Can anyone think of better PR????
 

Posted by Justin at 1/1/2001 12:01 PM EST


Other on team Blue Lightning Alumni Association from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



Hello All,

We've all had many discussions about what FIRST is...how it compares to certian other robotic competitions...and how to make the world aware of it. Well I'd like to first start off by saying something I didn't in my previous post....I think that if we could get every kid/person who has ever said 'oh FIRST is just putting balls in a basket' to watch a FIRST competition in person....well I believe that they would all be singing a much different tune.

My Second point. As I've read through these stories I've made a couple of conclusions. We've all fallen into the trap of trying to describe why FIRST is better then other competitions. Even I failed to realize the most important reason/difference. But it can be found in these stories. FIRST is so much more then a robotics competition...I mean just read some of these posts. FIRST is about affecting peoples lives. I can't think of better PR material then some of these stories. I encourage any team that wants to or even FIRST itself to use any part of my 'story'. I dunno but if I were a sponsor I'd be pretty swayed by some of these stories.

-Justin

Re: Can anyone think of better PR????
 

Posted by Nate Smith at 1/1/2001 3:52 PM EST


Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.


In Reply to: Can anyone think of better PR????
Posted by Justin on 1/1/2001 12:01 PM EST:



: I think that if we could get every kid/person who has ever said 'oh FIRST is just putting balls in a basket' to watch a FIRST competition in person....well I believe that they would all be singing a much different tune.

Very, very true...I am currently working with the local YMCA to get them to attend the Great Lakes regional in March, as well as possibly a few other FIRST-themed activities(bringing in one of the old robots, etc.) and while the main person at the YMCA that I am working with has been to a couple of events(OCCRA all-county & CDI), the other teachers that we are working with are having trouble grasping where the excitement that we have for the competition comes from. Even after seeing several videos that I have in my collection, they are having trouble seeing why we are the way we are when it comes to this competition. We'll just have to see what happens when the time comes for them to actually go to the competition...

Nate

My Story...a bit long, but bear with me...
 

Posted by Nate Smith at 1/1/2001 4:12 PM EST


Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



Well, let's see...where to start...

I probably got into FIRST much later than I should have, but because of various other things that I was involved in during high school, I was unable to actually join the team until my junior year of high school('98). While the tech/shop teacher at my middle school had suggested that I get involved when I moved on to the high school, it was the involvement of a good friend of mine on our high school team that finally got me into the competition. Unfortunately, my first year, I wasn't quite as involved as I really wanted to be, because of work and other committments. However, I was still able to attend both the chicago regional and nationals. When I arrived with the rest of the team on Friday(only our drive team and a couple pit people went on Thursday,) I instantly fell in love with the competition. It was then that I knew what newspapers have loved to quote me on since...it was then that I knew that I was going to be in the competition for a while.

When I moved on to college, FIRST was still in my mind. One of the deciding factors for when I selected my college to be EMU was that they were involved with FIRST by sponsoring a regional...I had also remembered that they had been working with a team in '98, and looked for more information on that team when I was getting ready to go there in August of '99. However, they were no longer with a team, so I posted a message here to see if there were any teams in the area that would be interested in having me work with them. Ken Patton from the Huskie Brigade put me in touch with team 66, and now that's where I am for the second year, despite inquiries from other teams as to if I would join them for the 2001 season.

Like I said earlier, I have a feeling I'm going to be in this for a while...however, in 2 1/2 years, I'll be done with school(hopefully) and be off to the 'real world.' Anyone know of a place (anywhere in the US, preferrably somewhere warm) where a guy with a Comp. Sci. degree can get a decent job and still have a team to work with? Let me know... =)

Nate

Re: why why why...?
 

Posted by Veronica at 1/1/2001 8:08 PM EST


Student on team #27, Team Rush, from Osmtech and Textron.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



here's another long one for you.
Back when i was in 5th grade we had this assembly, and it was all about the robotics team and the kids from my highschool (Brandon probably truck town's team) showed us the robot and talked about it as part of our lego lab class. We had the remote controle legos and we built things like houses with sliding doors and sensors so the lights would go on when u eneter or the garage door go up when u pulled in stuff like that and walking dinosaurs and such. So they came in to show us what kinda stuff we could do when we were older if we stuck to this type of thing. Well i just thought that robot was the coolest thing in the world, so when i went home and was telling my mom about it i told her 'one day when i get big i am gonna do that.' Well the years went on and of course i kinda forgot about it untill one day i got an invitation to join OSMTech. I was in eighth grade and really loved math and science and was getting bored with my classes so i decided to look into the program. As i read up on it i found out they had a FIRST robotics team. I showed it to my mom and asked if she remembered that day in 5th grade and if she thought it was the same thing. So i got an application and applied to OSMTech then to their frist team. So i am involved because of my love of math and science but a lot of it was that assembly in 5th grade. That is why now i find community outreach so important. They are never too young, i remembered for 3 years who is to say a presentation i made last year or last month will not have the same effect. I have presented to hundreds of kids and talked to countless others informally about first and i'm sure some of them forgot the next day but if just one of them becomes involved in the wondeful world of first because of me it is all worth it. I have found a wonderful thing and want others to have the same oppertunity. I love being able to work with engineers and learning things i never would outside of first. Not only have a i learned a ton and had fun doing it, also made new friends. New friends fun learning doing stuff u enjoy, that is why i love first.

Coolness and People
 

Posted by Matt Leese at 1/1/2001 8:52 PM EST


Other on team #73 from Edison Technical HS and Alstom & Rochester Institute of Technology.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



Why did I get involved? My freshmen year in high school I had a friend who was a sophomore who joined the rookie robotics team. At first I sort of didn't believe he was really doing what he said he was. But then he disappeared for those six weeks of winter. And then, even more amazingly, he actually got to go on an out-of-state overnight trip for regionals. That was unheard of. I thought it was so cool at that point that I was sure I was going to join the next year. I really didn't have any idea of what I was getting myself into. I stuck with it during high school but what really got me into it was meeting all the cool people from other teams last year at Nationals. I think that without that experience I would never have attempted to start a team in college. So there's a combination of coolness and awesome people in there.

Matt who doesn't feel he's old enough to reminisce yet

Why I started, what I did each year, why I still do it /long
 

Posted by Kate at 1/2/2001 12:48 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



Back before my time in FIRST, I used to roller skate competitively and dance (y'know, the dancing of the ballet, tap, and jazz kind).. One of my friends from skating.. Their dad was an engineer for one of the teams.. And, of course, all the time that we were taking our skating lessons, the parents would have nothing to do.. So they'd talk to each other about EVERYTHING.. My dad was always interested in technical things.. So my friend's dad invited us to see a competition that was going on at New Hampshire College.. And unlike Colleen, I willingly went to the competition with interest.. Not kicking and screaming.. :P

I get there, and there's all these kids and adults yelling and screaming at this things on the area in front of them that were moving balls around trying to put them in some kind of goal.. Some of 'em were putting their balls in a basket and putting them in the goal, others were a little bit away from the goal and actually throwing the balls through the air and making them stay in the goal, and then there were some that were just having problems moving.. This was back in the day of 1994.. The year of Tower Power.. Apparently these things are called robots.. And apparently these 'robots' were made by some adults and a bunch of students in high school..

Pretty much, as soon as I figured out what was really going on, I was hooked.. I wanted to be able to do this too!! At this time, I was in 7th grade.. And the high school in my town didn't have a team at the time.. But lucky for me, then next year they did have a team.. And since I was still in middle school for the first year of my town's team, I had to wait a WHOLE year before I could do it.. So even though I wasn't on a team, I went back to competition with my family the next year to watch some more for Ramp N' Roll.. I almost didn't have the chance to see the robots in action in person because of this stupid thing called capacity.. I had to watch the competition from a big screen in a different room.. But me, being the sneaky child that I am, told the guy that was guarding the door that I needed to find my mom in the competition area.. So he let me in.. :) And then I immediately left through a different door to get my hand stamped so I could come back in.. Ran back to my family and pressed my hand against theirs as much as I could cuz the ink was still wet.. So I got to watch the rest of the competition from inside.. It was totally awesome!! My town's team didn't do so great at all.. But there were soooo many other cool robots that were doing really well and scoring a lot of points making the sound system make some cool sound effects every time the ball(s) were passed between the field goal bars.. Some of them made a lot of those sound effects.. Making some really high scores.. Especially with the big balls that were worth more points than the lil balls.. And of course, now that I had seen another competition, I was more hooked than I was the year before when I'd first seen it..

Then I finally got to go to high school.. Which meant that I finally got to participate on the team and help them build one of those really cool robots.. Mind you, by this point, I had quit skating (for soccer), and later on that school year I quit dancing so I could have more time for FIRST..

'96 Hexagon Havoc (Freshman T166)
I worked solely (sp?) on the robot.. I was the only female and the only non-senior that worked in the shop every single night.. Of course, since my parents didn't really know what happened when you were on a team, I wasn't allowed to pull any all nighters with the team as much as I wanted to..

'97 Toroid Terror (Sophomore T199)
This time, I worked on animation.. Beginning of the year, there were like 10 of us.. By the time we were halfway through.. There were 3 students and 2 engineers.. The last 2 weeks one of the students just stopped coming.. And then there were 2.. The other kid I was working with was a senior..

'98 Ladder Logic (Junior T166)
Because my friend was graduated.. I was in charge of the animation team.. I immediately started getting all my friends involved with the animation because it was 'sooooo cool'.. Personally, I doubled the team's size by getting all my friends to join.. :) But nearing the ship date for the robot.. I stop giong to animation because I badly wanted to be a driver, so I went to all the robot meetings.. Mind you I wasn't one of the main drivers, but I got to drive a few times.. And then there was where I started doing the coaching thing.. :)

'99 Double Trouble (Senior T166)
This was the first year without the people that were on the team when it originally started.. I was named 'The Missing Link' to the team, and also Team Captain.. This year I did anything and everything for the team.. Animation, Robot stuff, Fundraising, Organizational stuff, I even picked who went to Florida.. I was preparing the team for when I would be leaving at the end of the year because there was no one on that team that was nearly as involved as I was..

'00 Co-Opertition (Freshman @ WPI T190)
And so I start at ground zero.. I go from running my old team.. To having to re-prove myself to everyone to earn the same respect that I had on my old team.. Well, it turns out I did a decent job and ended up being on the travel team as a scout since I had so many friends on other team.. (yay for connections!)

'01 (Sophomore T190)
{note that it's year #10 for WPI & FIRST :)}
I am now an Executive Officer (XO) for the team.. And I'm also in charge of the scouting team when we get around to it.. XO means that I help sending out the minutes, getting new people involved, getting current team members to go to demos, get current team members more involved / excited about FIRST, and other miscellaneous stuff.. In addition to this, I'm also hoping that I can start coaching again.. But we'll see how that goes as the year goes on.. :)

When I first started doing FIRST.. It was because it looked really neat and I wanted to be able to do what I saw everyone else doing.. But now that I'm at my 6th year of competition (8th year watching), I'm really just in it for the fun and the people and inspiring everyone.. I'm not so crazy about building a machine for FIRST anymore.. Even though I'll still do it.. :) But I'm really just there for the kids.. And enjoying every minute of it.. :)

So sorry it was so long.. And I answered more than the question asked for.. But I just kept typing and typing and typing.. That's all for this post for now.. :)

T190 XO
Kate

Re: Kate's Story - Oooooohh!!! Im telling....
 

Posted by Robby at 1/2/2001 3:16 PM EST


Other on team #108, The SigmaC@Ts, from AIFL and Motorola.


In Reply to: Why I started, what I did each year, why I still do it /long
Posted by Kate on 1/2/2001 12:48 PM EST:



TSK TSK, young lady. No wait, old lady. You're older than me. I cant believe you would do such a thing as sneaking your way into competition, you should be so ashamed you... didnt.. uh... show the rest of us how to do it B^P. Man I envy you... heh. Now if only there was a way of doing that to get into Deans house... hmmm...

Wow, 8 years. I feel like a baby now. This is my fourth year, my freshman year in Highschool I COULD have gone as a spectator, but I was too afraid to ask my parents (picks up FIRST Rulebook and slaps against head: STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!). And I know how it goes with animation. I worked on it all 3 years there. My first year, before even learning anything about 3DS MAX the animation manager wanted me to animate a panther in a jungle running then morphing into the robot.

I think Im one of the few authorities on the topic of 'Why it's bad to use character studio for quadroped character animation'. And people will drop from that team like flies more than any other because there is a much steeper learning curve involved, mainly because MAX is not an engineering tool so you only have a short couple of months to learn the program and still produce an animation.

One last question for people who are going to be at the kickoff: Are we going to FIRSTmas Carol outside Dean's house? Just outta curiosity of course, cause us getting into the party that way would be, uh, mondo excellente!

Welp, I'll leave off with that. And the thought that the new season is starting in only 3 MORE DAYS!!!! WHOOO HOOOOO!!!!

-Robby, aka Osh Kosh the unicycle kid
oshortwan@hotmail.com

go 6th year FIRSTers!
 

Posted by colleen -- T190 at 1/3/2001 2:21 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science and WPI.


In Reply to: Why I started, what I did each year, why I still do it /long
Posted by Kate on 1/2/2001 12:48 PM EST:



hehe.. I had no clue what to post.. nice story!!

I'm happily now a part of T190 with kate and jon and deej and (i don't know if anyone else from the team posts.. many read though :-).. and am looking forward to helping inspire some kids for the 10th year running.. :-)

Would you mind.....
 

Posted by Jessica Boucher at 1/2/2001 6:30 PM EST


Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.


In Reply to: why why why...?
Posted by Ken Leung on 12/30/2000 10:05 PM EST:



In reading these things, and then later reading the post about 'What better PR?', I am requesting something from each of you that posted: your approval.

The RCU is planning on creating a booklet to pass out at Nationals chock-full of inspirational FIRST literature. There is an area for each and every team to submit something, but that is a separate section that will be revealed later. :)

But regarding these stories, I thought it would be good for newbies to hear these stories and keep them focused on the vitality of their own team.

So, If I have your approval, the RCU would use all (or part, not changed in any manner) of your story, and you would be accredited for it. I just need a simple 'Yes, Jess, thats fine with me.' If you have any questions, please feel free to respond to this post with them as well.

-Jessica B, #237

P.S. Ken, you asked the question, where's your story?

hmm not a chic but...'Yes Jess that's fine w/me' ;-P (EOM)
 

Posted by Justin at 1/2/2001 8:46 PM EST


Other on team Blue Lightning Alumni Association from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.


In Reply to: Would you mind.....
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 1/2/2001 6:30 PM EST:



: In reading these things, and then later reading the post about 'What better PR?', I am requesting something from each of you that posted: your approval.

: The RCU is planning on creating a booklet to pass out at Nationals chock-full of inspirational FIRST literature. There is an area for each and every team to submit something, but that is a separate section that will be revealed later. :)

: But regarding these stories, I thought it would be good for newbies to hear these stories and keep them focused on the vitality of their own team.

: So, If I have your approval, the RCU would use all (or part, not changed in any manner) of your story, and you would be accredited for it. I just need a simple 'Yes, Jess, thats fine with me.' If you have any questions, please feel free to respond to this post with them as well.

: -Jessica B, #237

: P.S. Ken, you asked the question, where's your story?

Re: Would you mind..... A banana?
 

Posted by Robby at 1/2/2001 8:46 PM EST


Other on team #108, The SigmaC@Ts, from AIFL and Motorola.


In Reply to: Would you mind.....
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 1/2/2001 6:30 PM EST:



Sounds cool to me. If possible though, I would like some time to put a weeee bit more thought into my story. It was written in a style my friend calls 'Spontaneous Fiction', every and any thought that came outta my head went down onto the text-box. Sorta like my reply title. Also, what would be the lentgh limit?

-Robby
oshortwan@hotmail.com

But bananas rock!
 

Posted by Jessica Boucher at 1/2/2001 9:10 PM EST


Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.


In Reply to: Re: Would you mind..... A banana?
Posted by Robby on 1/2/2001 8:46 PM EST:



Change it if you want, but I kinda liked it the way it was. :) Any length limit? Well, not really.....the thickness of the book will depend on who contributes. Write what you want to write, but keep it to a realistic amount.

-Jessica B, #237

P.S. To Justin - You dont have to be a chick!!!

RE: bananas rock! They did in 'Chip N Dales Rescue Rangers'
 

Posted by Robby at 1/3/2001 9:02 AM EST


Other on team #108, The SigmaC@Ts, from AIFL and Motorola.


In Reply to: But bananas rock!
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 1/2/2001 9:10 PM EST:



Just wondering if anyone remembers that scene from the show where they were in Fat Cat's lair and Chip and Dale jumped on three bananas in a row, each time yelling 'Banana!'. The bananas then flew into the air and stopped each one of Fat Cat's henchman. Even more nostalgic, anyone remember the video game???

-Robby O, AKA Osh Kosh the Unicycle Kid

Everything's fine with me
 

Posted by colleen -- T190 at 1/3/2001 2:17 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science and WPI.


In Reply to: Would you mind.....
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 1/2/2001 6:30 PM EST:



: In reading these things, and then later reading the post about 'What better PR?', I am requesting something from each of you that posted: your approval.

: The RCU is planning on creating a booklet to pass out at Nationals chock-full of inspirational FIRST literature. There is an area for each and every team to submit something, but that is a separate section that will be revealed later. :)

: But regarding these stories, I thought it would be good for newbies to hear these stories and keep them focused on the vitality of their own team.

: So, If I have your approval, the RCU would use all (or part, not changed in any manner) of your story, and you would be accredited for it. I just need a simple 'Yes, Jess, thats fine with me.' If you have any questions, please feel free to respond to this post with them as well.

: -Jessica B, #237

: P.S. Ken, you asked the question, where's your story?

I'm cool with that.. :)
 

Posted by Kate at 1/3/2001 2:36 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.


In Reply to: Would you mind.....
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 1/2/2001 6:30 PM EST:



When are you planning on putting this whole thing together??