Young Chairman's Award Winners

[Ginger Power]

I'm very interested in hearing the stories of teams that have won the Chairman's Award as a very young team. In this case I'm defining young as the first 4 years as a team.

2015 Young Regional/DCMP CA Winners
4499, 4013, 4039, 5015

2015 Young District CA Winners
4967, 4272, 4905, 4125, 4911

2016 Young Regional/DCMP Winners
4525, 4613, 4607, 4911, 4761

2016 Young District Winners
4945, 4776, 5090, 4905 , 4761, 4911

I'm interested in hearing if your teams had experienced mentors, or if you were just a team that caught on quickly. What kinds of things does your team dp that you have added to your Chairman's resume? Were you a Rookie All Star? I guess what I'm trying to get at is: How did such young teams capture FIRST's most prestigious award, and how did such young teams make such a big impact so quickly?

I'm also very interested to hear outside opinions of the teams listed above (as well as other teams that have won CA as a young team). What kind of interactions have you had with these teams, and what impression did they leave on you and/or your team?

[Jay O'Donnell]

I don't want to speak too much for them but 4905 got very involved in their school in local community (at least that's what I got out of their video two years ago and when they won a DCA as a second year team).

[MikLast]

4125 won DCA at West valley this year again.

[btrout16]

Dear FRC community,

My name is Ben Trout, and I am the Safety and Excellence Captain for Team 4499. While many teams were amazed when a three year team won Chairman's, we were just as astounded last year. We were certainly even more thrilled to hear our number announced for the Chairman's award once again this past year. Many have asked how we did it, and we are more than happy to share what knowledge and experienced we have gained.

First, be unique. Young teams may not have the statistics, the outreach, the numbers needed to bolster their chairman's resume, but what we can do, is stand out. Everyone will toss numbers around, but new ideas that are creative and innovative allow your team to shine. While numbers are always impressive, personal stories, actual events, and concrete pictures can go a long way.

Second, not everything has to be robots: volunteer! We have done a ton of things that aren't necessarily focused on STEM, but they are ways in which we can reach out to our community and help out. This can also have a big impact on how welcoming your community is to robotics since they see the good heart and willing intentions that FIRST instils into its teams.

Third, it is all how you portray the work your team has done. Getting a team that is dedicated to crafting a well rounded picture of what your team has accomplished is essential. I would highly recommend seeking out talented writers in your schools, outgoing thinkers you may know, and creative people full of new ideas.

Fourth, take some risks. As new teams, we don’t have a lot on the line as we’re not expected to win. This gives us room to go outside of conventionality and try new things. You will never know till you try it, and maybe your idea will rub the judges the other way, but at least you’ll know. I will say, leave the creativity for the presentation and interacting with judges. You can’t change a Chairman's essay, but you can change a presentation between regionals.

Finally, commit what Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers put to heart. Last year they gave us the challenge to put as much energy into spreading the world of FIRST and STEM, especially in female groups and underprivileged pockets. We have stretched all of our mental and physical capacity as a team to reach out to Boys and Girls clubs, organizations that help those in need, and reach out to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience STEM.

I hope my five reflective points were helpful, and if you guys have any more questions I would love to share more of our experiences, strategies, and ideas. I only included a small bit of what we’ve done for the sake of time, but feel free to post more questions and or message me at btrout@highlandersfrc.com.

Warm Regards,
Ben