UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Wayne Penn.



Name: Wayne Penn
Date Honored: 11-30-2006
Years involved w/FIRST: 7
FIRST Team(s): Ford Motor Company/FANUC Robotics Inc./B&,K Corporation &, Utica Community Schools (0217), The McGraw-Hill Companies/Columbia University &, Morris High School Campus &, Professional Children's School &, Fieldston (0395), Mass Bay Engineering/PIAB &, Norwell High School (0348)
Role: Student/Engineer
Quote: The fundamental responsibility of a mentor or leader is to inspire others to step up to the plate, take responsibility, and become new leaders.
Bio: Wayne Penn is an outstanding volunteer with a lot of experience. Wayne has served on a number of FRC teams, and has held different roles with them: "On 395 I served as the lead student mentor from Columbia University, overseeing our FIRST mentoring efforts as well as served as strategy coach. On 348, I’m heading strategy and scouting."

We asked Wayne about his favorite memory in FIRST, and he gave us this gem: "My favorite FIRST memory was when one of my students came to talk to me post-season. He had told me that neither him nor his family expected him to graduate from high school nor was he really motivated to do so; this unfortunately is a common mentality that we see with our students in the Bronx. FIRST gave him something to look forward to everyday and served as his motivation to focus in school. He told me that he appreciated that I never game up on him and showed him that I believed in him, which helped him build a lot of confidence. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he replied go to college, study science, and mentor others like you did for me. I promise everyone coming into FIRST at least one magical moment; this was mine as a mentor."

Wayne also has quite the list of accomplishments behind him. "Victories are made everyday on and off the field. Over the past 4 years, we have been fortunate to have numerous Regional Championships, a Regional Chairman’s Award, a FLL team that has made it to the World Festival 3 times, where I was given the FLL 2002 National Invitational Adult Mentor of the Year Award (which is the coolest trophy I’ve ever received, completely made out of Legos!). I’ve also had the honor of serving as the Emcee at regionals and at the Duel on the Delaware. I’ve also served on the FIRST and FLL Planning Committees in NYC and Boston. But more importantly, I think of my FIRST accomplishments as every student who now believes in themselves a little more or a little differently, pursues higher education, and has had their life changed by FIRST. Last year I spearheaded a project that we call the Region 2 Robotics Initiative, to get more schools and students involved in FIRST and FLL. We grew our Regions FLL teams to 45, more teams than in any other borough in the New York City area. We ran bi-monthly workshops for students and teachers at the Region office with support from University mentors, engineers, and FIRST Robotic Team Members from the Region. The workshops were always fun gatherings with free exchanges of ideas. The Initiative has grown even more in its second year and will continue to be an integral part of 395 and 1230s yearly activities. Every student exposed to FRC, FVC, or FLL and who is challenged to think is a FIRST accomplishment."

Wayne also had a short but sweet blurb to tell those who are interested in FIRST: "FIRST is about telling students YES YOU CAN; we just have more fun doing it than anyone else."

Finally, Wayne had a bit of advice for his fellow FIRST participants. "It is the people in FIRST that make FIRST such a great organization. Take every opportunity that you can to meet and talk to students and mentors from your team and others alike. Everyone has a story to share or a lesson to be conveyed. Take the time also to show your appreciation for the diverse and dynamic group of people that you are privileged to call mentors, teammates, or FIRST friends. Remember, it is your actions, what you learn, and what you share with others on an everyday basis that defines you in FIRST, not what you will win or have won."

Congratulations to Wayne Penn, our next Unsung FIRST Hero.

Nominated By: Micah Siegel

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations, Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats! :)

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne! Glad we have you here in the north ;)

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Another gem of advice to add to my cubicle wall. Thank you and congratulations, Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations, you are a great person for this honor!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne. We meet you in 2005 and had the pleasure of winning the pittsburgh region with your team as one of our alliance partners. You have been a class person every time i have meet you since. Nice job and congrats again. Rickey and team 1249 (RoboRats)

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations Wayne. It's about time and you deserve it.

For those of you that don't know Wayne, he has been a class act since he was a high school student. Believe it or not, when I first met Wayne he was a shy, not very talkative, Junior in High School. While on the ThunderChickens he grew into an outspoken, passionate leader. Good luck on your new endeavors Wayne.

-Paul

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Way to go Wayne!!!!

Congratulations to a well-served recognition.

Thanks for everything you do, every person you have touched, and, recently, for being a fantastic emcee at the Duel on the Delaware!

Go Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations, Wayne!

"For those of you that don't know Wayne, he has been a class act since he was a high school student. Believe it or not, when I first met Wayne he was a shy, not very talkative, Junior in High School. While on the ThunderChickens he grew into an outspoken, passionate leader. Good luck on your new endeavors Wayne.

-Paul"

Why am I not surprised?!?

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats, Wayne, this is very well-deserved.

I had the priveledge of meeting Wayne at the Pittsburgh regional last year, when he was pulling double duty as the MC and coach for 395. Hopefully I'll get to compete with them again; they really impressed me.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

We want him back! (You guys are so lucky!)
Wayne, you have left some big FIRST Mentor shoes to fill in NYC!

We miss you here. Where am I going to get another FLL Head Referee and Emcee?

Everywhere we turn, the NYC Committees see, remember and talk about your wonder work that catapulted the mission of FIRST in the NYC area. Your influence is not only in the Bronx but also throughout the whole city and New Jersey area.

I had a wonderful experience working with with you during all FLL and FRC events.
You are professional, courteous, and focus.
Oh, yet you’re a lot of fun too. :)

Congratulations, a well deserved award.
Best wishes in all you do.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne! You are truly someone to look up to!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

I knew this was just a matter of time... Wayne was an amazing mentor and drive coach on 395 last year, and his dedication to and energy for FIRST is obvious. He managed to, at the Pittsburgh Regional last year, MC and coach on the field at the same event. FLL in the Bronx has grown at a tremendous rate, and 395's success overall has been hugely affected by him. The dynamic between Wayne and the students, both FLL and FRC (not just from his own team), along with the FLL coaches, is a testiment to the impact he has had on them and their enormous respect for him.

Congratulations, and good luck in the future!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

I had the pleasure of meeting Wayne at Pittsburgh last year, and he is an absolute class act. At both the regional and the championship, he went out of his way to make sure that our rookie team had everything we needed to be successful. This is a well-deserved honor... the man lives and breathes FIRST. Congrats, Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats! You Deserve It.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats to Wayne!
See you in Boston.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations, Wayne! I'm really glad to see you get the UFH award - I can't think of a more deserving recipient.

As already noted, Wayne did double-duty at Pittsburgh last year; what people may not know is that he arrived with 395 expecting to just coach his team. Unbeknownst to him, our MC failed to materialize and and our announcer was ill - in other words, we were way up the creek. We really didn't have to twist his arm all that hard to get the "shy, not very talkative" guy to agree to bail us out!

Wayne defines "class act" in my book.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

I'll second that.
Congratulations, Wayne!
You may not remember me, but I sure remember you. Through all the field problems and bot breakdowns, you helped make Pitt '06 the best regional I've been to. I thank you and yours again for everything.
I don't know how many of you remember the finals matches from Pitt, but we were having gearbox trouble and our alliance had already used our timeout to fix it once, but it broke again. It was the finals, and we didn't have time to fix it, so we were ready to bow out so that the rest of the alliance could pick up another bot and compete at full strength. Just a couple seconds after our driveteam reached this conclusion, one of the refs came over and told us that Wayne's alliance had called their timeout to give us time to fix our bot.
We were able to get it pinned properly and compete in the finals rounds. That was the best, most thrilling competition I have ever been involved with. Both alliances had to work for every point, it was incredible! It came down to the final match, and our bot threw an important chain, and Wayne's alliance took it 50-10, I think.
I was glad to see them win. They beat us when we were running as well as we could, they earned their victory. It was also great to see the rookie team 1743 from Pittsburgh win with them.
That day is by far my favorite memory from FIRST. It really made all those short nights and long days worth it! I still can think about that when I'm getting down and it brings me right back up. Thank you for that, Wayne. Without you, it wouldn't have been the same. Keep up the good work.
May God Bless you and keep you. -JH

Doot-da-do! :D

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

I too want to congratulate Wayne on this deserving award! Wayne and I worked together in Pittsburgh last year and again recently at the Duel on the Delaware (see my picture above), for which he flew down from Boston.

Check out a picture of Wayne in action, on page 3 of the FIRST 2006 Annual Report (just posted): www.usfirst.org/about/2006/annualreport2006.pdf

It's on top of the page where they spotlight another of 2Train Robotics mentors, Gary Israel.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne.......now for that WFA...:rolleyes:;)

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Wayne's too boss for words. I owe him my many thanks, for he has shown me a world that I would never have been able to witness without the guiding light of 0395 and Mr. Penn himself. Kudos Wayne, or should I say Batman.
~Adam "My Dad Says I'm Nothing" Cohen~

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Wayne is my hero! GOOOOOO WAYNE!!!!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne! You rock my socks!

This guy is truly amazing. Always willing to help, and always there to talk to, he's quite the guy. And not to mention that he rocks at editing college essays :D ...even if he does tear them apart the night before they're due--but it's all worth it when you get that Acceptance Letter!

Again, Congrats Wayne!

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congratulations Wayne!

Hope to see you at Pittsburgh this year.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Congrats Wayne!

You are an amazing mentor, friend, engineer and an inspiration to many...

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Wayne, I have one thing to say to you.


WayneWayneWayneWayneWayneWayne!

Oops thats 6 thing.

Congrats, you deserve it.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

I thank you all for your kind words, they meant a lot to me considering many of you I hold as my FIRST heros and inspiration. I hope you all know that each of you have helped shape my views and experience in FIRST. For this I am grateful to you all.

So I'll try to keep this short but I have a few specific people to thank and respond to:

Micah thank you again for the nomination. Micah was one of the 1st friends I met in college, later was my roommate, and most notably stuck with me mentoring 395 for the past 4 years. Much of the success we enjoyed on 395 is a result of his contributions. Good luck with 708 they are lucky to have you.

To Paul and Mike, I've told you before if it weren't for you crazy Chickens and the rest of the mentors on 217 I wouldn't be where I am today doing what I'm doing.

Rickey and the Roborats and Jimmy, both 1249 and 1038 are among my favorite teams down in Pittsburgh. Couldn't be friendlier and more helpful. I'll be looking forward to seeing you guys down there.

John and Carol, you both know how much of a fan I am of MOE. Getting to work with you guys has truly been a lot of fun and an honor.

Joey, despite your age you are an awesome mentor and great asset to FIRST. Keep up the good work.

Noah and Adam, you guys totally made my last season with 395 much intense. I'm glad we got you guys involved in FIRST.

Jeremiah, I def remember you. Thanks again for the bull whip lessons and putting up with me during elims. We had so many delays, but we got through it and I agree with you finals of Pitts were some of the most fun and hard played for last year. It's too bad you guys aren't coming back this year, but I'll see you at the CMP. Doot-da-doo

Neil, I can not be more happy that you got into Brown's 8 year med program. Congratulations you def deserve it. Glad to hear the time spent on your essay went well rewarded. It's also nice knowing that I own you now.

Rich, I was merely trying to keep up with your enthusiasm for the organization. You and Mark truly have the vision and interest of FIRST at heart and as long as you two keep working I know that NY will continue to progress in the right direction. You haven't gotten rid of me entirely, I will see you this weekend for the Citywide FLL tournament.

Pete, let me just say its always a riot getting to work with you. You are one of the most easy going and positive guys in FIRST, how could I have said no to you when you asked me to MC the regional? I was glad that everything worked out and we had a good time. Hope to see you again in Pittsburgh or elsewhere and have you get out there and dance. Thanks again for the ride in your S4, hope I didn't drool too much in it. If you ever get in a bind again and I can be of help just let me know.

Thanks again to all of you. Good luck with build season. I'll be looking forward to seeing you at the competitions. If I fail to see you and say hi please hunt me down and yell at me.
Best,
Wayne

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Wayne:

It was only a matter of time before your name was added to the list of Unsung Heroes. I knew when you were the student leader with Team 217, that you would ultimately become a credit to your team and the FIRST Robotics program.

Good luck this year and hope to see you in Atlanta.

Re: UFH: Wayne Penn
 

Wayne, you are an amazing person, mentor and all together person. Your dedication to the students and to all of FIRST is rarely seen in such high quantities .


I hope to see you back at the Duel on the Delaware this year. Keep up the amazing work!