Quote:
Originally posted by Joe Ross
Our team did not like the yearbook pages in the current format. We filled ours out, but wish that FIRST would make some major changes in the future.
First of all, we didn't see the yearbook pages being put to use. when the judges came to our pit, the generally asked the same questions as were on the yearbook pages. FIRST claimed that the pages were to make the judge's job easier. If that was the case, I would have expected the judges to ask for clarification of points on the sheet rather than asking the same information.
We also think that the format wasn't the best. There were too many questions to do a decent job answering any of them. Many of the questions were similar to others. It would have been better to have fewer questions, but more space to answer them. A question like, "What is unique about your team" would be much more useful than the multiple questions asked. It also gives the team a chance to emphasize what they want.
I also didn't like the fact that they had all the demographic information about race. I would think that FIRST is smart enough to know that race doesn't affect acheivement. One of the teams we mentored did not fill that part out because they didn't want any special treatment becuase they were almost completely minority, and handing out special treatment seems to be the only reason to include it there. It is appropriate on the year-end survey, but not in something that the judges use.
Lastly was the time issue, but that has been beaten to death already 
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I believe they were planning a major reogranization of the yearbooks next year as well as moving them to web based (ala registration). As for them not being used by judges, supposedly the judges had access to them but apparently didn't use them that effectively. It didn't hurt that so few teams turned them in. The reason for demographic information is not to provided special benefits for teams or because FIRST thinks race affects achievement. Instead, the demographic information is so that they can go to possible sponsors and show what underrepresented minority they serve. It's pure politics and FIRST is trying to use it to their best advantage.
Matt