How? Just wondereding ...

[meaubry]

Wow - I'm happy for Team 1, the Great Lakes Regional Chairmans Award winner, but can someone explain - How a team without a corporate sponsor can win this award?
They lost their sponsor due to budget cuts and have struggled to get enough money together to get to 2 regionals.
I know a number of the adults on the team, and they know Team 47 would do just about anything we could to help them, so don't take this as whining (we submitted to Cleveland - congrats to Team 49). I'm confused and just don't get it! I thought this had to do with the partnership between the school and the corporation. So, I guess this will prove to everyone the corporate sponsors DON'T have the only chance of winning! Congrats, Team 1 - I hope you go all the way!

[ComBBAT_Albrot]

The Chairman's Award isn't about the connection between the students and the corporation, it's about the true meaning of FIRST. Losing their sponsor and persevering through the hardships shows a grit and determination characteristic of a great team.

The Chairman's Award goes to teams that demonstrate a strong bond with their sponsors, community, teachers, or each other. Basically, it's a way to demonstrate that your team realizes that there's a lot more to FIRST than putting together a robot and running it around on the field until you win.

[pato]

Hey, Chairman's award shows the partnership between sponsor, community, and studetns involved!!. A Sponsor can be a school, a business, another team, or even the parents. Team #1 truly deserved the award because of the hardships that they had to fight for to make it threw this year. Chairman's award shows the true meaning of F.I.R.S.T. and a business does not show the true meaning.

[meaubry]

Both of you make good points. It's interesting how diverse everyones opinion is on so many topics. This topic has always been one that FIRST has carefully made sure not to be too definitive on. Over the years its always been a mystery as to what the magic formula was that caught the judges eye - interesting that anyone could be so sure what the true criteria is under FIRST veil of secrecy. I've been doing this for 7 years, been part of a Chairman's Award winning team and 2 other nominated - been an integral part each and every year in our approach and submission. I can't figure this out - some years I think we have submitted and outstanding submission and we don't get nominated - other years its jusy an alright submission and we do get nominated - go figure. I'm just proud of our accomplishments as a team and win or lose - it really doesn't matter. This year I noticed the words "spirit of FIRST" as part of the description of the Chairman's Award - that indicated to me a little different criteria, because in the past I am sure the emphasis was on "the partnership". I do agree that partnership can mean many different things, even more that the relationaship between the sponsoring company and the school. Thanks for your input, I appreciate your answers.

[AdamT]

Has a team ever won the award twice?

[meaubry]

yes, way back in beginning years, - Wilson Xerox Team 191 (i think) won it 2 times

[Mack]

How a team without a corporate sponsor can win this award?

Hey, I just wanted to agree with you all and let everyone out there, especially the rookie teams, know that a corperate sponsorship is not needed at all to create a fantastic robot, or win a chairman's award. Besides team #1, my team, team 121, won the chairmans award at NYC, and won the UTC regional. Although our team is supported by Navy, their assistance is limited to experienced engineers and advice, no monatary funding whatsoever. Our team did all we could, including car washes, bake sales, dinner-dances, and the like to raise the $ to make it to the two regionals and to Nationals. It takes a lot of hard work, but any team can be successful in FIRST, and that is the best part about the program. It always looks nice to have matching team jumpsuits and expensive gadgets, but it is not needed to win. I just wanted to let everyone know that anyone can do it, so just keep on trying. Gook luck at Nationals to Everyone.

[Dima]

Which would make them winner 2se

[meaubry]

"I guess this will prove to everyone the corporate sponsors DON'T have the only chance of winning! Congrats"

I agree - that's why I said what is quotes. Congrats to ALL 17 regional award winners - each of them is an outstanding team and probably deserve to win the award.

Just wondering what people thought about these questions.
How much did selecting the "right" regional to submit to, matter? I think you could submit to any regional even if you weren't going there to compete.
Did being from that area help? Is there regional bias?

I don't know these answers and haven't had time to look into the results that closely.

The Chairmans Award is indeed a great accomplishment, but just being nominated should make everyone of the 17 teams proud - GREAT JOB! Everyone

[Koko Ed]

They won in 1992 and 1994. They were a finalist in 1996.