Saturday Lunches - Build Season

Build Season Saturday Lunches:

Every Saturday during build season, we have a team lunch.  Each team member will contribute to one of those lunches.   Each house will meet the Saturday before their lunch to plan the menu and decide who will bring what.  Each house will need 1-3 parent volunteers to meet with the houses the Saturday before their meal, and then to help, set up the meal.  

Meals should include a vegetarian option (other than just tossed salad) and should NOT contain nuts.  Lunches should be set up and ready to eat by noon.

House Leaders and dates are listed below.    Parents, please let me or your child know if you would like to be a parent helper for your child’s week.  

Saturday, January 11- FERMI:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, January 4 (1:00)

House Leaders:  Parth & Allison Parent Planners:

Saturday, January 18 - COPERNICUS:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, January 11 (1:00)

House Leaders: Erin & Matt Parent Planners:

Saturday, January 25 - GALILEO:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, January 18 (1:00)

House Leaders:  Brandon & Shelby Parent Planners:

Saturday, February 1 - TESLA:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, January 25 (1:00)

House Leaders:  Conner & Stacee Parent Planners:

Saturday, February 8 - PASCAL:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, February 1 (1:00)

House Leaders:  Dianna & Ethan Parent Planners:

Saturday, February 15 (Unveiling/Pictures): We will order pizza.

Saturday, February 22(Unlock day for Southfield Competition) - EINSTEIN:

Planning Date/Time:  Saturday, February 15  (10:00 AM)

House Leaders:  Taylor & Nick Parent Planners:

Kick-Off - January 4

Kick Off Information - January 4, 2013

At this point, we are still awaiting an official time for the live stream to start.  So, I've listed the tentative schedule here.  We will meet at the center at 10:00 AM, and pick up the live stream as soon as it begins.

**New this year**  We would like to invite parents, alumni & alumni parents to attend our Kick-Off.  We think this will be a great way for parents to find out what our game is, to see the beginning of our season, and to get questions answered sooner for you!   Parents are not required to attend, but we would encourage it, and will be very happy to see a parent for each team member.

Lunch will be potluck! BX will be providing pulled pork and pulled chicken for sandwiches. I am looking for 1-2 people with a roaster, or large crock pots who would be willing to cook these meats for us.  Please email or text me if you can, so I can make arrangements to get the meat to you.

Please remember that we do have nut allergies on the team.  So, if you have any nut product in the dish you bring, please note it on the dish.  If you can stay away from nuts, that would be best!  :)

8th Graders/Freshmen:  Please bring healthy sides (veggies, fruit, etc)
Sophomores:  Please bring desserts
Juniors:  Please bring salty or cheese sides(mac & Cheese, chips and dips, chips and salsa, etc.)
Seniors:  Please bring beverages (2L bottles of pop/water/tea/punch, etc)
If you have a favorite item to bring, but it is not your area, feel free.  It is just a general guide. :)

Agenda: 

10:00 AM - Arrive at the center.  Begin viewing live stream from FIRST Headquarters as soon as it begins.

Lunch will begin between 11:30 and 12:30 depending on how long the broadcast lasts.

Following Lunch:  Parent discussion of the 6 week build session, tournaments, mentoring, and Q & A. (Coach May & Coach Smith)
Students/Mentors:  Engage in game discussion.  (Coach Poskarbiewicz)

This day is very hard to plan because we have no idea what the challenge will be, how much we will be able to dig into our game.  If possible, the following will continue throughout the afternoon hours, and possibly into the evening.

Begin to work on field build planning.  Any parents with basic woodworking skills are invited to help us with this task. If we are able to nail it down enough, we will shop and start building on Saturday.   The goal is to have our field built within the first week, when possible.

Analyze Game Rules.

Begin Game Strategy.

Brainstorm.

Dig deeper into the rules.

Analyze more!  Strategize more!   The more we understand the game rules, the better we make our strategy, the stronger our robot and team will be.  So, this day is dedicated to understanding every element of the game that we can dig into!

There will be little robot discussion on this day, as we want to focus on understanding the game before we work on the robot design.  :)

End time:   This is flexible.  Students usually begin wearing down early evening (as do mentors).  We may continue past dinner time, or we may call practice at that time.  The day becomes more flexible as we get later in the afternoon.  Please feel free to come and go as needed after 2:00PM. We would like the full team there from 10 - 2 to satisfy your travel requirements.  If you are out of town, or unable to make kick-off, please be sure to email me so that you can get an exemption to this requirement. :)

A note about the season:  Remember, you each have to earn you required hours  (20 to travel, 30 for JV, 60 for Varsity) in the six weeks of build season.  How you do that is up to you.  Thursdays and Saturdays (10 - 2) are required.  Beyond that, you come on the days your are available.  We work every day, and we continue on our goals each day.  If you have a test the next day, stay home and study.  We will also be looking at homework-time at the center for those wanting help from peers, or a quiet place to get homework done before practice.  More details to come! :)

Week of December 16

Week of December 16

First, I would like to thank everyone that helped with our tournaments!  There are so many of you that made the day a success.  I would like to thank Sandy Smith for being an amazing Volunteer Coordinator and working with me for the past few months to make sure we had a fully staffed tournament.  I'm so proud to see our alumni stepping up to take key roles in our events.  Dan Smith(BX Alum), you did an amazing job as our FTA!  Bekah May(BX Alum), our JFLL event was amazing!  You were an awesome Event Coordinator!   Hannah May(BX Alum), our judging ran very smoothly, even with the rearrangement of judging times due to the snow.  Thank you for being our Judge Advisor.  Dave Smith, thank you for making our fields perfect!  Broderick & Nancy Gin, Tanya Brothers, thank you for making our money making end run smoothly.  I don't think I stepped foot in your area, and it was perfect!  Thank you!   Michelle Nieman, thanks for keeping our pits in line!  Cheryl Sommers, thanks for making sure we were safe with glasses!   Richard Marquardt & Jodi Russ, thank you for making our volunteer food and room amazing!   Bill Sommers, thanks for getting our stuff safely to the event, and more importantly, for braving the snow storm to return our stuff to the center!  Bruce Meyer, Thanks for making our audio run smoothly and helping with all of our electronics.    Thanks to Andrew Gin (BX Alum) for being our CSA.  Thanks to Jeff Whalen for leading our inspections!  Thanks to our awesome Announcers Bekah May & Brandon Sidoti.  Thanks to Frank Mojzesz for photographing for us!  

In addition to all of those awesome volunteers from our own BX pool of people, we would like to thank Tom & Cindy Nader, Tammy Damrath, Brian Smith and Mark Garver for filling key roles!

And, thanks to ALL of the BX parents, mentors and students who helped those leaders make our tournament such a success.  I would say close to 90% of our volunteer positions were BX team members, family, and/or mentors!   Way to go BX!!  So proud and thankful for you all!!!!!!

PRACTICE:  Thursday 7 - 9 PM - rearrange the center for our season.  :)

The social we were going to have on Friday is going to be rescheduled for January.   With so many of our team going up early Saturday morning, it would be best to put this off for a bit.  :)

LAST CALL for worlds.  If we do not have more participation, we will cancel the trip planning.  At this point, we do not have enough deposits to make it worthwhile to hold our bus.   Please let me know tonight if you are planning to attend worlds.

KICK-OFF:  Saturday, Jan. 4.  Plan on being at the center from 9 AM until late.  More details will be in the blog soon!  

One last thank you to all of you for your help this past weekend!  You all really came through and provided our younger FIRST participants two amazing events!  Thank you!!!!

FIRST Robotics Volunteers for Bedford Tournaments!

Bedford Express currently hosts Tournaments at 3 different levels, JFLL (K - 3rd grade), FTC (6th - 8th grade) and FRC (high school).   These tournaments are volunteer driven, so we need you! :)   If you would like to volunteer at any of our tournaments here is how to sign up!

JFLL (K - 3rd grade):  Saturday, December 14, 2013  (7 AM - Noon)

• Volunteers are needed to help sign in and escort teams around.  A description of volunteer positions can be found HERE!
• Sign up as if you were volunteering for the FTC event (see below) and in the notes, please put that you would like to work the JFLL event.  

FTC (Middle School):  Friday, December 13, 2013 - Saturday, December 14, 2013

• Friday 3:00 PM - 10 PM
• Saturday 7:00 AM - 7:00 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.  
• Positions Available range from crowd control to inspections, to judging and everything in between.  Most positions require no knowledge of robotics.   Some positions do require video training.  
• A more detailed description of positions, and the training required can be found HERE. 
• Judges and inspectors cannot have any affiliation with any team competing at the event.
• 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 FTC - FIRST Tech Challenge
• Select Michigan in the drop down bar.
• Click "Find an Event" 
• Click "Select" for the MI FTC Bedford Express Qualifier
• 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!!! :)

FRC (High School)  April 3, 2014 - April 5, 2014

• 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(coming soon).  
• 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!!! :)
• Follow the same directions above for the FTC, however select FRC - FIRST RObotics Competition instead of FTC.  

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

Week of November 11, 2013

Week of November 11, 2013

Please try to check the blog on Thursday in case there are any travel updates.  

Practices:  

• Thursday:  7 - 9 pm 
• Competition Practices for Girls Drive Team and Pit Crew: 
• Monday 6:30 - 9:00 PM
• Tuesday 6:30 - 9:00 PM
• Wednesday 6:30 - 9:00 PM 

• ANYONE is welcome at ANY practice!  There has been some question about whether rookies can attend Saturday practices.  Yes, you can!  (BUT, there is no Sat. practice this week due to comp.)
• FLL/FTC Mentors still needed!!  We are moving into crunch time for our younger robotics friends.  if you have some free time, stop by the robotics center and help out with their skit, presentations, robot, or tri-boards. Their coaches would be very appreciative of it.   

Tournament Information:

• Rides (Meet at the front of BJHS at 3:00)
• May:  Taylor, Stacee & Dianna  
• Poskarbiewicz:  Erin & Courtney  
• Howell:  Kira, Kelsie, Emily & Allison
• Dobson:  Abby & Olivia
• Hotel:  
• Drury Inn, Troy
• Bring Swimsuit if you want to swim
• "Happy Hour" snacks will be at the hotel (wings, etc) 
•  We plan to check in and relax in the hotel for a little bit before we go over to the event. 
• Hot Breakfast included
• Wi-Fi included
• Competition:
• Bloomfield Hills High School,  3456 Lahser Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
• Competition Information can be found here.  Results will be posted there as well.
• Opening Ceremony 8:45 AM
• Bring money for dinner on Friday (depending on how much the snacks fill you up), Lunch on Saturday and Dinner on Saturday.   
• Friday Night Goal (7:00 PM - 9:00 PM):  Check climb on tournament pyramids, set up pit.  Wear BX shirt.
• Saturday Competition T-shirts will be provided to those who have been at competition practices.  You will get your shirt at the hotel. They will be black and pink.  Plan your bottom half accordingly. :)
• Pits Close 5:30 PM
• Dinner stop and then home.  
• FOLLOW US ON TWITTER for results!  :)   https://twitter.com/bedfordexpress
• WE NEED YOU!!!!! If you are a member of BX, you should be making every possible attempt to be at this competition on Saturday.  If you cannot be there the entire day, be there when you can.  This is a team event, and we would love to see all 52 of you there on Saturday!   We would love for you all to join us for dinner after the event!  Let's kick our 2014 competition season off on a great foot!
• Upcoming Events:
• We are hosting our FTC and JFLL events on Friday and Saturday, December 13 - 14.  We are in great need for volunteers to help with this event.  If you would like to volunteer, please email Sandy Smith at ssmithmich@gmail.com for more information.   Also, we need ALL BX team members working at the event.  It is a team function and we are planning on you all.  If you cannot be there, you need to let me know asap.  

Week of Oct. 28

Week of Oct. 28

Thursday (10/31):  Practice Cancelled for Halloween

Saturday (11/2):  I will be at the center from 10 AM - 3 PM for anyone that wants to work on drive practice for the girls competition, or anyone that wants to work on any of the projects we normally work on at our Thursday practices.  Feel free to stop by for the full time, or part time.  Girls who make the drive team should plan to be here together for at least a couple of hours.

Open leadership positions:

• Business Managers:  I am looking for 3-4 students who are looking at being a leader in our administrative side.  These people will be our business managers.  You will need to be at practice 15 minutes early to help with money collection.  You will be instrumental in setting up our 2014 budget, and you will be creating our business plan.   
• Chairman's Lead:  This person will be responsible for organizing our chairman's essay, presentation and documentation.  They will lead chairman meetings with others in the group.  
• Safety Captains:  These people will lead our safety efforts.  You will monitor safe practices, and lead the safety meetings.  You will be in the pit during competitions and talking to judges.  
• Publications Lead:  This person will be responsible for leading our publications group.  You will be responsible for newsletters, webpages, social media, etc.  
• Chairman's Presentation Team:  These 3 individuals must present our chairman's presentation to the judges.  They are also responsible for editing the final essay.  It is preferred that the candidate have strong speaking skills and the ability to memorize speeches.  It is a high pressure position, so you must be able to maintain composure while stressed.  It is also important that these individuals not be interested in trying out for drive team.  If you are interested in being on the drive team, you should not apply for the chairman's presentation team.  This is often a multi-year commitment, because experience is vital in this presentation.  Please consider this carefully before applying.  

These positions are open to anyone on the team, however, preference will go to veteran members pursuing varsity status.  Applications for these positions must be completed by Friday, Nov. 1.  You can fill out an application here:  Leadership Application

VOLUNTEERS FOR TOURNAMENTS:  

Parents, team members, and mentors, if you are interested in helping with our FTC or FRC tournaments, you must register in VIMS.  We would like to fill most major roles with Bedford people.  In order to make this happen, we need you to sign up now.   If you have any problems creating or logging in your VIMS account, please talk to Sandy Smith, our volunteer coordinator for both events.  **Even if you already applied on our volunteer sheet for the FTC event, you must do it in VIMS.  This is new this year.*** 

VIMS can be logged into here:  VIMS    You can greatly help us out by signing up ASAP!   

 The December junior high  tournament is FTC, so select FTC, then Michigan, then look for the Bedford Event.  Volunteers are needed Friday night (Dec. 13) and Saturday all day (Dec. 14).   

For our high school events, we need parents and mentors who do not work with the team to volunteer.  Volunteers are needed for all 3 days of our event.  It runs Thursday beginning at 4:00 PM for official volunteers (April 3) through Saturday (April 6).   We will also need volunteers to help with set up on Wednesday night (April 2) and that can be entered in VIMS as well.   For this event, select FRC, then Michigan then our Bedford Tournament.  

Additionally, we need to send 2 volunteers to work at the Southfield Competitionn on February 28 - March 01. You can sign up in VIMS for this as well, but please let me know you have done so. Please be sure to put FRC 1023 in your team affiliations so that we get credit for you being there. :)

Volunteers that work at least 2 days at an event are giving a volunteer t-shirt.  Volunteers are also given free meals during their work shifts.  Volunteering at an event is a lot of fun.  You will get to see a different side of the event.  Most positions allow you to leave and watch our team when we are up. :)   Please sign up today if you are interested.

Additionally, we will be needing volunteers for our concession stand.  Please DO NOT sign up in VIMS if you want to work the Concession area.  This is a BX thing and not a FIRST thing. :)   We will be asking for volunteers for that soon.   :)

Have a safe and fun Halloween!  See you Saturday or next week!  If you have not yet turned in forms, please do so ASAP!!! Thanks!

Email List Sign Up Links

Due to the change over of email providers that the district has taken, I am no longer able to group email the team.   After looking at some options, Nick pointed me to Mail Chimp.  This is a great way for me to be able to communicate with different groups wanting to keep up to date on the robotics team.  To receive emails, you must sign up on the list.  Please see below for a description of the groups, and sign up for any that are appropriate to you.

STUDENT team members:  Emails are sent regarding deadlines, blog updates, day to day happenings on the team.  Emails that go to students also go to parents, but only students should sign up for this group.   CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

PARENTS:  Each team member should have at least 1 parent/guardian signed up for this list.  This group receives the same emails as students do, but also receives occasional emails directed solely to parents.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

MENTORS:  This group is for anyone mentoring the team.  It will provide you with day to day happenings of the team, and mentor information.  Parent mentors should sign up for both lists.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

ALUMNI:  This group is for alumni of BX and will provide a monthly update of the what the team has been doing, invitations to special events, and notifications of competitions.   CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

FRIENDS OF BX:  This group is for those family members or friends that would like a monthly update on the team, instead of the day to day workings of the team.    CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

CAPTAINS:  This group is for current captains and co-captains only.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

BEDFORD ROBOTICS:  This group will receive monthly updates on what is happening in Bedford with FIRST Robotics for K-12th graders.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP