Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to the new regional Woodie Flowers recipients.
Ed O'Conner Team 101 Midwest Regional
Bill McGowan Team 11 New Jersey Regional
Manley Thompson Team 997 Oregon Regional
Lane Matheson Team 932 St. Louis Regional
Michael Matthews Team #133 Granite STate Regional

Thanks to all the students who thought enough of these fine mentors to submit their names for such a prestigious honor.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

My congratulations to Bill Mcgowan from team 11

He is the best mentor a team could ask for and he bleeds FIRST. He is a stand up guy and a class act and I couldn't thank him enough for what he has done for me and the mount olive robotics team.

Congrats McG

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Mr. Thompson is from 997. My congratulations to all the winners, even though I never met any of them.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

From FLR, the WFA was Kate Nordland from Team 340. Our team is so proud of her and I can't speak for my team, though I'm sure they would agree, that Kate is absolutely amazing as a instructor, volunteer, mentor and friend. I couldn't be happier for her. Congrats Kate we love you.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Greater Kansas City Regional: Rex Brown from Team Driven, 1730
http://www.teamdriven.us
Congrats to all!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

And at the CT Regional from team 558 . . . my husband, Ernie Smoker!!! I cried. Really. The kids screamed and chanted his name ("Smoker" really lends itself to a nice chant). To make it all the more special, they gave the award on Saturday instead of the usual Friday because Woody himself was there to present it. It was truly a great moment for him and our team.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Also congratulations to John Wanninger from Team 1732 Hilltopper Robotics who won at the Wisconsin Regional. John (and his wife Sue) have worked hard to build that program, and truly deserve the award!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

A very deserving Jeremy Roberts, was awarded the Peachtree Regional Woodie Flowers award.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats to Ernie, you deserve this! Woodie asked that if there were any other Woodie Flowers award winners present that they make the presentation with him - and it was really amazing to see all of them lined up together!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Omg omg omg!!!! Congratulations John!!!!!!!!!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to John and Jeremy, both great hard working individuals who make this program great.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Big Congrats to my best friend and partner in crime building robots for 5 years at Michigan Tech, Anthony Lapp... he's been a die hard FIRSTer for almost a decade and a half and I'm very glad to see him win this award. 27 - Team Rush has always been full of great mentors and he's just added to the list.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations Ernie!
I can see how terrific you are when working with the kids.
Truly deserved!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats Jeremy and everyone else. I do not know the others but I do know that Jeremy has been a part of FIRST for a long time and is truly deserving of this honor. Congratulations buddy!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats to Lonnie Weissman (think I got the spelling right, doing it from memory) From team 668!!!!! :cool: :)

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Marty Rothwell for winning in Buckeye. 612 is lucky to have you!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Jeremy - congrats .. I missed this thread last week. I saw the awards page when you won and have been smiling ever since!

Ian Mackenzie won today in Waterloo. I can't think of a more deserving mentor. Over the past few years I've had the chance to work directly with some awesome people. Ian is perhaps the most incredible combination of intelligence, humility, and work ethic I've ever met. Congrats!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Jason Brett from team 1346 in Vancouver BC, Canada for winning the Microsoft Seattle Regional Woodie Flowers Award.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Congratulations, Jason! (He's also one of the tallest Woodie Flowers winners.)

If you don't recognize his name, he posts on CD as "dtengineering".

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations Jason, Lonnie and Marty. I agree with Rich, Ian is also a very deserving mentor. Congratulations to you all. We have some stellar Woodie Award mentors this year.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Jeremy.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to John Crombe, head mentor to team 910,Foley Freeze, on his Woodie Flowers award at West Michigan Regional. We are all so happy for you. Thanks to the members that made this happen.:)

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

I would also like to congratulate John Crombe.

Mr. Crombe, I don't know where I, or the team, would be with out you and all of your hard work. Thank you for everything. I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award.

P.S. QAPLA'!!!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats to Mr. Gary Blakesley from team 692 for winning Woodie Flowers at the Davis Sacramento Regional!!! :D

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats to John and Gary.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congrats to Anthony (Lapp)! and to all the other mentors that won :)

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

I would like to congratulate a beloved mentor of FRC 922, Mrs. Laura Rodriguez, who was awarded the WFFA at Lone Star 2008.
She is an excellent role model for all of us and I'm so very happy for her.
Congratulations Laura!
http://news.uisd.net/robotics/mentors.php

I would also like to congratulate Tonya Scott, a very big dreamer and person who makes good things happen, from FRC 476, who was awarded the WFFA at the inaugural Oklahoma City regional. Tonya was also awarded the Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Hope you come back to earth soon, Tonya! :)

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Thank you all very much for the kind words. The team had conspired to keep me from knowing of the nomination so it was a huge surprise. The award was doubly special as my wife, Cindy, was at the event (pressed into service as a mini-van driver). It was her very first FRC awards ceremony, at her very first regional.

I had been considering going to Atlanta along with a couple of our FTC teams from BC, and this has given me the nudge I needed to make the leap and go. I'm really looking forward to the chance to meet some of the people that I have only met on line so far.

Thank you,

Jason

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Dear Jeremy, you are my hero. Thanks for all the help you have given us (1002 and 2415) in the past 5 years. You have been a mentor for me since I was a freshman in high school and are a big reason I am a mentor in college now. Thanks and congrats.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Bruce Newendorp from Team 525. For those of you who haven't met Bruce yet, he is the quiet guy that has been in their pit for many years. He is one of the midwest's great mentors who work to give the students on their team the best experience they can. If you are in Atlanta, stop by 525's pit and meet another great WFA award winner.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

LONESTAR REGIONAL 2008

It was about time Mrs. Laura Rodriguez got that Woodie Flowers Award =)

she deserved it 110%
everyone was in awe, and tears fell from her most dedicated students.
Congratulations Mrs Rod we love you! Let's go to Atlanta and win you that award at the National level!

Wooooooooooooo

And congrats to Luschia, (srry for the spelling) she won volunteer of the year, she was so sweeet =) !

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

I would like to congratulate the mentor of FRC 33, Jim Zondag, who was awarded the WFFA at GLR 2008.
He is an excellent role model for all of us.
Congrats

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Mark McLeod of team 358 for winning Woodie Flowers at the Long Island Regional. Mark, Ernie and I can't thank you enough for all the help you have given us and our team over the years. You truly deserve this honor!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Did anyone get a photograph of all the past and present WFA winners lined up at the Boston Regional (including WF)?
What an incredible line-up!

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

you guys forgot one of my mentors......Marc Rogers team 987:)

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations Mark.
This took my breath away!

You have such a gift of sharing FIRST with those around you, mentoring without even trying. Your gift of: wisdom, experience, humor, and positive attitude, is something I wish we could package and distribute to every rookie team. It would keep them going when the going gets tough.

With great respect,
Jane

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Ms. Olwen Sigsworth of Team 1547 (Waldo) for her WFA; it could not have been awarded to a more deserving person.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Congratulations to Mr. Joseph Troy of team 357 on winning the Philadelphia WFA award. He is extremely deserving for all the hard work and energy he puts into our program and into FIRST as well. He serves as an inspiration for us all!

P.S. I don't think I have ever seen him that shocked...

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Mark! CONGRATS! A VERY well-deserved honor! :D

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Mark McLeod is one of those amazing mentors who really keeps students as his first priority. Congratulations Mark, see you in Atlanta. I am truly amazed at all the great mentors who are being recognized this year by their teams. I don't know all of you, but I know your teams.
Congratulations, and looking forward to meeting you in the future.

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

I would also be very interested to see any pictures or video there might be of the Boston 2008 WFA presentation.

Thanks!

Justin

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

Here is a photo of the 2008 Boston line up for the WFFA Presentation



From Left to Right: Woodie Flowers, Liz Calef (FRC 88, 1997 National WFA Recipient), Mike Bastion (1998 National WFA Recipient), David Kelso (FRC 131, 2004 National WFA Recipient, 2004 BAE WFFA Recipient), Andy Grady (FRC 131, 2006 BAE WFFA Recipient), Dan Larochelle (FRC 40, 2007 BAE WFFA Recipient), Paul Griswold (FRC 155, 2005 BAE WFFA Recipient), Ted Hall (FRC 155, 2007 Boston WFFA Recipient), Paul Kane (FRC 20, 2006 Hartford WFFA Recipient), George Perna (FRC 125, 2004 Chesapeake WFFA Recipient)

*Photo Credit of Dan Peace, FIRST Vista Volunteer, www.beaverbots.com

Re: Regional Woodie Flowers
 

And many congrats to Elizabeth Carruthers for winning in Boston! She totally deserves it.