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Still confused
Martin,
I'm guessing that you are a rookie team that has a very strong student run organization (minimal yet essential support of 2 to 3 teachers)
I think you are confused about the idea of "inspiration" as related to what FIRST is about. Please don't try and bring "Fairness" into this conversation as it is NOT relavent. Inspiration has nothing to do with what's "Fair" when it comes to designing or manufacturing parts that go on the robot. Those 2 issues are mutually exclusive.
FIRST is NOT a SCIENCE FAIR. FIRST loves teachers, but teaching is NOT what it is focused on.
FIRST expects that through this experience and ALL of the associated activities, the TOTAL experience will INSPIRE - not just the building of a remote controlled robot. Each team and each student - must decide "How" or sadly "If" that is going to happen.
Our team strives not only to inspire OUR students, but also any student that wants to use us as their inpiration. That's why we have successfully done 6 CDI competitions (You are welcome to join us next year, if you want to)
We will assist anyone that asks and have done so many times - in hopes of not only assisting them fix a problem, but maybe INSPIRING them as well.
Inspiration can come from many places, and in many ways. Our students are inspired by other teams that we have grown to know, admire and respect.
We also recognize that being connected with a large company, can also bring with it alot of negative criticism - and thats okay we accept it. But, the core of the team are people just like everyone else - we put in our personal time because we believe that the overall concept that FIRST has introduced to us has merit. I suppose that is why we are so passionate about our involvement. We love our kids, our teachers, and the fact that our company believes in FIRST too.
So what it comes down to is this - IT DOESN"T MATTER WHO MADE THE PARTS if you are talking about INSPIRATION for Science and technology. IT may matter if you are trying to compare your student created robot with other robots. But, I have never understood, in all 7 years that we have been involved with FIRST, HOW does building parts,WHO built them, and INSPIRATION even get in the same sentence?
Good Luck this year - I hope by our providing a webpage and a place to share common concerns, and exchange ideas, complaints, stories, rumors, and meeting Great new people - continues to INSPIRE the FIRST community at large.
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