It is imperative that you have the complete cooperation of the local school system, and preferably some private and parochial schools as well as the public schools. The hours we have to devote, particularly as the date of the event draws closer, can reduce the strongest among us to tears unless we receive encouragement and support from our school's administration. Proximity to practicing engineers gives some schools an advantage over others in securing assistance. One school, fortuitously, had a teacher on staff who had been trained as an engineer, so he paired with a colleague who served as the team's teacher-coach. Email can help to ensure equal and continuing attention, even though the engineer may not be able to visit the school.
Someone has to be the taskmaster who is attentive to the deadlines for assignments.
The program has grown from nine schools in 1998, to 17 in 1999, to 31 in 2000, but even this year there were still more than ten teams that did not complete various tasks in time for the finals. Responsi-bilities must be shared and clearly delineated. During the week after the event, planning for next year should begin, starting with a debriefing to determine what needs to be changed and who should be thanked for special services rendered. Of course, letters that acknowledge the winning teams and any scholarships awards they have won must be disseminated, and acknowledgments should also be sent to the principals, school boards, and other important supporters of the schools' entries. Students are afforded many opportunities to learn through television, computers, and libraries, but not every student is afforded an equal opportunity to participate in these experiences.