My Nonprofit Reviews
bgibson68.5
Review for Best Robotics Inc, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
I have been a faculty advisor for my school's BEST robotics team for the past seven years. This is by far the best real-life learning experience my students have. Apart from the obvious Math and Science, they also use their artistic abilities to work toward a common goal. The social interaction, leadership skills and competition are outstanding character-building activities.
We are a very small public school, with few extra-curricular activities available for our students. BEST provides an affordable, enjoyable and rewarding challenge for my kids. They anxiously look forward to kick-off day, when they learn what the new game will be. They then prepare for the competition after school and on weekends: spending much more time than any of our athletic teams do to prepare for their competitions.
A lot of our time is spent in fund-raising. Here is another real-life experience. The team learns first-hand how expensive it is to transport, house and feed 30 kids for a weekend.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have witnessed all aspects of this competition. I simply unlock the door and watch the kids work. They occasionally ask for my opinion or advice. But it's their project from start to finish. I have seen them fail and succeed. Their failures inspire them to work harder, and their successes prove that hard work really is rewarded.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
The BEST robotics competition is heavily skewed in favor of private schools. Time is a valuable commodity, and private schools can work on the competition all day, every day. Public schools have time constraints imposed by law, and therefore are at a distinct disadvantage. I would suggest dividing the contest between public and private schools, and award prizes to the winners of each class.
