[Rich Kressly]

Disclaimer:
I'm a part time VEX consultant with IFI as most of you know, however...

I'm also a huge advocate for FIRST and its ideals and, as a full time teacher, I also run an FRC team - we run Jr. FLL Expos and I just ordered an FLL kit for a team in my home community. When I was serving on the FTC GDC during the time when FIRST was changing platforms to the new one, I had a decision to make. There are only so many hours in a day, only so many good causes I can get involved with, and I always look for the opportunity to inspire the most students possible as part of fulfilling FIRST's mission.

Also at the time of the changeover our school district had started a robotics course, we were heavily invested in VEX equipment, and we heavily invested in teacher and student training as well. VEX in the curriculum, VEX after school as a "junior varsity" to our FRC team, VEX as part of our affordable and portable outreach program. It all made sense for me and for our team to stick with VEX going forward. 1712 members have volunteered at FTC events and I did what I could to help transition work of the FTC GDC, but it was clear to me how I could most efficiently serve our mission.

I suppose it all comes down to what you want out of the experience and how you desire to serve the mission. If your organization can handle the higher fees and equipment prices and you want to have a team experience competing in FTC with FIRST, great for you. If you want to have teams in both FTC and VRC and you can afford it and you have the expertise to pull it off, good for you.

If you want to inspire the highest number of students possible, integrate in the curriculum in middle school or high school, want to be able to demo multiple robots at the same time without the need for laptops and bluetooth communication, then to me there really is only one choice at this point in time in history and in the foreseeable future.

I'm good friends with some who serve FTC and I wish them the best going forward to serve so many students who have yet to be reached by any robotics/STEM activity. I'm hoping not too many folks out there are worried about "image." Almost everywhere I go, our team gets great feedback on all of our activities regardless of program affiliation. NASA, FIRST's biggest supporter, has always supported a wide variety of related STEM activities, including Botball and VRC. I believe there's even a "Dave Lavery Award" in Botball.

I know not everyone shares my opinion of this, but our program at 1712 will go forward proudly with FRC, VRC, and a host of other things if they make sense for us too. We proudly display both logos on our website at dawgma.lmtechclub.org and we proudly market our program, documenting the strengths and benefits of all we are involved in. If someday that ever hurts my team's "image" in the eyes of anyone related to FIRST, then so be it. I can't help for, nor do I worry about anyone else who may be shortsighted as to the goals of our mission. The REAL elephant in the room here is "does this hurt my team's chances of winning award xyz?" I would submit that it would all be helpful, however if a judging panel were to view it otherwise, then I suppose it would be an award my team wouldn't care too much for anyway.

namaste
-do what serves the mission best in your community.