[falconmaster]

Yes I have, but I don't know any details about the federal one. We have a state one that also passed! We have been helping the governor get the after school academic funding passed. 2 million dollars that teams can apply for. Details on the grant process will be out in Jan 2008. We have been helping key legislators and the governor to get this bill passed for two years! We can't wait to see the application process.

I believe that if the Nevada teams start hammering their politicians they will begin to chip away at the stubbornness and paradigm paralysis. Team 842 sent over 4,000 emails (FIRST Forums, Dean's Homework!) and letters to city, state and federal level to get involved with FIRST by attending a regional or the national event. We kind of felt like all that work did not amount to much when no one, not even Dean mentioned it at Nationals. We had more than the rest of the FIRST community combined. Later in the summer we found out that it was the 15 lawmakers that we got to the Arizona Regional and the 4,000 emails that helped convince Science Foundation Arizona to award FIRST the grant! Dean's homework paid off, not only for us, but for Arizona! This is why I believe it can work for Nevada as well. Hell, we will even join you in the email campaign if you wish, just say the word and we will have an army of e mailers helping to get the message to your politicians. We will send you a sample email for your approval,( you know your politicians better). Just say the word!