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<BIG> Our next 7 week Mentor Workshop starts on September 15 at the [[Downingtown Educational Center]].  If you are interested please contact us! </BIG>

== Mentor Workshop Overview ==
We are holding a 5,7,10 week mentor workshop on a regular basis.  The intent is for people with a casual interest to come to the basic 5 week session.  For more advanced users interested in programming, the next two weeks (week 6 and 7) will be of interest.  The last three weeks covers advanced robot designs and team dynamics.

[[Summer 2009 Mentor Workshop]] that we started on 9 June is detailed here.  It was a great time and we have new Mentors!

== Mentor Workshop 5 Week Cycle ==
We meet once a week on Tueday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM at the [[Downingtown Educational Center]].

'''Week One'''
:[[Media:VEX for the Technically Challenged.pdf]] We will cover some house keeping issues and then do the Introduction.  We'll spend about an hour discussing this section.  

:In the second hour we will construct the ''Tumbler Robot'' that can be found in these plans [http://www.vexrobotics.com/docs/Vex-Quickstart-Guide-10072008.pdf Vex Quickstart Guide].  

It would also be helpful to have the controller and transmitter guides:
*[http://www.vexrobotics.com/docs/inventors-guide/main-2008/12-d-control-configurations-06272008.pdf VEX 2008 Inventor's Guide Reference - Appendix D, Control Configurations (2.6M pdf, 06-27-08] 
*[http://www.vexrobotics.com/docs/inventors-guide/main-2008/13-e-transmitter-menus-06272008.pdf VEX 2008 Inventor's Guide Reference - Appendix E, Transmitter Menus (3.1M pdf, 06-27-08)] 

'''Week Two'''
:[[Media:VEX for the Technically Challenged.pdf]] We will cover the drive train section.

:In the second hour we will finish and race our ''Tumbler Robot''.

'''Week Three'''
:We will cover grippers in the first hour.

:The second hour we will disassemble the ''Tumbler Robot'' and create the ''Protobot''

'''Week Four'''
:In the first hour we will cover arms and lifters.

:Continue build the ''Protobot''.

'''Week Five'''
:Wrap up [[Media:VEX for the Technically Challenged.pdf]] and cover team dyamics from [[Media:Clueless Coach.pdf]].

:Finish the ''Protobot'' and race them

== Mentor Workshop - 7 Week cycle ==

First 5 weeks as outlined above.

The next two weeks will require you to bring a laptop.  We will be using RobotC that we will supply. 

'''Week Six''' 
:Introduction to RobotC - Basic sensors from the ''Protobot''

'''Week Seven'''
:Introduction to RobotC - Advanced Sensors 

== Mentor Workshop - 10 Week cycle ==

First 7 weeks as outlined above

Next three weeks are spent building a competion robot (Game to be chosen by the team)

== Additonal Mentor Information ==
[[Using VEX to Supercharge your Robot Team]] - a great guide on how to expand the use of VEX into other  robot programs.  Many FIRST teams use VEX to prototype.