Team Interviews are conducted in the team pit area. This allows Judges to observe teams at work and quickly move from team to team. Judges need to talk to students, not adults. Occasionally enthusiastic adults may want to answer the Judge’s questions. If this is encountered, politely remind the adult(s) that the Judges are there to interview the students. All teams at an event must have an opportunity to be interviewed at least once.
Judges should take notes during interviews and observations to support their evaluations and assist with deliberations, and the Team Interview Notes form can be used to keep track of notes for each team. Judges should identify student-centered teams with positive, respectful, and ethical conduct during the team interviews and team observations; conversely, they should also make note of any teams that are not demonstrating these principles – including teams that are not being directly interviewed.