[Red2486]

I have always viewed EI and Chairman's as very different awards, although I do believe at some events it is judged as the "runner up to Chairman's". To me I see EI and CA teams having different... selling points I guess? To me an EI team focuses in using FIRST to inspire students for the purpose of becoming engineers. I see CA as an award for changing the world through FIRST. It is Avery subtle difference, not that EI teams aren't changing the world as well, I just think CA focuses on your external impact and EI focuses on the internal.


In 2012 my team won EI at the Utah Regional and RCA at the Arizona Regional. When they announced us for EI, they talked about our team growth, how we design and manufactor our robots at school and how most of our mentors come from the international engineering company WL Gore. Each time we have won Chairman's, the announcement focuses on how we are from an extremely rural area, how we provide STEM opportunities, our FIRST program growth, and how we have changed the culture in our region to one that celebrates STEM. These are obviously two very different explanations for an award, and they help outline what each award really means, at least at those events.