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Unread 28-04-2010, 17:06
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Bob Steele Bob Steele is offline
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AKA: Bob Steele
FRC #1983 (Skunk Works Robotics)
Team Role: Coach
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 1,527
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

I think that the greater lesson in all of the awards in FIRST is simply something that is NOT taught in schools.

Too many students think that they can simply get an "A" by doing everything that is required.
Usually they do... so we get many 'A's. The value in the A has gone down....
An 'A' should be about going beyond what is required..... doing your best and finding new ways to do things or gaining new perspectives...

A 'C' is suppose to be for average work... doing the norm.... doing the minimum.... but for some reason that "BAR" has been raised to the point that students who do the minimum are now expecting to get an "A"

In real life... you don't get 'A's or awards... you work hard... you compete.... you learn and you produce.
You might get a raise or a thank you... but you do the work the best way you can...

FIRST might be better with no awards....
I would bet that everyone would still recognize the teams that inspire them....

Did everyone know that 341 was a team to emulate before the award?
OF COURSE they did.... When you move around the country you see what teams are all about.

Many teams have a tough enough time to just put together a robot and get to a regional...
This is a great accomplishment for them... they are inspired...

Other teams do more.... some teams do even more....

We need to celebrate in some way and the HOF is just a way we can acknowledge how some teams with the resources and the effort serve as role models for the rest of us...

Do you have to be HOF to be a role model? of course not...

On our team we are constantly reminded that we don't do outreach to get an award.
We do it because its the right thing to do....

Instead of worrying about awards... we need to feel self satisfaction and team satisfaction in the things we do....

I am not advocating the abolition of awards... or the efforts made in trying to achieve them but I really think we need to look inside ourselves for satisfaction...

I have been fortunate to work with many GREAT teams in the years I have spent in FIRST...
They are all winners... they have ALL influenced and inspired countless young minds....

It is in the striving to be better that we should find satisfaction....
In the overcoming of obstacles and learning how to work as a team...

My greatest joy and the thing that still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up is watching one of my team members working with a younger child.... seeing the lights go on in the child when they get to make a robot move.... or just see it move..... to be treated as an equal and excited by seeing what they can accomplish when they set their mind to it.....

This is why we are in FIRST....

Bar? what bar? set your own bar....then raise it yourself....

Someday you may look around and realize (as 341 did) that your bar is pretty high..
At that point you step down and help the other teams raise their bars....


In my classroom there are several quotes... but my favorite is one by Booker T Washington

"You measure the size of your accomplishments by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals..."


I am honored to be on the field with all of you.... and to work side by side with so many dedicated and hardworking mentors and students....
__________________
Raisbeck Aviation High School TEAM 1983 - Seattle, Washington
Las Vegas 07 WINNER w/ 1425/254...Seattle 08 WINNER w/ 2046/949.. Oregon 09 WINNER w/1318/2635..SEA 10 RCA ..Spokane 12 WINNER w/2122/4082 and RCA...Central Wa 13 WINNER w/1425/753..Seattle 13 WINNER w/948/492 & RCA ..Spokane 13 WINNER w/2471/4125.. Spokane 14 - DCA --Auburn 14 - WINNER w/1318/4960..District CMP 14 WINNER w/1318/2907, District CMA.. CMP 14 Newton Finalist w 971/341/3147 ... Auburn Mountainview 15 WINNER w/1318/3049 - Mt Vernon 15 WINNER w/1318/4654 - Philomath 15 WINNER w/955/847 -District CMP 15 WINNER w/955/2930 & District CMA -CMP Newton -Industrial Design Award

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