Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

In my post, I wasn't necessarily thinking about what you wrote, Jenny, and I'm sorry if it sounded that way. As long as I've know you, I've known and respected your work in the areas of communication, esp. the 2 minute areas - the elevator pitch.

Truthfully, if the event/news source is given the proper and correct information and they are careless with their posting or reporting - then it shows that they have work to do, too. Communication is a two-way street. We see this every day in news coverage of events world-wide and how that coverage is treated/handled. With information comes responsibility.

Jane

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

So true. I have spent a lot of time explaining the Chairman's award to people who've seen the coverage and ask why if we won the competition we aren't the team there. It's nice that people are talking about FIRST but has become a personal nuisance. Everytime I see a local FRC related article I find myself explaining the reality to people verses what the article has for information. While this issue isn't as bad as it used to be I wish I didn't cringe with every article I read thinking about what I need to explain to people when they come talk to me about it.

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

The robot competition is the most obvious, visible, and distilled-media-friendly part of the picture. It's what people see when they attend a regional or championship event. It's two thirds of the letters in FRC. We shouldn't be surprised that it's all that gets into the news coverage, when that coverage is managed by someone who isn't already well versed in what FIRST is trying to do.

The rest of the story is harder to capture in photos or on video, and it's harder to make it sound exciting in a newspaper article. The way to change this is probably to be consistently enthusiastic about the culture-change aspects of FIRST when talking to reporters, while almost apologetically acknowledging how much fun the robot side of things is.

Being consistently enthusiastic with a consistent message is not easy to do without sounding like a cult. We could use a reasonably large collection of things to say that restate the mission and vision of FIRST but don't appear to be stock phrases.

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

That's where superhero comic books have been smarter than the average bear.

KABLAM!!!! is my most favorite enthusiastic word although ZAP!!! with lightning bolts is a close second.

Sorry, I digress.derail.detour. *cough*

Jane

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

Jane, your inner child is showing :D


I was talking to an executive at work, chatting about robots of course, when I casually mentioned how FIRST had affected my daughter by influencing her to choose a career in engineering. All of a sudden you could see him perk up and really take interest in what I was saying. It so happens that his daughter was having trouble finding a focus in school and getting hooked up with an FRC team last year is starting to help her get focused.

My point is that you never really know what is going to click with the person you are talking to, but they need some sort of context to frame what you are saying and make a connection. It's tough with somebody you don't know, you really have to be good at reading body language and other clues in order to get your point across.

It takes practice. So talk about FIRST every chance you get, watch their reactions, and hone your personal interaction skills.

P.S. At the Fall Workshops in San Diego, we are going to have a session on Elevator Pitches. Just one more opportunity to better our communication skills!

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

Jenny:

I fully understand. I have not been in the details of events like this and can appreciate the bigger picture without having to deal with all the details, which can certainly be frustrating when the media get it wrong.

Regards.

John

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

The information that you are discussing did not come from the students at the event, but was collected from some other research or source. Most likely transferred between adults. Although some of the details were certainly wrong, the spirit of the day and the message from the President was "spot on". We really need to look at the big picture.

I listened to every second of all of the student groups in the State Dining Room and I would ride an elevator with any of them. This was the most eloquent group of kids I have ever seen. The poise with which they interacted with the leader of our country was just inspiring. Every student conveyed to the President their passion for science and the love they had for their particular activity, whether they had worked in the family garage or traveled to an international competition.

We all certainly want the details to be accurate and it is frustrating when the press gets it wrong. But I believe that the mission of our visit was to convey the excitement of FLL, FTC, and FRC to the nation via the President. And when the President of the United States is playing with LEGOs and getting down on the floor to look inside of robots, then I would have to say "Mission Accomplished".

Re: White House to host winners of STEM competitions
 

Thank you for representing us all so well. Seeing that picture made me get a little teary eyed because I felt the same proud emotions that were on each of those kids faces even though I am miles and miles away. :*)

I cannot express enough thanks that you represented FIRST so perfectly.