Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

I forgot about those... They're nifty, that's for sure. My IRI bags get a lot of use too (this year's holds my tablet and car chargers for phone and laptop on work trips). IRI has some of the best swag, that's for sure.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

I have an FTC Winning Alliance trophy from the Vex era, when my barely 2 person team partnered with what would later become FRC 2451 PWNAGE as the last pick to win an event. That single tournament is the only reason I'm involved in FRC today, and quite likely the reason I'm a mechanical engineer.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

Probably our hand drill signed by Don Bossi (CEO of FIRST). Just a pretty neato memento from 2013 Worlds.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

2013 "Theory of Texan Coyotes" T-Shirt that I still wear to offseasons/events sometimes.

Also a frisbee from Einstein 2013.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

Though technically it was earned and not given, my Mt. Olive medal. For me, it was the moment I fell in love with FIRST. For my team, the moment we won as an alliance captain for the first time ever.

I have to build a shadow-box at some point to hold it, but I value that above some of my oldest possessions, as it reinforced me knowing what I wanted to do with my life.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

It took my two an a half years to eventually get mine...

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

I own T-shirts from 3184, 4607, 2056 (regional win streak one) only at this point. (thanks CD users nickbrickmaster and Chief Hedgehog for trading)

Looking to expand on that.. I really need to order some 254 apparel in the future..

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

My 'crown jewel' is my 2016 Championships NASA Machinist Volunteer shirt I was lucky enough to trade for.
Close second is my 1678 hoodie.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

Of course the one thing I cherish most is all the memories and life long friends ive made throughout my time on SHARP. When it comes to physical items, I own the cardboard sign that displayed the teams number in the pit. Its from the 2014 Pittsburgh Regional when we won our very first tournament enabling us to go worlds. That sign is a reminder of all the hard work we put in that year along with my most favorite trip I have ever taken in my life. I would do anything to relive my time at 2014 worlds.

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

As far as apparel, I think the crown jewel of my collection is my team hat. It was hand made by an amazing french foreign exchange student while he was on the team. When he returned to France, he started the first french FRC team with one of our alumni.

As far as physical objects that are non apparel, I have to go with the deans list award from 2014:
https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...79&oe=58CE2A55

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

My 233 Pink team shirt! I traded for it at IRI this summer

Re: Crown Jewel of your Collection
 

The best items are those from our students, whether they are lessons learned or actual items received they are the reminders of why we do this.

My personal crown jewel is a model of our 2016 robot built using an erector set by a senior on our team that I had worked with since he was a freshman. I had heard him speak many times over the months of build and competition about this model he was working on and how he kept taking it apart to improve it, adding little details, to get it right. When he gave it to me I was speechless... he said it took a lot of taking it apart and trying it a different way, like programming. :D I was so proud of all he had accomplished over the last 4 years.

Over the years there had been times he thought of quitting or thought he was not capable enough to face the task at hand, but he always decided to keep trying. I will always remember that it was made by the boy who decided he wanted to try... and he succeeded.