WHERE THE WORK HAPPENS
Where We Meet (And How — Even When We Don’t)
Where the team meets is still being finalized, but here’s what we already know about how meetings will work this season.
A team scattered across the Forgotten Coast can’t all be in the same room every day — and we don’t need to be. Between an in-person build space, weekly Zoom calls, and one-on-one remote-desktop help, every student stays plugged in no matter which side of the bridge they live on.
Three Ways We Meet
The team uses three meeting modes that stack together. Each handles a different kind of work.
In-Person Meetings
We’ll be meeting somewhere in the Apalachicola Bay area — most likely in Apalachicola, Eastpoint, or on St. George Island. The exact spot is still being worked out and will depend on team size, parent logistics, and which space gives us the room (and the power outlets) we need for builds.
What we’re looking for in a space
- Enough room for the full FTC field and a workbench setup
- Enough power outlets for chargers, laptops, soldering irons, and a 3D printer
- Reasonable parent logistics — drop-off, pickup, and parking that works for families on both sides of the bridge
- A schedule that fits the team’s growing size as the season ramps up
STAY TUNED
We’ll post the chosen location right here on this page as soon as it’s confirmed.
Virtual Meetings on Zoom
Even after the in-person spot is locked in, a lot of our work will happen on Zoom.
Coordinating builds, running practice judging interviews, walking through code reviews, and talking strategy all translate well to a video call — and it lets students who can’t make every drive into town stay fully involved.
A laptop and an internet connection are enough to participate in 80% of what the team does.
One-on-One Help via Remote Desktop
For students working through our required learning paths — both the technical ones and the non-technical ones — we will frequently meet one-on-one over Zoom and use remote-desktop software so a mentor or older teammate can see exactly what’s on your screen.
What we use remote desktop for
Technical paths: Java tutorials, GitHub setup and commits, the Virtual Robot Emulator, IDE configuration, debugging “why won’t this compile?”
Non-technical paths: engineering notebook formatting, outreach event planning, judging prep, sponsor letter drafting, portfolio layout.
THE BRIDGE TEST
If you’re stuck on a tutorial step, that’s by far the fastest way to get unstuck.
No one has to drive across a bridge to point at a button for you.
Why this three-mode setup matters
The Forgotten Coast is geographically spread out. The team draws students from Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Port St. Joe, Carrabelle, and points further inland. Stacking in-person, Zoom, and remote-desktop means a kid in Carrabelle is as connected as a kid two blocks from the build space — and that’s the only way a coastal robotics team like ours actually works.
Have questions about how meetings work?
Or want us to ping you the moment the in-person location is confirmed? Reach out.