A Call for Tech Bowl 2007 Volunteers

Hello Computer Mentors Volunteers,

As you may already be aware, Computer Mentors Group will be hosting our 2nd Annual Technology Bowl on October 27th, 2007, at the Hillsborough Community College Brandon campus. We are very excited about this event and anticipate that it will be even more fun than last year.

There are 12 sponsored teams ready to compete. They include defending champion and current holder of the Tech Bowl Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union (SSFCU). Along with SSFCU, we have two other gigabyte sponsors, Nielsen Media and Citi with their "Citi Stars" team. Joining them is JPMorganChase as a team sponsor to round out a quadruple threat of financial institutions vying for the trophy. They are joined by law firm Holland & Knight and another quadruple threat, this time technology companies including Acuity Solutions, Interface Network Systems, Numara Software, and the king of software Microsoft Corporation. Additionally we have media sponsors St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Bay Community Network promoting the event with teams and let’s not forget the team with the home court advantage, Hillsborough Community College, the host team.

Current Tech Bowl Champions, Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union Team

As with almost everything we do, your volunteer assistance will be crucial to the success of this event. Below, I have listed the different positions and times where we need assistance. Please notify us either by email or phone if you will be available for any of these positions. Contact our Program Manager, John Corsell, at 236-1191 or JCorsell@computermentors.org.

A few volunteers from Tech Bowl 2006

Judge - 4 needed (2 all day)
During each contest round, the judge will be the person to determine if a question was answered accurately and within the time frame allotted. The judge will also double as the computer operator to run the LCD to display the questions. Judges are required to attend a practice session.

Room Coordinators – 5 needed (All day)
Commitment from 8:30am – 3pm. The coordinators will be responsible for the smooth running of the each of the contest rooms. Room coordinators may also be responsible to moderate a round in the absence a designated moderator. Four of the rooms will be used exclusively for contest rounds while another will be used primarily as the information center and to distribute lunches. Coordinators are required to attend a practice session to learn how the process works.

Moderators – varying number needed during varying times
Moderators will be responsible for reading the questions to the teams and moderating the contest rounds. Moderators will be required for rounds which are scheduled to run at various times during the day. Each round is expected to require 20 minutes.

Timekeeper – 4 needed (2 all day)
The timekeeper will maintain the stop watch and inform the judge when time has expired for a team to answer their question. The timekeeper will also double as the scorekeeper and will maintain the score of the contest. Timekeepers are required to attend a practice session.

Coaches – varying number needed
Coaches are responsible to preparing a team for the competition. In the event that a sponsor does not desire to furnish a coach, we ask one of our volunteers to step in. To be a successful coach would require organizing practice sessions with the team. Teams will be available at least one night out of each week at the CMG site and coaches are assigned per their availability.

Registration/Check-in Info Center Attendants – 2 needed (morning only)
These folks will function as greeters and information people. They will check-in the teams and guide them to their contest areas.

Lunch Assistants – 4 needed (lunch time only)
These will be to people to setup, distribute, and break-down the lunch serving area.

Please Note: several positions require attendance at a practice session to be held on Saturday, Oct. 20th, at 10am (location forthcoming).