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- - DARPA (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59442)

Team 842 made the trip to DARPA and were surprised to see that we were the only FIRST team there. When we came back we listened to the radio, and the TV yet not one mention of DARPA. That proves that America really is not interested in science and technology. How could something so vital to our future be neglected by the media, but when some cleb is arrested for drunk driving it is on the six o' clock prime time. Is this what Dean has been preaching since the start of FIRST? I am just disappointed with the turn out.
We took lot of pics including, Picasa Web albums - http://picasaweb.google.com/KE7JLM/DARPA02

Our Website -
http://www.phxhs.k12.az.us/education..._id=1194230784

Enjoy the pictures

We had members of our team watching on the internet, myself included. We were hoping our local team, Team Oshkosh, would make it to the finish line. Does anybody know what happened that they didn't finish?

The media's priorities will always be screwed, but I agree that this is outright ridiculous. I could care less if OJ or Lindsey did something stupid again. Especially our local news, who is obviously hurting for news segments, as they've recently been outrageously boring and noninteresting. But it won't change by itself. We need to challenge our national and local broadcast companies to try something different, and help the youth of America find these fun educational programs.

I'd have loved to go, but we are quite far away. I watched it online from the time I woke up till the end. I mentioned it in one of my classes today, only one other person had heard of it =(

Mark Holschuh:
Team Oshkosh had a quite unfortunate run-in with a building.
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/1...s-out-of-.html

I heard somewhere that schools that had teams had a spike in applications after the 2004 challenge. It might not be mainstream but at least it's not totally reclusive.

(Anyone also manage to catch some of the spacewalk Saturday to repair the solar array? =] )

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Holschuh (Post 649833)

They were going to bulldoze a house down, so the chase hit the kill switch. Although they drove very well from the start.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kE7JLM (Post 649810)

Is this what Dean has been preaching since the start of FIRST? I am just disappointed with the turn out.

There are always at least 2 ways to look at a situation.
One way is to say there were few FIRST teams there that you saw.
Another way is to say – you – were there. Your team was there.
And another way is to know that some FIRST teams' alumni are involved in the DARPA program and competitions.

Your team is a wise team in understanding the importance of experiencing science and technology: exploring exciting and challenging aspects in a variety of competitions and in field trips such as the recent one you took to visit the DARPA challenge. Your mentors were wise is planning this field trip and the team was wise in taking the time to experience it.

In my lifetime, the space program was been developed. Also in my lifetime, media has changed, developed, evolved – because of science and technology. How it is used to provide information to the public is an interesting topic for discussion, I agree. I’ve looked at your team’s website and it is full of information regarding the team, the team’s history, the team's interests, projects, and competitions. That is a great way to get the word out supporting Dean’s homework. It isn’t the 6 o’clock news, it is better.

Teenagers in the FIRST program grow up into young adults in their twenties and thirties, hopefully remembering the mission of FIRST and staying involved in some way. The trick is often not to become negative about the program or the mission. As teenagers age, other interests crop up: college, careers, personal lives - and sometimes the mission of FIRST will change or alter through the individual’s life filter. It doesn’t have to, it probably shouldn’t, but it does. In your lifetime, science and technology will continue to develop and you will be a part of it. You are a part of it now.

Inspiration happened for your team during your DARPA field trip. You were inspired and are sharing that inspiration with photos and with threads in Chief Delphi. Likely, your experiences will become an interesting part of your website. By sharing the exciting experience and what you learned, it will encourage others, including FIRST teams, to make the time to visit and to share their experiences with DARPA field trips and with other exciting events. The cup is half full.

It was the same day as the SCRRF Fall Workshops, so many teams in Southern California were otherwise occupied.

I had considered going (It's about 2 hours away from me), but other things came up.

You can't control what goes on out there in the world of media. You can control what you think is important. Continue being the role model and eventually, hopefully everyone else will follow. If they don't, you know you are doing the right thing and rest easy in that.

I certainly would have gone to Victorville, but instead attended the SCRRF workshops at CSUN. One of our mentors, AJ, planned to go and root for Tartan Racing from Carnegie Mellon Univ (his alma mater). I'm guessing it was worth the trip for him ;)!!

I went to the starting line for the first DARPA Grand Challenge near Barstow back in 2004. I took my youngest son, Clayton (now a senior on Team 16 - Bomb Squad), and we had a blast! We especially enjoyed the small group of Caltech students who painted themselves with "Go Bob!" and led some chants as Bob, the Caltech entry, started on the course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kE7JLM (Post 649810)

Team 842 made the trip to DARPA and were surprised to see that we were the only FIRST team there.

I was there and spoke to members of 842. I also spoke with the parents of some students who had been doing FLL and were just starting FTC this year (the students in question were at the event, just not right there at the time). 842 may have had the biggest FIRST representation there (I saw about a dozen of them eating lunch together), but rest assured, you were not the only FIRST representation there.

I also spoke with some other people who were in MATE, but not in FIRST.

I am glad there were more teams from FIRST there! They should have said hey! We would have taken then to dinner or something! Oh well...

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconmaster (Post 649947)

We would have taken then to dinner or something!

It's always a pleasure to be around team 842 at mealtime :)

You got it man! Free burgers on the house!

I thought I saw some 842 shirts in the crowd, but we were all too nervous for our car to think of anything else. I hope you guys enjoyed the event as much as I did, it certainly was an amazing experience.

I haven't been tracking this closely enough to know, but I do have a question: how hard would it be to start a DARPA team at a school that doesn't have one? What is involved? Obviously a corporate sponsor; what else?

JBot