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First, to the last post by 18volt,
That would be unfair to everyone else at competition who has already earned their spot via previous accomplishments or team number. They may have worked just as hard, or harder, in their community than another team and don't have a chance to win the only award more important than the National Championships?
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Now to the thread start:
2003 ~ Still Competes ~ 103 - NASA/Amplifier Research/Custom Finishers/Lutron Electronics/BAE Systems & Palisades High School
2002 ~ Still Competes ~ 175 - UTC/Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International/Techni-Products/Veritech Media & Enrico Fermi High School
2001 ~ Still Competes ~ 22 - NASAJPL/Boeing/Rocketdyne/FADL Engineering/Decker Machine & Chatsworth High School
2000 ~ Still Competes ~ 16 - Baxter Healthcare Corporation & Mountain Home High School
1999 ~ Still Competes ~ 120 - NASA Lewis Research Center/TRW, Inc./Battelle Memorial Institute & East Technical High School
1998 ~ Out of FIRST ~ 23 - Boston Edison & Plymouth North High School
1997 ~ Still Competes ~ 47 - Delphi International & Pontiac Central High School
1996 ~ Out of FIRST ~ 144 - Procter & Gamble & Walnut Hills High School
1995 ~ Still Competes ~ 151 - Lockheed Sanders & Nashua High School
1994 ~ Still Competes ~ 191 - Xerox Corporation & JC Wilson Magnet High School
1993 ~ Out of FIRST ~ 7 - AT&T Bell Labs & Science High School
1992 ~ Still Competes ~ 191 - Xerox Corporation & JC Wilson Magnet High School
In the 11 years that FIRST has been around (previous to now), 10 teams have won chairman's (191 won twice). Of that 10, 7 competed this year. 3 of them were qualified for nationals because of winning chairman's award in the past. The other 4 were odd-numbered and already qualified because of it.
So roughly 50% of the chairman's award winners qualify because of it. Given that there is one each year, in 20 years, 28-30 teams will have a chairman's award under their belt and be qualified for nationals. 15 of which will qualify based on team number.
With FIRST's growth over the years, and Dean Kamen's goal to have the program to as many high schools as possible. I wouldn't be surprised at 3000+ teams in 20 years.
If the same qualification method is implemented, .5% (yes, half a percent) of the teams attending nationals will be pre-qualified because they won FIRST's highest honor.
If you feel this is wrong of FIRST to grant, I do not see a logical reason, nor your reason. (To the two votes for "no" so far)
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