Sustainability

MARS’s success is not just about awards; it’s about teamwork, sharing knowledge, and the accomplishments of these students.” -  Frank Devono, Superintendent, Monongalia County Schools.

Purpose: To ensure team growth and to allow the team to support itself and its local FLL program.

Accomplishments:

• Team has a total of mentors, including:
• Sponsor and partner representatives
• College students previously on a FIRST team
• Parents, including those whose children have graduated the team
• Half of MARS members are FLL graduates
• Sponsor support for the 2011-2012 season has exceeded $55,000, including 5 grants and over 14 sponsors
• In just 6 years, the team has grown from 8 founding members to 35 students

Goals:

• Increase funding to $58,000 annually
• Maintain a student to mentor ratio of less than 3:1

Not-So-Fun Fact: In the last 10 years, 3 FRC teams have folded in West Virginia after only a few years of competition.