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Unread 19-07-2010, 00:12
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dancingfool dancingfool is offline
Student Mentor
AKA: Chelsea
FRC #1718 (The Fighting Pi)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: Armada
Posts: 23
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

Now, granted i am from a fairly young team, but I don't think that we've ever looked at the chairman's award and said I want to win that.
Instead, we've looked at the team's who have won, all of the incredible things they had done and said WOW...I want to make an impact like they are making an impact. I don't believe that the chairman's award should be sought after just for recognition...if that's all it's for I think the point is being missed. BUT I do agree with what Ike from team 33: The Killer Bee's said:

"Just like FRC is not solely about the robots, and the robots are the hook, the Chairman's award really isn't about the award, but the award is the hook. "

You see this at every competition...the team that win's although they know they did their best, aren't expecting to win it. How do I know this? The team's reaction when their description is read and when their number/name is announced.
This year our team was very honored to be one of those teams for the very first time. I remember the night before, and going into the presentation (we were all nervous as heck but that's what pushes us harder for some strange reason) the 3 of us presenters decided our goal was to show the judges the steps we were taking to reach our goals, and the progress we were making in reaching them. We weren't looking for the recognition, rather the feedback. What can we do to become a more well rounded team? Is this just our style? Maybe...

So to answer the question is the bar raised to high I think is irrelevant. There is no bar...as our business mentor told me numerous times throughout this season "At the end of the of the day, it doesn't matter to me what 2 judges think, we know how far we've come and that's all that matters." In other words, the team should do it because they want to improve rather than be better than somebody else.

When we did though we cried like babies and it felt amazing, I believe any chairman's winning team regardless of level will say the same thing.

So, to round out my random thought process here.... for those that choose to set a bar (which I guess we all do if we do if we set goals...)

Others don't raise that bar for you.....they inspire you to raise it. Think about it....

Thanks for listening to this pile of thoughts.
__________________
Chelsea

2010 Newton Division Finalists
2010 Entrepreneurship Award Winners (Cass Tech District Event)
2010 Website Award Winners (West Michigan District Event)
2010 Chairman's Award Winners (West Michigan District Event)
2010 Entrepreneurship Award Winners (Michigan State Championship Event)
2009 Engineering Inspiration Award Winners (West Michigan District Event)
2008 Judge's Award Winners (Detroit Regional)
2007 Judge's Award Winner's (Detroit Regional)
2006 Rookie All-Star Winner's (Great Lakes Regional)

Last edited by dancingfool : 19-07-2010 at 23:02. Reason: oops.. :)
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