UFH: Michael Martus
 

Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Michael Martus.



Name: Michael Martus
Date Honored: 10-31-2004
Years involved w/FIRST: 10
FIRST Team(s): Delphi/DaimlerChrysler &, Pontiac Central High School (0047)
Role: Teacher
Quote: “If the girls don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” - Red Green
Bio: Mike Martus is a well-known FIRST icon. A ten-year member of ChiefDelphi (#47), Mike is always hard at work with the team at every event. He is a driving force behind team 47, and an inspiring presence on these boards.

Mike has a great FIRST memory to share with us. "That will have to be when we won the Chairman’s Award at the Nationals in 1997. We worked very hard that year to bring as many innovative ideas to reality, a total team effort. One outstanding program we had was the C.A.D.E.T. (Children Aspiring to Develop Engineering Talent). We were the very first FIRST team to reach out to middle and elementary school students to get them involved in FIRST like experiences. This was the forerunner to the now popular Lego League. Winning the Chairman’s Award has set our focus and team direction to this very day. That event by far was very special to my team and me. There are many other memories associated with FIRST, that’s what makes the FIRST program so special."

Mike also gave us a list of special accomplishments by him and his team. "I have been involved in many aspects of FIRST from the very start. Leading Rookie workshops in Manchester for new teams, mentoring many local schools to start teams, working as a volunteer on many FIRST committees, pushing for ideas that will help teams, to name just a few. Of recent years I have served as Inspector and Lead Inspector at several local and distant FIRST events. Giving back to the Community of FIRST is a very important concept. If FIRST is to sustain and grow it will need a payback of all we have learned as being part of FIRST. Sharing our wealth of knowledge is critical. I would like to list here the many students I have been privileged to know and work with as a result of the FIRST program. If I have made a difference in just one student, then that is my greatest accomplishment in FIRST."

As if Mike's mentorship wasn't inspiring enough, he also had some words of advice: "The FIRST experience can lead the student to see the world through a different set of eyes. Many students do not think they can be successful because they have not been given the opportunity to excel. Mentorship by FIRST Teachers and Engineers gives the extra excitement that otherwise may not be seen by the student. Advice: So FIRST-ers open your eyes, listen to your mentors, and see the world for what it can be for you. Make this world a better place as a result of you."

Congratulations to Mike Martus, a great supporter of the FIRST program and our 23rd Unsung FIRST Hero.

Nominated By: Psalms(118:6)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations to Mike Martus, our next Unsung FIRST Hero.

... the awesome guy that lets me follow him around Michigan when I get lost :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mike Martus a UFH and a bear hug victim

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congracts Mike Martus..

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations, Mr. Martus! Thank you for all you've done for FIRST and OCCRA :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mr. Martus. Your contribution to FIRST is unforgetable. you are welll deserved for this award. The UFH Committee has done a great job for more than a year to honor these deserved FIRSTers. :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike,
How wonderful to open CD this morning and see you have been nominated for UFH. I have had the chance to work with Mike for several years now and it is always a great time. From the CDI competitions to working as competition volunteer, Mike has always put a lot into this program. He is truly one of those background people that keeps everything working smoothly.
Congrats, Mike!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mike,

Well deserved - I really respect your dedication to inspiring students. I consider you one of the benchmarks for teachers in FIRST.

And, I do not know about handsome - but you definitely are handy.
Raul

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike -

Congratulations! This is well deserved!

I get to see Mike several times each year, ususally at one of the many FIRST competition events at which he volunteers. He is always ready to jump in and help as an inspector, referee, field hand, or just all around good guy. When he is with his team, he is the consumate mentor.

The UFH group did a good job with this one.

-dave

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike - a well deserved nominee as UFH. Mike is the glue that holds us together as a team. For FIRST he goes out of his way to try and improve the way things are done and when we aren't at a competition, he volunteers to help as an inspector or what ever they need done. Mike is so dedicated to making the FIRST experience as good as it can be for the students. It has been a pleasure just traveling and being around him, even though he forces us to watch RED GREEN. Congrats to Mike !!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mr Martus. You gave me some suggestions early on when I started posting, and because you haven't mentioned it again I think you did a good job. :)

Wetzel

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mike,
A very well deserved honor. I really appreciate you being so kind to this newbie. Let me know where to send the chocolate chip cookies :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations, Mike! I'm always amazed by all the things you do for your team, FIRST, and OCCRA, year-round. You are truly an inspiration to us all.


.... and, you have a really slick license plate ;)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mr. Boucher: Just send the cookies to me, and I'm sure they'll somehow end up in his belly before I hear about them. :-D


Congratulations, dad. I can't believe you quoted Red Green .. weird-o. :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mike. It was a pleasure to finally meet you last year in Atlanta. Keep going.

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike, after getting to meet you a lot this past year, I realized how much you do for FIRST. You are a great inspiration to us all. A lover of Red Green, how much better can it get. Maybe you could use your influence and make it mandatory for all FIRSTERS to watch the Duct Tape Movie. :rolleyes:

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike Martus is one of those guys who has made a great impact on FIRST. The FIRST community all owes a bow and a round of applause to Mike Martus. I shudder to think what FIRST would be without Mike around. Most likely, I would not be typing on this website right now.

We all know that Mike is a great mentor and teacher for ChiefDelphi, but I want to talk about how great of an inspector he is.

I recall the first regional that we had Mike as a robot inspector. It was the 2001 West Michigan Regional. He gave us the most complete inspection our team ever had. Mike was grilling our lead electrical student about some details and the student was looking to us engineers for help. He knew the answers, but Mike was so completely thurough that the student began the wilt. We engineers just let our student ride it out as Mike continued to ask him questions, and it was a good test for this student. Later on, the lead students came to me, saying "that was not fair... who does that guy think he is? Those were tough questions! waaaa! waaaa!"

I just said "That is one of the best mentors in FIRST who just gave you the best inspection you ever had. You work so hard on this robot and you DESERVE a good inspection. You should go back to him and thank him for a good, complete inspection." The students agreed and did thank him.

From that point on, Mike Martus set the example for inspecting robots. His unwavering, detailed, thourough and caring style sets the standard for the rest of us. All inspectors should take after Mike... all FIRST teams deserve great inspections.

Good job, Mike.

Thank you,
Andy Baker

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mike! It is great that you are being honored. Thank you for the help you give!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mike .. even though I have never met you in person ... I can tell by your posts that you care deeply for FIRST and those involved .. the advice you continue to give is valued greatly ... Thanks for everything ....

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations from one greybeard to another. ;)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Yay Mike! Congrats! :D

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mr. Martus! From what I read in the UFH description, you definitely deserve this awesome honor. Way to go!! =)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mike - the number of students you have directly helped numbers in the tens-of-thousands, as well as batches of mentors (including me) - Cheers - Vince

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Mike Martus is a pillar of this program.
Without him, I have no idea where we'd be...

Thank you for all you've done, and all you continue to do.
This honor is truly well deserved, and long overdue.

As more and more people like Mike become honored with UFH, I feel more and more shocked to have been a recipient of this award. The company just keeps getting more and more distinguished.
Mike was changing lives in this program years before I even knew it existed. His impact, and the impact of those like him are what makes FIRST incredible. All of us current participants in FIRST have a huge debt to those who have upheld this program for so many years. I fear we will never be able to pay it off. The least we can do is say thank you.
Thank you Mike.


I'm not worthy,
John

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mr. Martus! :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

YAY for MR. Martus. thanks for the conversation at IRI

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mike..

Well-deserved doesn't begin to cover it... I have so much respect for you and all you do.

Great job!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats MIKE!
You are totaly deserving of this nomination. A true inspiration to us all. Ohh and the red green quote ROCK MY SOCKS OFF!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congradulations Mike:

You deserve this recognition 10 times over =) for each year that you have helped spread the word of FIRST and have shared your knowledge to many teams.

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congrats Mr. Martus.

It was a pleasure speaking with you at Ypsi lat year.

You are very well deserved of this award. I'm glad to see UFH going to honorable people who really deserve it.

Keep up the excellent work!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Who took that picture; and when did they catch him at a loss for words?

Congrats! Mr. Martus. You've been our UFH from day one!

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

Congratulations Mr. Martus!
One of the true FIRST pioneer that contributed to the success of Team Chief Delphi and FIRST. :)

Re: UFH: Michael Martus
 

As a 2nd year veteran on the team, Mr. Martus has done so many extordinary things for Team 47, and for FIRST. In school, he's such a great teacher. He's great for the UFH because he's put in so much of his time for Team 47, volunteering for FIRST events for inspection, and teaching! He deserves this the most. Congrats Martus, see you at school. :)