Student lettering in FRC

[cmrnpizzo14]

Team 3173, the IgKnighters, currently hands out varsity letters to all members from McQuaid Jesuit high school on the robotics team. We unfortunately cannot get letters for any of the members from other schools yet. I can give you a team contact if you want to know more about our process for getting them.

[Debbie]

Originally Posted by S.P.A.M.er

where did you guys order them from??? I want to buy some for my team in honor of our first World Championship win.

Originally Posted by ghostmachine360

We ordered ours from Neff.
http://www.neffco.com/neffco.asp

BX also orders from NEFF. They added the FIRST logo at our request in 2009. It is supposed to be available to all FIRST teams at no additional charge, but is not generally viewable on their website (at least the last time I checked). We insert it onto our letter. Also, they are adding a line of robot type awards thanks to another team that has been working on that (Sorry I cannot remember the number, just talking to the team!) So, ask your NEFF rep about all the robot options. Soon, we will have as many choices as other sports have to choose from.

[Bruce Meyer]

I believe that is team Aperture 3142, Debbie.

[Debbie]

[/center]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

I believe that is team Aperture 3142, Debbie.

The ones sitting in front and right of us at the finals? I was kicking myself for not remembering what team they were with! Thanks!

[theawesome1730]

Team Driven 1730 has had varsity letters for all 7 years we have participated, in order to letter you must be: a dedicated to the team, shown initiative (like leading a sub team, starting a fund-raiser etc) and you must have good grades if I remember correctly

[theawesome1730]

And in my first year I lettered too! One of 3 freshmen to letter this year!

[sgreco]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Yes, exactly. Which part of that doesn't apply directly to FRC? Activity? Physical exertion? Skill? Compete? I'm not sure your words support your premise.

A tomato is still the exact same tomato whether you classify it as a fruit or a vegetable. People seem to get offended when others deny that FIRST is a sport, and my point is more that it doesn't matter. Belonging to the classification of "sport" doesn't make FIRST better. FIRST is still the same great program no matter how you choose to classify it.

I'm not saying it's bad to call it sport, I'm just questioning if it matters. Some people seem to think it is a necessity to the advancement of the program to have it classified as a sport, and I don't.

[RoboMom]

NEMO www.firstnemo.org is very interested in posting a "how to" paper on letters for teams.

Anyone interesting in pulling the info together in a one-pager?

[Siri]

Originally Posted by sgreco

I'm not saying it's bad to call it sport, I'm just questioning if it matters. Some people seem to think it is a necessity to the advancement of the program to have it classified as a sport, and I don't.

I think this depends rather heavily on where the particular expansion is occurring. At the level of broad-spectrum American culture? [unfamiliar with international] FIRST probably doesn't need to an ESPN sport. However, just of the schools/districts I know personally, several give particular benefits to things called "sports" (some include the likes of varsity choir and marching band in here). For instance, earning the right to letter in robotics opens up previously unavailable school funds, teacher stipends, facility rights, and more for the team. I suspect it also impacts things like advertising and recruiting in some places. If nothing else, in schools that consider "varsity" to include more than traditional "sports", lettering gives FIRST a level of credibility I suspect most of us believe it deserves along side music groups and academic teams receiving the same school-based honor.

[Debbie]

Originally Posted by RoboMom

NEMO www.firstnemo.org is very interested in posting a "how to" paper on letters for teams.

Anyone interesting in pulling the info together in a one-pager?

We are working on collecting a database of info on this over the summer. If that is soon enough, we can do it.

[Carolyn_Grace]

Originally Posted by sgreco

A tomato is still the exact same tomato whether you classify it as a fruit or a vegetable. People seem to get offended when others deny that FIRST is a sport, and my point is more that it doesn't matter. Belonging to the classification of "sport" doesn't make FIRST better. FIRST is still the same great program no matter how you choose to classify it.

I'm not saying it's bad to call it sport, I'm just questioning if it matters. Some people seem to think it is a necessity to the advancement of the program to have it classified as a sport, and I don't.

It doesn't particularly matter to me personally, but earning a varsity letter is outside the premise this debate.

Varsity letters are given out for many many different things these days besides just athletics. Like someone else pointed out: Marching Bands and Choirs often award varsity letters, and many schools award them for high academics as well.

When a student earns a varsity letter, it is then socially acceptable to get a varsity jacket to go along with it. So for many students, if their main extra-curricular activity is robotics, it would be a huge bummer to not have the chance to get a varsity jacket.

[DevinW]

After taking a quick read through this, I really want to try and get varsity letters for future students at my school! It seems like a great idea, and though I've thought of it before, I have never actually decided to mention it. I think I'm going to try and work to get Varsity letters for the deserving members of the team, thanks for the push, everyone who posted.

[techedguy]

Our administration supported it, I was a sports coach when I started FIRST and continued to be one until this past year. I put some real requirements on it and it was approved pretty easily:

1) 150+ hours active participation during build season.
2) 2nd Year of participation, attending at least 50% of competitions (if we have more than 1 - if only 1 competition, they need to be there.
3) 2.0 GPA (Athletic participation requirement for our district) minimum maintained during years of participation (not cumulative - annual)
4) 'Pay it Forward' - Lettermen are required to have mentored an FLL or FTC team for their season or worked Summer Robotics Camps with kids. Notes from the FLL or FTC coach are required proof of positive participation.
5) Team PR/Community Event participation requirement.

1st Year Senior exception: Mentors and coach can eliminate the 2 year requirement for those senior members whose contributions are considered exceptional for their season of participation. This member needs to exemplify the spirit of the program. (This has only been done twice in 4 years).

One year I only lettered 1 member of the team despite having 5 seniors graduating - some with multiple years. I have been committed to 'close doesn't count' - you don't cheapen it by letting someone slide on a requirement - ever. I considered the following definition while determining the criteria, the 'no exception' stance, and have been clear with students and parents about it.

Wikipedia: A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met

[RoboMom]

Visit http://www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm for the latest resource paper.
"Thinking about Varsity Letters for your Robotics Team?"

Thanks to all who contributed in this thread and over the years on this topic. The goal was to just create a one-page document directing people to all the legwork already done by teams.

[Jon Stratis]

I just noticed this popped up on my feed again, and while it isn't exactly timely (seeing as these announcements happened a while ago), two relevant announcements from MN:

A big announcement: FIRST Robotics in Minnesota is now included in the Minnesota State High School League! The recognition from the MN State High School League [...]

http://www.mnfirst.org/news/08282011#

The production slide and ordering information for the new Minnesota FIRST Robotics Lettering Patch is now available. All Minnesota FIRST teams [...]

http://www.mnfirst.org/news/05292012

So, in MN at least, Robotics is on the same level as sports and other extra curricular activities, and has its own officially sanctioned lettering patch. This goes beyond a single team lettering at their school... it's state wide!