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Originally Posted by Amber H.
Everyone says they had a blast and are now completely obsessed with starting a team. This is largely due to the example you all set with your courtesy, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship. I’d also like to thank the girl who loaned me her blue poodle/circle skirt so I could be the head ref’s example for his brief lecture on proper dress after giving our announcer friend a fashion penalty.
P.S. some of the bots earned pet names from the reset crew for their stand out performance and appearance. I’ll post them later if anyone is interested.
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Oh lord amber, I was so overwhelmed I forgot you were there evaluating for Utah when you came with a big hug. Keep us updated on all that happens about that, and don't hesitate to ask us for anything you think we can do to help.
Our team loves the Phoenix regional and it's become a training ground for our new team members and to bring other teams' students/mentors and teacher reps so they can see what a wonderful intimate well-run extremely busy fun regional is like.
We had a parent/mentor and student from 2nd year team 1115, then a couple of weeks ago were able to recruit a mentor from their team to join us, and just a very few days before Phoenix were able to recruit a mentor from rookies 1453 to join us in Phoenix. We had a teacher rep from our high school who hasn't been involved with the team.
Thank you to Phoenix and all competing teams. You contributed to the people with us to being inspired to brainstorm about "connections" to get more LA Regional funding and facilities for a party in the future, to encourage their "rookie" teams to continue at their schools, to inspire using "connections" to get more rookie teams from local schools not yet in the program, for our teacher to go to the school activities teacher to get us into the pep rally from now on to demonstrate what a regional is like including impressing them with hanging from the bar because he believes people have GOT to know that there's so much more to the robotics' program than people think...
A FIRST official came by our pit and spotted a pink bag. He wanted only the bag and I emptied what was in it, still puzzled what he was up to. He asked for a button to weigh down the bag, and then told me it was a penalty flag for the emcee. I didn't get a chance to see it in action. Love the stories.
I want to hear the pet names.
Here's some more stories I can think of...
Our retired school district technology director, now a board member on the nonprofit foundation that handles our money, was so impressed with Team 60's chairman's award application that she brought me over to see it, but there wasn't a copy left. Team 60 searched down a copy and made sure she had one. Thank you for personally taking care of a VIP from our team!
Two little girls with their mom visited our pit and their mom read to them off our posters about our virtual team member Tessa. Those girls were enraptured by that and, I'm sure, the entire experience at the regional. Future team members are dreaming about their future in the program.
Thank you to Team 60 for organizing the Thursday night party. We were worried about the rain, and called the party facility to have Team 60's Amanda paged, who took care of reassuring us that the rain wasn't going to prevent the fun to be had. Despite the very light sprinkle, there was unlimited miniature golf, and 50 credits for the video games - that I thought wouldn't last long. Students and adults alike had plenty of fun for the entire evening and our team hopes that evening becomes a Phoenix tradition. They are looking forward to it not raining next year to take advantage of what would have been a wild time with the cool looking outside rides that were included in the modest $10 price. Thank you 60!
We have a new female member who'd joined very recently, only been to one meeting. At the last minute someone had to cancel out of going to the regional, and I called the girl to replace them. She was very unsure that she'd find anything to do to be useful, and she was worried she didn't know anyone. Needless to say she learned there is so much more to the competitions than just working on the robot, and we kept her very, very busy, and during the Phoenix regional she was inspired to ask to be our team's co-programmer and she was already being trained on the spot up in the bleachers with Sid, who I believe will be our head programmer for the new season.
Loved seeing Canada and Mexico recognized well by the regional, and the two country's teams participating being so visible, i.e. by singing their national anthems. Our team of course loves Jesse, the incredibly talented and inspiring trumpet player who does our national anthem.
Great to see the Woodie Flowers and the unique teacher's award given out, and how much those people meant to their students. Seeing a student fly down the bleachers, jump across the field, to hug the winner, and more students rushing out to hug and congratulate the winners - our team and others can relate to seeing the appreciation for adults' hard work in this program, and the camaraderie between adults and students that develops. Thank you adults and students for making that such a visual memory.
If I think of more stories, I'll be sharing them. Please share yours.