[Bob Steele]

I hope you understand that there is an unwritten hierarchy of awards at events and creativity, although an important award, is not at the top of the robot awards. When judges look at the possible candidates for awards, often creative designs are also solid in many other respects. Good teams are often up for many awards.

Examples are 1519 that you mentioned and 1023
Team 1519 won Innovation in Control, Entrepreneurship, and the Excellence in Engineering award along with a District Chairman's Award at their various events prior to CMP.

Team 1023 won Gracious Professionalism, the Quality Award and Chairman's Award at their events...

This does not mean that they were not especially creative... or that they couldn't have won that award too...but awards are spread out.

I would just be wary of the creativity award. At smaller events it may not be given for anything more than a unique design feature.... it does not even have to work very well.... Many great teams have won this award at both regional and district events.... but often teams with creative designs that work win the other robot awards like Quality or Engineering Excellence or Industrial Design.

I am not saying that creativity awards are not given for really great ideas and great engineering but rather that often teams with great creative ideas that work have entire robots that work extremely well and therefore are put in for the other robot awards by the judges.