[Eugenia Gabrielov]

I don't feel that awards are random. I rather agree with Pat Fairbank, in that the physical limitations are what limit the system.

At the regional competitions, I did not always agree with a call. It seemed like one or two were made on a basis of regional politics, this year and the last. However, it is not my place to argue, and I would rather present solutions than complain about a situation that really isn't worth fixing right now, due to limitations.

I think one solution is to perhaps do team interviews with larger groups of judges on the first day (practice day). That way, a team knows that they must create an organized and thorough presentation about themselves and their robot. Like the Chairman's interviews, except for technical. This way, all the judges get to see a basic presentation. This could also be submitted in a document, which I think would be a positive move to consider. I am not a judge, but it seems to me that any amount of "summary" information could help make determining which pits to visit later a bit easier.

This interview or written submission process wouldn't take the place of interviews, but would moreso facilitate their speed and efficiency. It would also teach students to document their progress and encourage every student to be able to present.

As a scout, I want to thank the teams that had "info sheets" about their team and their robot. My job was smaller than that of a judge, and those sheets made it much easier. Think of what they could do for those stressed out ladies and gentlemen in blue! (That rhymed ^_^)