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Unread 27-04-2010, 12:57
Cynette Cynette is offline
Worry is a poor use of Imagination
AKA: Cynette Cavaliere
FRC #1511 (Rolling Thunder)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Penfield,NY
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

This is going to be way too long, but here goes anyway!

As Foster quoted me as saying, I very strongly believe that every team should prepare and submit for the Chairman's Award.

Why?
1. Because it is the perfect way to document your team's history, accomplishments, and challenges.
2. Because it makes your team think about what your impact is on the team members, your sponsoring organization and on your community, and look at what partnerships you have developed.
3. Just for the experience of writing an intense essay, preparing a 5 minute presentation and filming a 3 minute video. You'll never fathom the hidden talents and abilities of the team members until you present them with this challenge.

And that's why I love quotes like this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery View Post
What another team accomplished doesn't change what you've accomplished. Just because another team did something incredible and outstanding, it doesn't mean what you did isn't incredible or outstanding. Even if you don't win the Chairman's, it doesn't mean what you did is any less impressive. You shouldn't be any less proud of the effort you put in because of what another team did.
Every team is unique and has something to offer. Please share it! You never know when your little gem could transform another team. And this is the number one reason that I do not think the bar is set to high on the Championship Chairman's Award. I think it truly recognizes a team that has gathered enough little gems to make it shine as it strives to spread all those tips and techniques with other teams.

But I agree with Jesse -
Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
... quality feedback in any organization significantly improves the organization's progress towards its goals...
We get great feedback at the regional level - which programs do the judges feel are effective, which areas need work... I'd love to get feedback from the judges after Championship.

And now on the other side parts of this discussion...

Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
... Interestingly, half of the outreach we (1885) do is not FIRST-related or even completely student-oriented*. So even though we probably won't win a CA until we start N # of FLL teams and Y # of extra FTC/FRC teams we will continue to do more FIRST and non-FIRST outreach in order to quickly spread FIRST's message to a broader scope of people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IKE View Post
1. How do you motivate your newest members to take on a noble cause? The kids we have worked with for 2-4 years seem to get it (some quicker than others). How should we be motivating the newbies?
2. How do you switch a team driven for the win over to driven for the goal? Especially when you are external to that team. As the number of teams increase, how do we plant the seed of altruism into an ever growing population. While this may not be Team 33's responsibility, it is the responsibility of FIRST as a whole and more specifcally how it applies to FRC.
For my team (1511), a large amount of our outreach / community service is also not FIRST related, but it is definately student oriented. One of our team goals is for leadership development for all students. We do that by requesting that all returning students organize a community service project that all of the team members can participate in. So we play games with nursing home residents, we clean highways, we sort medical supplies, we walk for Autism. Yes, we mentor FLL teams and support other FRC teams, but so far the judges are just as likely to recognize our non-technical community service as they are the FIRST activities for the impact it has on our students as well as the community. Ike, that is how we motivate the newbies. In the first year, they attend and particiate in a number of these activities with the knowledge that the next year they will have the challenge to organize one on their own. Our team goals are always the primary focus which minimizes the emphasis on the drive to win.

Quote:
Originally Posted by IKE View Post
3. Should someone that truly understands what Chairman's is about even re-submit? I am ok with a reactionary answer to this question, but I would much prefer some in-depth thought as this one has been bugging me since the Michigan State Championship.
Do all teams hit this wall at some point? I have to admit that we did. A few years ago, we seriously considered not officially submitting but instead preparing a presentation for the other teams at our home regional on how to prepare a Chairman's presentation. Reasons #1-3 above overruled, but that was the year that we started posting our essay for others to see as soon as it was submitted and working on convincing other teams that the process was more important than the outcome.

And finally...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolyn_Grace View Post
Other example: We're collecting science, technology, car (etc) magazines, applying a cool sticker on them about FIRST, and donating them to doctor's and dentist's offices and hospitals! We'd LOVE if other teams all over the country (world!) did this as well.

So, let's all share our ideas somehow.
This is a great idea! I will share it with one of our students who is scratching his or her head over a possible community service project! Thanks for sharing!
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Cynette
The best angle from which to approach any problem is the TRYangle
--Chinese Fortune Cookie
Rolling Thunder, Team 1511: The Thunder just keeps getting louder!

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