shirt (red preferred) and be in the media center at the high school by 6:15 pm.  If you plan to speak, please have something written down.  Be sure not to attack any other program.  Homework/Tutoring Time will also be canceled today.

Friday:  7:00 - 11:00 PM  -  Chairman's Friday - Any Chairman team member - We will be videotaping and working on the robot - Others needed on the video may be asked to attend part of this meeting

• Feb. 7:  Female Friday - Female team members 
• Feb. 14:  Pit Crew Friday - 2014 Pit Crew Practice 

Saturday:  10 AM - 11 PM

• Lunch - Tesla House
• Planning for next week's Lunch Pascal
• If you are staying through dinner, please bring money for dinner.  You are also welcome to go home for dinner and then come back.   After 2:00, feel free to come and go as you desire/are able.  

Sunday:  1 PM - 5 PM  

Drive Team, Chairman's Presentation Team, Pit Crew, Dean's List

A huge thank you to everyone that tried out for any of our key roles!  You all did a great job, and we are so proud of you all.

Congratulations to our 2014 Drive Team:

• Chassis Driver:  Brandon S.
• Manipulator Driver:  Parth P.
• Human Player/Back-up Driver:  Shelby H.

Congratulations to our 2014 Chairman's Presentation Team:

• Ethan B.
• Kira H.
• Stacee D.

Congratulations to our 2014 Pit Crew:  Main(In Training):  

• Pit Captain:  Conner T. (Parth P.)
• Build Captain:  Brandon S. (Matt S.)
• Electronics:  Conner T. (Stacee D.)
• Chairman's:  Dianna D.  (Erin J./Ethan B.)
• Safety:  Abby D. & Allison G.
• Machining:  Mark D.
• Programming:  Jeremy (Kira)
• Lead Strategist:  Taylor S. (Ankit)  
• Drive Team:  Brandon/Parth/Shelby

Congratulations to our Pit Crew Alternates:

• Electronics:  Shelby H./Allison G.
• Build:  Nick K./Danny B./Jacob W.
• Strategy:  Jason G./Brad H.

Congratulations to our 2014 Dean's List Nominees:

• Brandon S.
• Dianna D.

We know you all will represent our team so very well!  Thanks for your time and dedication!

Weather Delay - Saturday

Just heard from Mr. Stalker, and we are approved for an optional practice.  This means no one has to be there, it is up to you.  If you do not attend, it will not be held against you.  We will be at the center at 11:00 though so you all have time to dig out and get there safely.  

Rookie Friday is still on!

Practice is on tonight.  Rookie Friday begins at 7:00 and we will be there until 11:00 PM.   Stay as late as you wish.  Parts are in, so it should be an exciting night!  See you rookies there!  

Weather this weekend looks ify.  Be sure to check twitter or here for more information tomorrow.  

Pit Crew Application - Travel Hotels

We would like to start reserving hotel rooms for our events, and to do so, we need to know who will be staying in hotels and who will be on the pit crew.  So, there are two important forms that you fill out to be sure you get a room.

The lottery for a 3rd event happens on the 30th.  Any tournament will be a hotel stay.  The closest tournament open is 2.5 hours away, and the furthest is 8 hours away.

Center Line is a suburb of Detroit which requires a  commute north of the busy traffic zone.  For this reason, we choose to stay in a hotel there.  If you would prefer to drive back and forth, that is your option. It is about an 1.5 hour commute.   We will try to stay at the Warren Holiday Inn Express again this year.   The rate with tax will be between $90 and $100.  So, for now, count on a max of $25 per night per person in a 4 person room, or $33 per night per person in a 3 person room, etc.  We will look for hotels in this price range at the 3rd event as well.   States is close enough to commute as it is held at Eastern Michigan University and is under an hour away.

Please fill out this form to let us know whether to book a room for you or not.  PLEASE talk to your parents before filling out the form to make sure that they approve.  Also, if you are willing to chaperone our event and drive our team members to the event/hotel, please use this form to let us know.    HOTEL REQUEST FORM

Additionally, if you wish to be on the pit crew, please fill out the pit crew application.  We will be choosing the main pit crew soon.  Your application must be received by Saturday, January 25th to be considered for the pit crew.  If you do not fill it out, you will not be considered for this position.  PIT CREW APPLICATION

1/20/2014 - Tonight's Homework Session is Canceled

Tonight's (1/20/2014) homework session from 5PM to 6PM has been cancelled. Practice from 6PM to 9PM is still on for tonight. -NOPO

Week of January 19th

Week of January 19th

Practices will continue as follows:

M-TH:  

• 5:00 - 6:00 PM -Homework time.  Come to the center if you want to work on your homework before practice, or if you want to help tutor team mates that need help.
• 6:00 - 9:00 PM - Practice - Week 3 - As parts arrive we will begin building our robot.  

Fridays:  

Our captains decided to do something special with Fridays this year.  The goal of our Friday practices will be to allow some people that don't always get their hands on the robot as much, an opportunity to work with the robot.  Special groups will be invited to join the captains each Friday.  If you do not fit in the category, you should not attend on that Friday unless Nick or I speak with you directly.   Programmers, you should keep Fridays open as you may be needed on Fridays.  

• 7:00- 11:00 PM
• Friday Groups:  
• Jan. 24:  Rookie Friday - Any first year BX students
• Jan. 31: Chairman's Friday - Any Chairman team member - We will be videotaping and working on the robot - Others needed on the video may be asked to attend part of this meeting
• Feb. 7:  Female Friday - Female team members 
• Feb. 14:  Pit Crew Friday - 2014 Pit Crew Practice 

Saturday:  

• 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM -  (4-7 drive try out break - please read below)
• Lunch @ noon - This week Galileo will be providing lunch
• Lunch Schedule  -We are still looking for some parent helpers.  If you want to help with lunches for your team member's house, please let your house leader know.  
• Drive Team Try-Outs - Drive Team final 4 will have the drive portion of their try out on Saturday at 4:00 PM  At this time, we will clear the center of everyone except captains, mentors, coaches and drive team candidates.  The rest of you can take an extended dinner break, or relaxation break.  You are welcome to head back to the center after 7:00 PM.  
• Chairman Presentation Team Final Try-Outs - We will begin around 11:00 AM with your presentations.  Chairman's presentation candidates will be performing a mock Chairman's presentation in front of a panel of 10 team members, mentors and coaches.  

Sunday:  

• 1:00 - 5:00 PM - PENDING part delivery!!    Please check back on Saturday to see if we will be meeting.  Please remember, all Sunday practices are optional.  

Current Travel Fundraisers:

• Kroger - Be sure to get your quarter 2 print outs turned in if you have not already done so.  The new quarter begins Feb. 1.
• McDonalds Peelers -Please sign out 1 or 2 cards to try to sell them.   You earn $4.50 for each card you sell.  For every 10 you sell, you earn 1 free card to keep or to make the full $10 profit for selling it.  Remember that $1 of each sale goes to the Ronald McDonald House to provide living arrangements for parents and families of children that are hospitalized. 
• Elder Beerman Booklets- EB booklets will be available to pick up at the center on Thursday.  Please remember I can sign you up to sell at any time on any day.  Just email me a time/date and I will request it from Elder Beerman.  To sign up to sell at any of the dates I have already signed us up for, please click here.  To view who has already signed up, click here.  Here are the dates I have signed us up for based on what you all told me Saturday.  We need at least 1 adult per shift.  Adults volunteering will earn one share of the profit that day for their team members travel fund.  Please remember to wear your Bedford Express shirt at the sale.  This is required.  If you do not have one, there are some for sale at the center, or you can borrow from another team member until we do our 2014 order later this month.  
• Wed(1/22) 2:00-4:00
• Wed. (1/29) 4:00- 6:00
• Wed. ( 2/5):  4:00- 6:00
• Wed. (2/12):  4:00 - 6:00
• Wed. (2/19):  4:00- 6:00
• Wed. (2/26): 4:00 - 6:00
• Thurs. (2/27):  6:00 - 8:00 (This one will have to be covered by non-pit crew team members, as pit crew will be heading to competition at this time)

Volunteers Needed!!

A Message from our Volunteer Coordinator! 

Bedford Express will be hosting a FRC District competition on April 3rd - 5th,  2014. To make this a successful event, we need your help! For some positions, volunteers are needed early in order to receive proper training. We are in need of a minimum of 4 referees for the event. Below is the official description of a referee:

"Referees observe team matches, identify rule violations, and “call” them.
They calculate the official score of the matches and participate in deliberations
regarding contested calls. Referees work under the direction of the Head
Referee. They play a critical role in ensuring smooth flow of match play and
maintaining the pace of the even"

Anyone over the age of 18 can volunteer for this position (Parents, relatives, teachers, co-workers, neighbors etc).

There is a video to watch for training, a short training manual to keep on hand, and a online test that is required for certification.

Registering early for this position also gives the volunteer to learn more at the events BX will compete at. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions well before our event and have a better feel for the rules.

Volunteers interested in this position can email me at ssmithmich@gmail.com

Thank you for your consideration!

Sandy Smith

Volunteer Coordinator

ssmithmich@gmal.com

419.345.1209

Jan 10 - 12

Thanks to everyone that participated in our virtual meetings!   This has really helped keep us from falling behind when we were unable to meet in person.  Here is the adjusted schedule for the rest of the weekend.

Please watch for an email coming out shortly with some important information.

Friday:  7 - 11 PM - practice at the center for those that want to be there.   We will begin prototyping some design ideas tonight.   We will also be working on our Culture Changing Goals.

Saturday:  10AM - ?   Due to the loss of time, if we are being productive in our prototyping, we will stay possibly late into the evening.  Feel free to come and go as you are able.  The required time is 10 - 2.   Lunch is being provided by the Fermi (Parth's) House.  If you have not communicated with Parth on what you are bringing, please get a hold of him today.   Sub-committees will also begin meeting today between 10 and 2. Please see email for more info.

Sunday:  Depending on how things go, the progress we make, and where we are when we quit on Saturday, we may come in a bit on Sunday afternoon.  This will be posted via twitter (@frc1023) on Saturday night.  If we meet, it will be to continue working on our field build and prototyping.  

Thanks for your patience as we adjust for the weather!  :)   Remember, dress in layers.  A light pair of gloves, and a hat may be desired while working in the center on the weekends.  

Monday, Jan. 6

Practice Cancelled at our center for Monday!

Tonight (Monday) we will not be meeting at the center.  Since at this point we do not need to be in the same room to accomplish our goals, we are going to put technology to work.   At 6:00 We will have a virtual captains meeting.  At 7:00 our captains will begin Google Hangout chats with anyone in their house wishing to participate.   Each house will be working on the scoring scenarios and other objectives for the night.  

Mentors, you are invited as well.  You just need to connect with any of the houses to participate.   

To participate, you must have Google Plus.  If you have a gmail, or google drive it is very easy to do.  You cannot use your school email though.  Once you enable your Google Plus account, your house leader will be able to invite you to their hangout.   

On the Google Plus page, click the house in the upper left corner.  This will give you a drop down menu.  You will find HANGOUTS.  Click on that and it will do a quick addon download.   It is relatively easy.  

We are testing some things with this today, so if you want to try it out with us, just get in touch with one of us.  

You do not have to webcam if you do not have one or do not want to.  You need speakers or headphones to hear the chat.  You can type responses or talk.   

Questions?  HIt one of the captains or coaches up on Facebook, ,or via email.   See you online tonight at 7:00 PM!

Time spent on the call working on our objectives can be recorded in your practice log the next time you are at the center.   :)

Coach May

Week of Jan.5th

Week of Jan. 5th

*****Please watch the blog, twitter or the facebook page for cancellations.   Twitter will always be the first place we post a cancellation.  @FRC1023 is our Twitter account.  Just because school is cancelled does not mean we will be cancelled.******

Due to possible snow days this week, we will be meeting Sunday from 1 - 3 if weather permits.  This is an optional meeting.  We will be breaking out scoring scenarios.  Please attend if you wish, and don't feel bad if you can't.  If the snow starts earlier, or it seems dangerous to drive, we will cancel by noon.  (Twitter first)  PRACTICE FOR SUNDAY IS CANCELLED!  

Our leadership board has asked to have a study session, so we will try this out this year.  For an hour before practice (5 - 6pm) we will have silent homework time, for anyone that wants to come and get their homework done.   Talking will be allowed when seeking help, but other than that, you will be spaced out and working silently.  Please attend only if you are going to work on homework or read quietly.  No robot work will take place during the study time.  If you have no homework, but are willing to tutor younger team members, feel free to attend.  Please bring a book to read in case no one needs help.  Students who have gpa below 3.0 may be asked to attend homework sessions.  Remember, our desired gpa is 3.0 and higher, but if you fall below 2.0 you will have to go on a study plan to remain active on the team.

Driver Try Outs:  Our drive team is made of three students.  The first step in tryouts is a written rules test.  This test will be given on Saturday, Jan. 11 between 10 and 2.  Anyone wishing to try out for drive team should be studying the rules.  Those that pass the test with a 90% or higher will automatically advance to the next level.  Those scoring below 90% will be granted a spot in the next round based on highest score until available slots are full.  Drive Team is a HUGE time commitment to the team.  To be sure you are able to commit a parent permission slip will be sent home outlining the hours required.  This permission slip must be signed and returned prior to the test.  No one will be given a test if they have not turned in the permission slip.  Permission slips will be distributed no later than Thursday of this week.  Step 2 is a drive test and will occur between week 2 and 3.

Chairman Presenter Try Outs:  Our team is allowed to have 3 students in the judging room.  Stage one will consist of  short essay questions related to the Chairman's Award, our team, and why you feel you would be a good presenter.  This will take place on Saturday between 10 and 2.  Stage 2 will consist a passage which must be memorized and recited in front of coaches.  This will take place on Thursday, Jan 16 between 6 and 9 pm.

All Chairman Presenters and Drive Team Members MUST attend ALL competitions including worlds, and be varsity eligible.

Sunday, Jan 5:  Center 1:00 - 3:00 - Scoring scenarios  PRACTICE FOR SUNDAY IS CANCELLED! Snow is already accumulating.

Monday, Jan. 6:  Center-- 5 - 6  homework session, 6-9 - Game Rules & Strategy

Tuesday, Jan. 7:  Center-- 5-6 homework session, 6-9 - Game Rules & Strategy

Wednesday, Jan. 8:  Center - 5 - 6 homework session, 6-9 - Game Rules & Strategy

*Thursday, Jan. 9:  5 - 6 homework session, 6 - 9 - Driver Try Out permission slips distributed, varsity requirement review, open team positions, general team management,Chief Delphi, Facebook,  finalize game rules and strategy, begin design ideas

Friday, Jan 10:  POTENTIAL MAKE UP PRACTICE - If we cancel Mon/Tues we will meet on Friday 7 - 10 pm - Catch up -

*Saturday , Jan. 11:  10 - 2 - Finalize strategy plans, work on design, driver try out written test, Chairman's try out.... Lunch:  FERMI