[JVN]

Hey,
Since I'm unable to actually attend a team forum this year, I thought I'd post some ideas I had. Hopefully someone will read them, and bring them up at one of the actual team forums. I guess this is my virtual Team Forum.

1. FIRST's new thing seems to be "College Teams." At every event I've attended this season, the MC emphasized college FIRST, and the need to start new college teams. As many college participants know, this is easier said than done! College FIRST mentoring requires a great amount of maturity and commitment. It is only fitting, that FIRST find some way to recognize the college students who work so hard, in the same way it recognizes "adult" mentors. Perhaps an award, possibly with a scholarship attached should be created to honor a college mentor from the competition. Like the woodie flowers award, only for college students. Many college students do great things for this competition, and the teams within it without actually being a part of a "college team" (like Purdue 461, WPI 190, Clarkson 229, NEU 125, etc). Some of these "loner" college students deserve recognition too.

2. There are a LOT of great mentors in this competition. Many of them sacrifice themselves year after year to help this program, and to benefit their students. I personally have met many people worthy of mention. FIRST publicly honors one of these mentors each year with the Woodie Flowers award. Why not more? What if there was a regional Woodie Flowers award? This would allow for more people to be honored, while making it easier to judge. The regionals winners could then go on to compete for the national title.

Just 2 quick ideas that might merit some consideration.


Thanks,
John