Student Advisory Board

Who We Are

The Capitol City Robotics (CCR) Student Advisory Board is a small, high-impact group of up to four top student leaders who help steer CCR’s programs and culture. Members have a proven track record in leadership, innovation, and mentorship. Most have progressed through our Leadership Pathways (Mentor → Intern → Assistant Program Manager → Program Manager), worked with PK–12 students and families, and know CCR from the inside out.

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This council:

• Advises leadership on programs, student experience, and communications.
• Shadows the CCR Board of Directors (observes, offers recommendations, and follows up on actions).
• Meets regularly, keeps an action log (what we’ll do, who owns it, by when), and reports out to the CCR community.
• Operates as a youth–adult partnership: shared power, real responsibility, and visible outcomes.

Why a Student Advisory Board?

Research and practice show that structured student councils and “shadow boards” improve decisions, speed innovation, and develop real-world leadership: students gain governance experience; organizations get sharper, future-focused ideas.

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At CCR, that translates to:

• Better program design (what’s working in VEX, FLL, drones, SeaPerch).
• Stronger pathways (clearer roles, fair expectations, and coaching supports).
• More authentic storytelling and community voice.

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Roles on the Council

• Chief of Staff: Runs the SAB cadence, agendas, action items; coordinates handoffs to staff/Board.
• Executive Director: Provides overall student leadership vision, representing the SAB in external engagements; ensures council priorities align with CCR’s mission and long-term goals.
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO): Partners with staff on budgets for student initiatives; tracks program resource requests; presents simple dashboards.
• Chief Content Officer (CCO): Leads student voice in content (impact stories, social posts, highlight reels), and supports privacy/consent best practices.

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What We Do

• Program feedback & design: Surface friction points, propose pilots, and co-create fixes with staff (e.g., pit flow at events, mentor onboarding).
• Leadership Pathways stewardship: Recommend rubric updates, recognition, and progression clarity.
• Student voice in operations: Support event run-of-show, volunteer coordination, safety flow, and family communications.
• Content & storytelling: Publish short “Impact” features; lift student and family perspectives.
• Quarterly shadow sessions: Prepare a brief for the Board of Directors with student-backed recommendations, and follow up on decisions.

Cadence & time: two 75-minute meetings per month + one quarterly shadow session; project work averages ~2–4 hours/month during the season. Meetings should build toward action with roles and deadlines documented.

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Benefits for members

• Real executive-style experience (agenda-setting, budget literacy, data dashboards).
• Leadership coaching and résumé/college recommendations.
• Priority spotlights on CCR’s Impact page and media.
• A direct line to CCR’s executive leadership and Board.

NOTE: Service on the SAB is a leadership appointment; it’s distinct from paid operational roles in the Leadership Pathways, though many SAB members also hold (or have held) paid roles elsewhere in CCR.

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Eligibility & Selection (2025–26)

Who should apply

• Rising 9th–12th graders with 2+ seasons in CCR (or equivalent multi-year engagement) and at least one Leadership Pathways role (Mentor, Intern, Assistant Program Manager, Program Manager, Director).
• Strong facilitation and follow-through; comfort working with PK–12 students and families.
• Able to commit to the cadence above for the full school year.

What we look for (criteria)

• Leadership impact: concrete examples (ran a team meeting; mentored rookies; solved an event bottleneck).
• Innovation & initiative: you’ve proposed and shipped improvements (checklists, guides, ROV pit reflow, etc.).
• Communication: clear writing, respectful debate, and meeting discipline.
• Equity & inclusion mindset: you make CCR more welcoming and accessible.
• Professionalism: on time, prepared, and accountable (youth–adult partnership requires this).

How selection works

1. Application (short prompts + one-page impact summary).
2. Recommendation (coach/mentor or community partner).
3. Panel conversation (youth–adult interview with a simple rubric).
4. Final slate confirmed by CCR leadership; roles assigned (Chief of Staff, CFO, CCO, At-Large).

Timeline

• Now – Spring 2025: 2025–26 cohort confirmed.
• Summer 2026: Next application window opens (details posted here).

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2025–26 Student Advisory Board

Helen, Chief of Staff (Chair)

• Pathways journey: Mentor → Intern → Assistant Program Manager → Program Manager
• What I lead: SAB agendas, action log, Board shadow briefs
• Signature wins: Piloted a pit-traffic system at Aerial Drone events; redesigned mentor onboarding guide
• Why I care: “I want every new student to feel confident on day one.”

Anna, Chief Financial Officer

• Pathways journey: Mentor → Intern → Program Manager
• What I lead: Budget snapshots for student projects; tracks equipment requests; presents quarterly student budget notes
• Signature wins: Built a simple forecasting sheet for consumables; trimmed event costs by standardizing checklists
• Why I care: “Resources should match our goals...”

Talia, Chief Content Officer

• Pathways journey: Mentor → Intern → Assistant Program Manager
• What I lead: Impact stories, short videos, and student takeovers (with consent & privacy checks)
• Signature wins: Launched the “We Built This” mini-series and student spotlight profiles
• Why I care: “Our community should see the work and the people behind it.”

Athena, Executive Director (Programs)

• Pathways journey: Mentor → Intern → Assistant Program Manager
• What I lead: Programs and student input
• Signature wins: Developed new program and signed-up 20 new students
• Why I care: “I reall enjoy....”

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