Hello, I am taking over as advisor/coach of my school district’s Vex IQ program. I am looking for any suggestions when it comes to tiers and flyers. My school is in a rural farming area of Wisconsin. My goal is to get the word out about Vex and how important it is to have in our school.
Thank you for your help.
You should try getting students interested first, and try getting a sponsor. My school district launched Vex in all of our schools, and got funded money by a sponsor too. Right now we should have about 15-20+ teams. It’s hard to get interests though. Try making a flyer or something and spread out the news.
I hope this helps…
Most schools generally don’t pay unless the school sees a promise in the program. I feel like the most promising method is by convincing the school district that funding the program would be a worthwhile investment, being confident in the process and tell them that with the money you can make an excellent robotics program, providing as much credentials you can in the process. Try to convince the school that the program will not only help incentivize students to take part in the school but also it would encourage them and motivate them to succeed beyond just the scope of the school. Make a statement that shines the light of the program, by not just telling them that you are capable but that the school will highly benefit from the investment.
As for sponsorships from businesses, branding is key. If you can create a brand, generate a social network and socialize. Then companies will see that a sticker on a robot, shared on a social media platform with 3000 people following or subscribed will benefit you as it will also benefit the business as adequate advertisement.
The simple rule for sponsorships and funding is that it is either a favor passed down through generations as a “thank you” paying it forward, or it is a mutual exchange. Additionally, the confidence of you, even if it is a “fake it til you make it,” can mean the difference of getting financial support or not. Hold your head tall and convince them that you are worth the money your organization requires, and that they will reap the benefits too from such efforts.