Team Information Page

To Apply

To start your application process to join Kell Robotics, please send an introductory email to: david.hunnicutt@cobbk12.org

Payments and Money Money Money $$$

Payments and Money - << Make Payments Here

About

The Kell Robotics Team gives students an opportunity to become immersed in an environment that helps students acquire a range of life skills. These skills include learning about engineering, computer science, and technology. Students will learn about project management, leadership, team building, and conflict management. Most importantly, students will learn and grow academically, intellectually, and socially.

The Kell Robotics organization is extensive and encompasses not only students, mentors, and parents, but also external educational, corporate, and foundation community partners. These stakeholders are party to the mission of the team, the advancement of 21st Century STEM Learning.

The team's robotics year starts and ends, each May, at the time of the team banquet. We are now in the 2023 season. The team does several things.

1. Design and build a robot for competition
2. Work to improve our team and other teams through training and collaboration with other teams.
3. Outreach to the community to help advance STEM learning, including partnerships with the Girl Scouts, school districts, and universities

Membership

The team maintains an ‘open door’ policy for membership. A formal application process is not required. Interested students are invited to come in and spend a significant amount of time trying it out. There is no obligation to stay if there is no student interest.

Students are expected to participate not only in designing and building robots, preparing for and participating in competitions, but also support STEM outreach and public service activities, and to exhibit good character and behavior and otherwise be good team members. 

Team members generally fall into three categories.

1. Full team members - this is required for a leadership position, or to be able to participate in competitions and external activities. There is an expectation that full members contribute very substantially to the mission of the team.
2. Club member - these students have exhibited participation in the organization at school, after school, but either has not paid dues or contributed sufficiently to the team. Ineligible to participate in competition or recognition.
3. MINOs - Members in Name Only - For some reason, MINOs swim around the team, and are on the roster, but are not sufficiently contributing to the team. Don't be a MINO, be a shark. Ineligible to participate in competition or recognition. Remember, "rock crushes scissors," "paper covers rock," "scissors cuts paper," and Sharks eats MINOs.

Expectations

Team members are expected to:

• Turn in student contract, and all other required documents and releases
• Maintain academic eligibility
• Comply with the rules established in this document
• Participate with the team for the duration of the year
• Comply with financial obligations and timely payment of dues and expenses
• Attend meetings regularly, at least once a week
• Read, and respond to team emails when a response is required
• Report student hours volunteering and participating in team related external activities
• Maintain Team and FIRST Brand Standards

Identity, Brands, Publications

The team is well known throughout the robotics, business, and educational community, and is represented by the unique team identity.

Team logos, FIRST logos, and GeorgiaFIRST logos are not to be modified.

Dress code must be maintained at competitions, school events, off-season events, outreach and other events. Team attire is provided as part of the team dues.

Documents, pamphlets, brochures, and other materials designed for external use is to be reviewed and approved before publication or distribution. The review will check for brand standards, the accuracy of information and other potential issues.

Leadership

The team is managed by a leadership team consisting of student leaders, adult mentors, faculty advisors, and the Board of Directors of the STEM Leadership Foundation. The leadership team’s duties go beyond those of regular members. This team makes administrative decisions, plans events, and manages projects. Every member of the leadership team puts in hundreds of hours of work behind the scenes to ensure that the team operates smoothly.

The composition of the student leadership team may vary from year to year. Some of the opportunities for leadership exist in these areas.

• Executive Management
• Business and Operations
• Hardware Engineering Design
• Software Engineering Design
• Outreach Director
• Communications Director

There is no guarantee that all of these roles will be filled in any given year.

Dues & Travel Expenses

The team is supported primarily by donations from corporate and foundation sponsors. Over 90% of students travel expenses are paid for by students, not external contributors.

Annual Dues are $ tbd / year for New members, $ tbd for Veteran members. For new members this payment will cover attire, including an initial polo, an initial hoodie, and 5 tee shirts. Deadline is December 1st. This delay will allow new members to 'try it' before you 'buy it'.

Students & Parents need to plan for the yearly expenses. The majority of the expenses occur spring semester. Payments can be made during the fall on a periodic basis if necessary.

The team travels to five or six competition events. Breakfast and lunch are provided in the cost of the trip below.

Students must bring money for dinner on all days. A suggested amount is $ 20 / night.

The TOTAL estimated cost for one student is as follows:

Competition Events - click on link for itinerary

Eligibility for participating in a competition event is determined by the mentors and faculty. They will look at a member’s participation and contributions throughout the semester.

GRITS, off-season fall competition - October 19-20, 2022 - 0 days overnight, local

FIRST Peachtree Dalton Event - March 10-11, 2023 - driving each day

FIRST Peachtree Carrollton Event  - March 24 - 25, 2023 - driving each day

FIRST Peachtree State Championship Event Emerson GA - April 6 - 8, 2023 - 4th -  driving each day

FIRST Championship - April 18-23, 2023 - 6 days, 5 nights, Championship Event & NASA Mission Control & ISS Facility Tour

FIRST LEGO League - Community Service

FIRST LEGO League is an introductory robotics competition for elementary and middle school school students. Kell Robotics helps support FLL by hosting two competition events, one in December and the other in January. Team members also work to help start new FLL teams, and sustain existing teams. - NOT AT THIS TIME

Girl Scouts - Community Service

Kell Robotics is partnered with the Greater Girl Scouts of Atlanta. We host monthly Saturday morning workshops for Girl Scouts. Each fall we support the Girl Scouts STEM expo, which engages over 3,500 girls annually. - NOT AT THIS TIME

The Paperwork

ALL participants are REQUIRED to do this paperwork to participate in Kell Robotics.

FIRST Consent Form

GeorgiaFIRST Consent Form

CCSD Photo Release

CCSD Media Release

CCSD Field Trip

CCSD Overnight Trip

GT Kickoff

GT Release