Media Creation Training Module
Media is how people understand what 5041 does
Recruitment
Good media shows students and families that there are many ways to belong: build, code, drive, scout, design, mentor FLL, fundraise, and create.
Sponsors
Sponsors need to see impact: students learning, community events, robots in action, and the way support becomes opportunity.
Awards & Memory
Photos, clips, quotes, and notes become evidence for Impact work, annual reports, outreach records, and future training.
Key idea: Media is not just decoration. It is documentation, storytelling, and community connection.
Start every design with 5041's identity
“Everyone has a place here”
Media should make 5041 look welcoming, student-centered, professional, and connected to FIRST values.
Inclusive
Show different students, roles, programs, and ways to contribute.
Student Focused
Feature learning, practice, teamwork, and growth, not only finished trophies or robots.
Professional
Use clean layouts, accurate text, strong images, and respectful language.
Use the team’s visual system consistently
Typography
- Audiowide: H1 and team logo style text.
- Droid Sans: bold headings, labels, buttons, and short callouts.
- Droid Serif: paragraph or longer text when needed.
Layout habits
- Use sharp-edged shapes instead of rounded, soft graphics.
- Use loading-bar style divider lines.
- Use triangles and trapezoids for divided spaces.
- Copy old templates before changing them.
Use red and black as strong accents
Red Berry
#980000
Black
#000000
Dark Gray 3
#666666
Light Gray 3
#F3F3F3
White
#ffffff
Use red and black for accents, structure, logos, and important focus areas. Use white and light gray as backgrounds so the main colors stand out.
Protect the logo
Do
- Keep the logo horizontal.
- Keep the original proportions.
- Use an approved logo file.
- Use a black-and-white logo only for watermark-style use.
Do Not
- Change the logo color.
- Stretch or squeeze it.
- Rotate it.
- Add drop shadows, reflections, or extra effects.
Use official FIRST and season assets when representing programs
Official logos
Use FIRST program logos and season graphics from FIRST, not random search results or recreated versions.
Correct names
Write program names carefully, such as FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST LEGO League.
Season resources
Use official season downloads, social templates, wallpapers, and recruitment posters when building posts or flyers.
When combining 5041 and FIRST assets, both brands should remain clear, readable, and undistorted.
Good media never comes before student safety
Physical safety
Do not block walkways, pits, robot carts, drive team, field staff, or tool users to get a shot.
Privacy
Think carefully before posting names, faces, locations, travel details, or private conversations.
Review
When content involves sensitive situations, minors, sponsors, partners, or school issues, ask a mentor before posting.
Be careful when publishing photos or video of students
Before posting
- Use team/school-approved release processes.
- Do not publish names of minors with images without permission.
- Respect students who do not want to be photographed.
- Use group/activity captions when individual identification is not needed.
Ask first when...
- A student is upset, injured, or in a vulnerable situation.
- A post shows non-public school or team information.
- A sponsor or partner is shown in a way that implies endorsement.
- You are unsure whether something should be public.
Plan media before the event starts
Before
Set goals, shot list, roles, hashtags, sponsor mentions, and approval plan.
During
Capture action, faces, teamwork, details, quotes, results, and behind-the-scenes moments.
After
Select the best assets, write captions, check permissions, post, archive, and thank partners.
Every event should produce both immediate posts and useful long-term evidence for awards, recruitment, and annual reports.
Capture the story, not just the robot
People
Students teaching, asking questions, presenting, mentoring, and celebrating.
Process
Prototypes, CAD, wiring, fabrication, code, testing, and repairs.
Impact
FLL, FTC, outreach camps, sponsor visits, community events, and recruitment.
Results
Competition milestones, robot performance, awards, lessons learned, and next steps.
Be the media teammate people trust
Ask
Check before close-up photos, sensitive captions, or sponsor claims.
Observe
Notice who is learning, helping, problem-solving, and including others.
Organize
Save files so future award, outreach, and recruitment work is easier.
Improve
Review analytics and feedback, then make the next post or graphic better.
Make posts clear, useful, and easy to share
Lead with why
Explain what happened, why it matters, and who helped make it possible.
Use plain language
Avoid too much jargon; explain acronyms when families, sponsors, or younger students may read it.
Call to action
Tell people what to do next: join, sponsor, attend, volunteer, donate, or learn more.
Accessible media reaches more people
Images
- Add short, useful alt text.
- Do not rely only on color to communicate meaning.
- Avoid posting flyers as image-only information.
- Use strong contrast and readable type.
Video
- Caption spoken content.
- Keep text on screen long enough to read.
- Avoid flashing or distracting effects.
- Consider a short transcript or summary for longer clips.
Media should show value without turning students into props
Sponsors
Show how funding becomes materials, tools, travel, training, outreach, and student opportunity. Thank sponsors accurately and avoid promising benefits not approved by the team.
Outreach
Capture teaching, hands-on learning, teamwork, and community connection. Include the purpose of the event and how families or students can get involved.
Combination events can fundraise, recruit, and document impact at the same time when media students plan ahead.
Good media is easy to find later
Folder names
Use a consistent pattern like 2027-01-16_iowa-regional or 2026-10-05_girl-scout-camp.
File names
Rename important assets with event, subject, and use case, such as 2027-regionals_drive-team-match-42.jpg.
Keep notes
Record who is pictured, what happened, sponsor details, permissions, quotes, and post links.
Improve this post draft
Weak draft
“Robotics thing went good today. Thanks everyone!!!”
Stronger draft
“5041 students helped local Girl Scouts build and program robots during a hands-on STEM camp. Thank you to our student mentors and families for helping more students see that STEM has a place for everyone.”
Stronger posts identify the event, explain the impact, thank people specifically, and connect back to the team mission.
Improve this sponsor thank-you post
Weak draft
“Thanks to our sponsor for helping us this year!”
Stronger draft
“Thank you to [Sponsor Name] for supporting 5041 CyBear Robotics this season. Your support helps students access robot parts, tools, travel, and hands-on STEM learning opportunities.”
Stronger sponsor posts name the sponsor, explain what their support makes possible, and connect the donation to student impact.
Improve this recruitment post
Weak draft
“Join robotics. We build robots.”
Stronger draft
“Interested in building, coding, designing, driving, media, outreach, or teamwork? 5041 CyBear Robotics welcomes students with many different interests and experience levels. Everyone has a place here.”
Stronger recruitment posts show multiple ways to participate, reduce intimidation, and invite students who may not already see themselves as “robotics people.”