Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Think something that was mentioned in the original post hasn't been talked about. What about those kids who come to learn?

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Yes. See this thread from 2008 on why.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...le+regional s

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

No, we need sustainable teams. If you give a team a check for $6,000 and say "Here, build a robot", that's a team that will probably be overwhelmed and drop out a year or two later due to inadequate funding and mentor/teacher support. That is entirely counterproductive to FIRST's goal.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

I think there may be another aspect, and If I missed it having been said I apologize. First is a very intense and time consuming venture. I think we may need to consider balance of activities.I do not know what subject load other students have on other teams, but for my students it puts a strain on their studies. Once ship day comes, much time is used catching up on school work and preparing for AP tests. From my point of view as a sponsor & teacher my life pretty much goes on hold for 6 weeks. Like many others, I have other commitment and pass times in my life. If teams kept their robots for extended periods of time the commitments of the students and coaches and sponsors and mentors would be extended and I believe many teams would have trouble keeping active sponsors and mentors, who volunteer their time, for an 8, 10 or 12 week period. My $.02.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

If in fact you are suggesting that teams with corporate sponsors don't earn what they have, then I am totally speechless. To me, that is completely disrespectful to teams that have a solid economic base for their team and strive to be able to fund themselves. Asking for money and getting it doesn't mean it isn't earned. Getting companies to sponsor you is not as simple as asking and getting. It's asking AND earning, but even if money did just land in people's laps, it's still disrespectful to tell them straight up that they didn't earn it.

I'm sorry we are having this difficulty with the intricacies of language. I would classify any form or raising funds as fundraising (hence the name).

Half of debating is understanding other people's language. A lot of time can be spent deciphering a slight difference in interpretation.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

I suppose writing on a piece of cardboard and sitting on a corner with a cup is also work.

The benefit of FIRST doesn't come from the competition. My company sponsors many teams each year, but we'd rather fund more teams than fund multiple regional trips.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

No, teams competing in week 6 will have an extra month to work on their robots while teams competing this week will be done. FIRST is not about the robots, it is about inspiring students to pursue careers in forms of engineering. If it is all about the robot to you, I would recommend that you re-evaluate why you are involved with FIRST.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

The Week 5 teams play the Week 1 teams when?

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Some of those teams will become sustainable, but throwing $6k to an already established team will not create a new sustainable team. Also, those students will have learned something that year and it wont' be about failure.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Cory, I don't think anyone heard you. Hey out there, did you not see that there would be a huge drop in mentors if it went longer. In many cases that means that their financial aid will disappear as well.

Has anyone thought that if the season was longer that the better teams will improve 10 fold? Teams get out what they put in. It's a fact that cannot be denied. Deadlines are also a reality in the real world. I am sorry kids but if you think that the real world will wait by while you miss deadlines and say you want more time to complete, you are living in a dreamland.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

All language requires interpretation, so please don't start quoting Webster.

We're probably at opposites of the spectrum here. I run a team that is completely sponsored by my company. I actually spend time recruiting students each year. I won't spend money on a second regional.

I judge the success of my program, not by winning a regional, by how many students I progress to the next level of FIRST, college.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

A few in Atlanta, but nearly 300+ teams do not get past week one events.

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Okay, so their less capable robots don't interact with more capable robots. The problem here is?

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Because the week 5 robots were in their shops getting fined tuned for competition for weeks while week one teams had one week to get ready to compete. How is that fair?

Re: Vote to change the format of FIRST.
 

Life isn't fair. Consider these inconsequential instances of unfairness preparation for the real world. Seriously, none of this really matters in the big picture. The ironic thing here is that some of the people who campaign for the "It's not about the robots!" platform are in fact making it all about the robots. If it's not about the robots (and it isn't, completely), then it does not matter what week teams go to regionals, how much money they have, how many times they compete, if the students or mentors build it, or any other petty argument that pops up on Chief every few months.

The only thing that matters is that teams are inspiring their students