[Al Skierkiewicz]

Carolyn,
When teams ask me this type of question I respond that a team working for Chairman's is using the experience to direct the team. I know that teams that are actively working towards the goal of Chairman's Award, are promoting First, gracious professionalism, community service, inspiration for their students and those they meet and mentor. They are shining lights in their communities, their students are working to achieve high goals in life and they are constantly thinking of new ways to improve our quality of life in whatever country they are located. It is hard to recognize that so many teams are doing so much to achieve their goals while only one team can actually win the award. On the other hand, it is hard for me to attend an event to find that only about 10 teams (or many times less) are actually making a submission. It is the same with the Woodie Flowers Award. There are so many mentors that are deserving of this honor and so few teams actually take the time to write the essay. Now granted, many teams are very small and struggling to keep their program alive. They are using all available resources to inspire their students, build a robot and attend just one event. With all that they simply do not have the time to make a submission. To me those teams are an inspiration and we should help them in whatever way we can. My wife and I are often asked to give advice to teams making a submission. Everyone of those teams are deserving of the award because they are making a maximum effort to follow everything a Chairman's candidate team should.
Now for a little confession. WildStang actually had a meeting many years ago and everyone expressed the same idea. Why should we try if we can't achieve it? It was at that time that the team made a concrete decision to change the way we worked as a team. We let the award description drive our team decisions and it made a difference in the things we put a priority on. The team became a TEAM and we worked hard at getting better in all we did. We found that there were real needs for volunteers in our communities and there were real needs to help others at events. Even still, our decisions are driven by what we know are First Ideals. That doesn't mean we are good at it, but we do try. Many of our mentors and teachers have been around for more than ten years because we do believe we are making a difference. We have students that go on to other teams as mentors or even come back to WildStang.
So is it important to try? Without a doubt. Does it become frustrating to not win? Most certainly. Should you stop trying? Never!