Alamo Memories And Thank Yous

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by 2789_B_Garcia

We'd also like to thank Jane Young who paid us a HUGE compliment by saying we were operating like a 5-7 year team!

If it were not true, I would not have said it. There's nothing worse than giving a team false praise or undeserved criticism. You've opened a window of opportunity here and I'm going through it.

As many of you know, I am very concerned about the topic of sustainability and have written many posts here in CD and talked to many people about it. I join my concerns with other members of our FIRST community in doing so. We discuss topics such as:

- long term goals
- short term goals
- preparation and planning involved in meeting these goals
- the value and importance of mentors
- the value and importance of students who are interested or can become interested
- the support of the school/community
- the development of a business plan and obtaining sponsors
- becoming a team and community that reflects excellence and inspires others

There is a lot of work involved in doing all of this. There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved in doing all of this. There's a lot of effort involved in forging new mindsets, new attitudes, new desires for achievement and excellence. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating a team that is sustainable. Much of this is not glamorous. It doesn't make a lot of noise and it often doesn't show results, immediately if not sooner. But it shows. It shows a team going the distance and digging deep.

To quote one of my favorite mentors who is a mentor on your team, Janice Trinidad, when meeting yet another challenge:

"We've got this." You've got this, 2789. Keep it.

With great pride and deep humility,
Rock on 2789,

Jane

P.S. Enjoy Chesapeake. There's some good people out there.

[Andrew Schuetze]

A quick note and thank you for all the teams that competed in this event and a huge thanks to all the veteran teams that put in sweat equity to get rookie teams on the field. I don't have first hand knowledge of all the work that went on but thanks to everyone that did. Patrick, Jess, Mike, and I did a lot of planing that began in June but if not for the efforts of a several veteran KEY volunteers from the FIRST community it would not have mattered. Thanks goes to all the FIRST volunteers from other regions that came in and helped our local folks learn the ropes and ensure that our event was a success. Finally, what a great thing it is that Texas now has 3 events for teams with several teams having two options that are within 3 - 4 hours drive. Teams in three regions now can do a home and away event for very little cost.

A lot can be said regarding sustaining the growth that has seen Texas go from just over 45 teams to 125 plus in recent years. Simple fact is that we need all 125 teams to grow and develop into teams that 'get' the FIRST experience. (Many already have and can help lead the way for others) The students become the agents of change and build from within their community. Make FIRST a varsity sport on your campus. Develop an off-season program, attend/organize events, support/grow FTC and FLL to develop a feeder pathway, engage more students on your team to submit chairman's - Animation - Autodesk CAD - implement a sound team business plan...

I'll stop there as it is spring break after all but stay tuned for a repeat attempt to host an invitational in Austin this August. Use it as a tool to keep your team engaged with the robot this spring/summer and to recruit that next group of students.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

I'll stop there as it is spring break after all but stay tuned for a repeat attempt to host an invitational in Austin this August.

First I've heard of it. Hopefully, lessons were learned from the first time that will be applied to this effort. And - hopefully, teams will figure out that it is in their very best interest to participate in an off-season.

Jane

EDIT: Oh! I just remembered an awesome memory! 57's tutus. Those rocked. I hope they post a photo of them. So silly. I want one. A Purple Haze tutu.

[Andrew Schuetze]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

First I've heard of it. Hopefully, lessons were learned from the first time that will be applied to this effort. And - hopefully, teams will figure out that it is in their very best interest to participate in an off-season.

Jane

Alamo RD Patrick Felty sent out a post event note to teams which included the following information.
<<>>

You are receiving this email because your team has chosen to participate in the inaugural Alamo Region FRC competition this March.


WOW!


I am very honored to have had all of you participate in the inaugural Alamo Regional Competition. I certainly hope that you will make it a tradition for years to come.



I wanted to give everyone a quick update on a few things and share a few developments with you.

<<<snip>>>


Off Season Event:

I am working with the folks at National Instruments to put on an off season event in August. Please let me know if your team would be interested in joining us in August in Austin for a one day event. I will send out more detail later, but I would like your feedback now.

<<<snip>>>

Thank you again for being part of FIRST and good luck to those of you that are playing again in another regional and those of you heading to St. Louis.



Regards,

Patrick Felty - Alamo Regional Director - San Antonio, Texas



For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

pfelty at usfirst.org

(210)279-9364 – office

(210) 399-0672 - Fax

www.Alamo-FIRST.org
<<>>

[JaneYoung]

Thanks, Andrew. I hadn't seen that e-mail.

I hope that teams step up. If not enough sign up, NI could very well pull the plug, again. It can be very costly to run an off-season and if they combine that with their NI Week (antennae raised because of your post that stated "August") then they have to add space to their already whopping event and that costs money. Applying lessons learned would be a good thing. I was devastated when not enough teams signed up last time and we had to pull the plug. It still makes me sad to think about. A good thing that happened: 1477 stepped up at the last minute and a few teams were able to travel to the Woodlands to have a little fun, including the ever awesome 148. 1477 pulled it together, quickly, and I've always appreciated that.

For the teams that have this potential opportunity: please do give input/feedback. When they say they are looking for it/want it - they mean it. Give feedback. I've spent 5-6 years traveling to off-season events in the U.S. to garner experience and talk with the organizers of the events to learn what it takes to pull one off. By doing so, I become a part of the volunteer crew that helps put on the event and I learn so much about the teams, the area, the host teams, the robots, the events. They are as much fun - or more - as the official FRC events and they help teams hone their skills in all areas. Seriously. Texas could become a much stronger region, competition-wise, by having an off-season or two each year. Destiny is calling.

All the best in the new venture; if I can be of any help, please let me know. Rock on, NI - let's do it!

Jane

[jmbrya]

Jane,

The Leopard print tutus were very easy to make. I will be happy to send you the instructions. You can contact me at judy_bryant@yahoo.com.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by jmbrya

Jane,

The Leopard print tutus were very easy to make. I will be happy to send you the instructions. You can contact me at judy_bryant@yahoo.com.

You.have.just.made.my.day!

Woohoo!

Jane

[2789_DrT]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

"We've got this." You've got this, 2789. Keep it. With great pride and deep humility, Rock on 2789, Jane
P.S. Enjoy Chesapeake. There's some good people out there.

Thank you to Norm for recognizing our team as a veteran team. Thanks to FRC 148 and to Team Appreciate (2468) for providing our Alamo pit crew with valuable technical assistance throughout the Alamo Regional. Special thanks to Scott and Team Appreciate for letting our team work in your machine shop during the last week crunch prior to the Alamo Regional.

Thank you again Jane for all your high praise and well wishes. I really value your recognition because you understand what we are trying to do: build a sustainable program with a great culture that develops tomorrow's leaders. Jane, in our rookie season, you inspired us to really DO FIRST. Early on, you inspired our team to use the awards as tools to reflect upon and plan for our team’s growth. We have continued to compete for awards each year and although we haven’t won anything yet, going through the process of writing essays and business plans that take a really hard look at our program has helped our team grow into an organization we can be proud of.

I think we have worked hard enough and put enough down on paper (we've done the math and the writing) that we may be in a position to start helping other FIRST teams. I've felt guilty that our team has not done a lot yet to help other teams, but I've tempered that guilt with the reality that really doing FIRST is very very hard. It took our team a couple years to identify and set realistic goals that align with the competition and its culture and to develop strategies and resources to meet those goals. I am really new to Chief Delphi. I need some help figuring out how we can use this great resource to interact with other programs in ways that are helpful. Any advice there is really welcome.

Finally, I second and third and fourth and fifth all the praise to the FIRST volunteers that made the Alamo Regional a great success. Having a great Regional so close to our team location is HUGE! And having this Regional be THE FIRST Regional where our team made it to the Elimination Rounds is AMAZING AND VERY HUGE! I still get chills thinking about it. And also this Regional is close enough to Manor that some of the people in the stands included our next generation of FIRST-ers. AGAIN, SO HUGE!! We really loved competing at the Alamo Regional and we hope we can continue to compete there for years to come.

[JaneYoung]

Thank you for your kind words, Janice. It is going to be great to have you participate in CD. The potential for a techXsplosion of wisdom has increased significantly.

For instance, your recognition of CD as a great resource for interacting with other teams/programs is a good example. I've created a thread asking for members' suggestions as to how they use it as a resource. Hopefully, it will have some awesome input.

Jane