Board Meeting: Feb. 19, 2009 Summary of 2008 and proposal for 2009 season

1. Board Meeting: Feb. 19, 2009 Summary of 2008 and proposal for 2009 season

2. Today’s schedule • Welcome and Introductions • Thank you to sponsors • Summary of Nov. 29, 2008 event (highlights from Executive Report) • Discussion • Proposal for 2009 season (review distributed proposal) • Discussion

3. Welcome and Introductions Sponsors/Volunteers (Orgs that are both are red) • Acadia • Nova Scotia Community College • Michelin • Nova Scotia Labour and Workforce Development/Skills Canada • RIM • EastLink • Nova Scotia Business Inc. • AVR/Magic 94.9 • Elab Inc. • Apple • Nova Scotia Economic and Rural Development • Acadia Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation • Sony Style & Canadian Springs

4. 2008 Schedule Overview • Nov. 2007 – RPC event, John Read, Director • March 2008 – Board meeting • April – June 2008 – School recruiting • July 2008 – Karen Wilder, Director • August 2008 – FLL Partnership conference • Sept – Nov 2008 – Fundraising and recruiting • Nov. 15, 2008 – Local competitions at 4 NSCC campuses • Nov. 29, 2008 – Championship tournament at Acadia

5. Working Together • Danny Silver • Jodrey School of Computer Science • Media Group – Acadia, NSCC, EastLink Television, AVR, Michelin • Multiple volunteers – faculty, staff, students, alumni, NSCC staff, Michelin staff, community • South Shore Regional School Board • AVRSB – web site updates

6. Championship Competitions Review • Two competitions in one • FLL (FIRST Lego League) & HRC (High school Robotics) • 42 teams competing in 2008 • 30 FLL & 12 HRC • Competition split into two areas/time of day • Huggins Science Hall (morning for FLL project judging) • Gym (afternoon and evening for RPC Robot challenges)

7. FLL/HRC comparisons • FLL – Championship plus six other award areas: • Climate connections project presentation • Robot Performance (3 rounds the same) • Technical design • Teamwork, team spirit, “Against all odds” • HRC – Championship plus five other award areas • Robot performance (3 rounds completely different) • Technical design • Teamwork, team spirit, “Against all odds” • All require “gracious professionalism”

8. Tournament Day Schedule • 9:30 a.m.  Volunteer Registration (Huggins) • 9:45 a.m. FLL registration (Huggins ) • 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. FLLProject judging • 11:30 a.m. HRC registration (Huggins) • 1:30 to 1:55 PM Opening ceremony (Gym) • FLL – Rounds and Judging –2 PM to 5:50 PM • HRC  - Rounds and judging – 2:50 PM to 6:20 PM • 6:30 to 7:45 – Awards

9. Volunteer areas • Area coordinators • HRC judges • FLL judges • FLL & HRC pit managers • Team Liaison/Pit runners • Greeters/Information officers • Door access team • Water cooler checkers • Messengers

10. F20 F23 H10 F26 F30 H5 H14 F5 F14 F9 F13 F19 H13 H9 F22 H4 F25 F4 F8 F29 STAGE F3 H12 H8 F12 F15 F18 H3 F28 F24 H2 F2 H11 H7 F27 F17 F11 F7 F21 S H6 M F10 F6 H1 F16 F1 HRC FLL COMPETITION AREACOMPETITION AREA BLEACHERS Gym Layout

11. Student survey (14 respondents) 1. Enough time to prepare 2. Workshops were helpful 3. Web page was helpful 4. Students learned a lot about Robots 5. (FLL) The students learned a lot about climate 6. I learned a lot about teamwork 7. I was able to understand the schedule of events 8. I enjoyed the food and concession services 9. Overall I enjoyed myself at the competition

12. Team Spirit Preparing for the competition

13. Volunteers pitch in Some volunteers put their heart and soul into it.

14. Bib was a big hit! Students crowded around to have their picture taken with Bib.

15. All of the Robots are different Robots required programming and attaching extra devices.

16. All for the sheer joy of it!

17. An Excited HRC team

18. The crowds awaiting trophies

19. Coach Survey (10 respondents) 1. Competition cost appropriate 2. Enough time to prepare 3. Workshops were helpful 4. Email updates were helpful 5. Web page was helpful 6. Students learned a lot about the robot 7. (FLL) The students learned a lot about climate 8. The students learned a lot about teamwork 9. I was able to understand the schedule of events 10. I enjoyed the food 11. Overall I enjoyed myself at the competition

20. Volunteer survey (23 respondents) 1. Enough training 2. Managers: I understood my role in managing 3. Workers: I understood my assigned task 4.Understood my role in the event 5. The event ran smoothly 6. Had enough to eat 7. Given enough time to eat 8. Would volunteer again next year 9. Overall I enjoyed myself at the competition

21. Only the cleanup left!

22. Income and Expenses (p. 8)

23. HRC Champions

24. FLL champions

25. Questions re 2008?

26. RPC 2009 season

27. RPC Partnership – working together to enable science for youth Post Secondary Acadia University Nova ScotiaCommunity College Schools 8 school boards 130 school teams Industry Michelin Eastlink RIM AVR/Magic 949 Apple NSBI eLab Inc. Government Education Economics & Rural Development Labour & Workforce Development Community Volunteers Donors spectators

28. Proposal for 2009 Season • Increase in Province-wide involvement • Extend Partnership with schools who have Vex robot kits • Hold qualifying events at seven NSCC campuses in November • Expand number of teams for qualifiers to 130 • Expand Championship Tournament to 80 teams • Increase sponsorship requirements • Delay timing of championship until February

29. Increased involvement • Teams • In 2008, 41 FLL teams expressed an interest • Other potential team interest following event • Halifax county has not been approached • Dept of Education distribution of robot kits to grade 10 students • Partners • NSCC local events • School board sponsorship • Department of Education potential partnership

30. HRC - Partnership Vex robots • 2008 HRC involvement (Mindstorm robots) was 12 Schools • October 2008 – Distribution of 5 Vex robot kits to each of 75 schools in Nova Scotia • Reduced school costs – use Vex • Could we get 60 HRC teams?

31. NSCC expanded role • Expand NSCC local FLL events to include HRC • Add 3 additional - Halifax (2) and Cape Breton • Expand training events • Additional competition materials • Requires increased staff time • Requires increased support time

33. Expanded Championship Event • From 70 FLL teams - 40 to move to Championship • From 60 HRC teams expected -40 to Championship • Hold in arena (booking to be finalized) • Recruit additional volunteers • Find Funding!

34. Avg. Exp. – qualifying event (p. 15)

35. Championship event costs (p.13)

36. Total costs for RPC

37. Proposed Income

38. Sponsorship breakdown

39. Next Steps • Major Sponsor/Partner plan commitment by March 6 • Fundraising committee struck by March 6 • Book arena • Hire Director (existing contract ends Feb. 28) • NSCC coordinators identified by March 15 Needs your feedback!