For those of you back home...
 

So I know like me, there are many who did not get to make it to Atlanta in one way or another. So I was wondering, besides watching the webcast, is anyone who is staying home for the champs this year doing (or did) anything special to celebrate the FIRST World Championships?

Re: For those of you back home...
 

I've been in semi-constant with a lot of people down there, and only close CD-Spy when I shut the computer down. I don't know what else I could do...

Re: For those of you back home...
 

Just watching the webcast here, but my team is doing well, so my school is making announcements over the P.A. system, and I get all excited every time it happens. Even though I'm over 700 miles from the Dome, I can practically feel the energy all the way here.

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Yeah I hear ya, and my teams not even in Champs.

By the way I've seen your team in a few matches, and thats a nice robot.

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I wish that my school took that much interest in robotics!
Our team is hardly known about by most teachers, except for the thing that makes us miss 4 days of school.

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There's lots of wonderful and inspiring ways to change that and make your team an integral part of the school community. Your team can also become valued and respected by the faculty and staff in a relatively short period of time. It depends on the team and what the team wants to do about it - and - on the team, it only takes one with the vision and tenacity to get it started. Just one. With vision and tenacity and an interest in changing the culture.

Jane

Re: For those of you back home...
 

Really? My team won the Palmetto Regional and we didn't even get a mention.

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It wasn't anything too extensive, just something like "Our robotics team in Atlanta is currently 3-0-0 and is seeded 1st in their division."

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Comparatively speaking, that's pretty extensive.

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That makes me laugh remembering our rookie year when we won Rookie All Sar #1 at Championships. Our principal announced that it was almost as exciting as winning league in football. Jane, we've done a lot to change the culture, but I hate to say that, 8 years later, we still have not changed his ignorant mindset. Oh, well. We will keep trying. Miracles do happen! :p

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My parents have had to deal with me the last few days complaining that my team should be in Atlanta. They've also kicked me off the computer a few times saying that they eyes will die if I continue to watch matches, but they know I'm not gonna get off.



This reminds me of how when we got back to school on the Saturday after KC (our school was holding our annual Foreign Language Festival that night and he was there), we tried to talk our principal into having a Dallas pep-rally. He laughed and said "maybe in a year or two". This coming year, one of the girls on our team's brother is STUCO president so he could probably get us a pep-rally :)

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You change everyone around you. I've remembered 1108 from your rookie year on and your rising star shines brighter every year as it goes higher and higher. I wasn't so much thinking about the competition side of the team, I was thinking about the outreach possibilities side of the team. Here's just one example: I can't begin to tell how many times Mr. Bertucci has fixed something for the band. The xylophones seem to be a favorite. Another one -our annual car bash has become a big tradition at the school and has gotten members of the faculty and administration involved. It's a constant effort to deepen that impact within the community. A few years ago the team decided that we need more Liberal Arts students on the team and we hatched a really cool recruitment program followed up by an orientation. The recruitment program involved talking with the administration initially, and then going to the teachers of the courses we chose and asking them if we could make a 5 minute presentation to their class. It was great. Those are just a few examples of how our team has become a part of the school community.

Sorry, I can get really fired up about this topic - :o
Jane

P.S. I just read about the pep rally - we've had pep rally send-offs as we leave for the Championship. It's been amazing watching the partnership with the school grow and the team become more visible and valued.

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We miss you Norman, and wish you were here. I think 2851 is hosting BW3's over around Hall and Mound.

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No one to really have a special event with. I just watch the matches of Galileo and tell my little sisters when BOB is on the field. Now I should start thinking of more ideas to get our robotics team more recognized in our school. First thing I did was wear our team shirt to school on first day of qualifications. I don't know how effective it was.

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Every year when I was in high school and we qualified for Atlanta, I just thought of a particular song whenever we were told we couldn't go...

Jefferson's a football school...it thinks...

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I wore my FIRST shirt on Thursday. That's the only special thing I did. And have posted on Facebook like a million times how sad I am that I didn't get to go this year. :(

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I got asked so much times why am I not in Atlanta :(

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I am just staying at home watching the webcast. We made an announcement to the team saying where they can watch the webcast, and encouraged them to check it out. But with testing coming up it is hard on some students.

As far as school recognition of Robotics goes, I would say that it all comes down to the team. Of course a school may not recognize a robotics team compared to a football team, because of the differences in revenue that the programs bring to the school. However we try to encourage robotics at our school by sending video and information to our morning news at school, and do presentations at local feeder schools. If you want to be recognized just set up demos at your school, and people will notice.

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I haven't had too much time to watch but when i am watching if my team loses a match I restart my computer to try to undo the magic webcast voodoo
and thats about it, other than wish that i could be there and suport my team in person

Re: For those of you back home...
 

Great plays, great matches, great teams! You guys are rocking the Dome!

Re: For those of you back home...
 

Gotta agre there.

For everyone down there, even though in my Rookie Year my team didn't go to Atlanta, I've had an awesome time watching Curie from here at home!

Good luck to all the teams in there final Semi-Finals, Finals, and in Einstein.