Improvements to the Dean's List. Your Ideas?

[JaneYoung]

Super post, Jared.

I want to talk about your last comment which included: "How much cultural change is this person/team really affecting?"

That could be as simple as changing the culture of the team. Sometimes, the contributions and attitude of a team member can go a very long way towards changing the culture of a team. In doing so, the team is strengthened in ways it could not have been and can venture into other opportunities that involve making deeper cuts into the swath of cultural changes.

It has been my understanding through the years, that members of the FIRST community felt that an award for students was needed and that it would be inspired by the Woodie Flowers Award that is awarded to worthy mentors who are nominated and selected. The mentors who have garnered the award at the finalist level - have earned the judges' respect, attention, and decisions. When we read the essays that teams so graciously share with the FIRST community - we find that inspiration is the common thread connecting all of the essays and all of the candidates. It is the same with the Dean's List Award.

When the Dean's List Award was first introduced, we knew that it would take a few seasons for it to come into its own - especially given the way in which it was initially introduced. We knew, at the time, that it had wonderful potential. As a community of thinkers, we need to honor that potential and give it the flexibility and freedom that the Woodie Flowers Award has at District and Regional level. When the WFFAs are nominated for the Championship level, then we see and recognize a different level of potential and impact when the award is decided and the winner is announced. Much like the Chairman's Award contenders at Championship level.

It's a process of elimination led by inspiration.

Jane