Team 1676 Petition For a FIRST Robotics U.S. Postal Stamp

[Hallry]

This year, FRC Team 1676, The Pascack Pi-oneers, is working to obtain an official U.S. postage stamp for FIRST. This process is quite involved and requires:

1) the submission of a stamp proposal at least three years in advance of the proposed date of issue

2) the review of this proposal by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

3) either the rejection or the consideration of the proposal.

Since proposals need to be submitted at least three years in advance, we’re submitting ours with the suggested date of issue for 2016, which will be the 25th year of FIRST Robotics games.

The Pascack Pi-oneers are asking for the support of the FIRST community! We have been keeping Dean Kamen informed of our progress on this project, and we hope it’s a great success. Please sign the online petition found below (and encourage your teammates to sign, as well!). We will then attach the signed petition to our stamp proposal letter.

To sign our petition, please visit: https://www.change.org/petitions/cit...first-robotics

Thank you all in advance for your amazing support!

[Sean Raia]

Interesting. I signed it, good luck!

[Richard Wallace]

Signed and tweeted.

[Libby K]

Signed, tweeted, and facebook'ed.
I know you said you've emailed Dean; but definitely email this information to marketing@usfirst.org if you haven't already - they'll help you get the word out.

[DampRobot]

Interesting idea. I had no idea that citizens could submit their own stamp ideas. Signed.

Does the change.org petition imply that if the petition gets 100 signatures, then the idea will be considered?

[Joe Ross]

I saw the following on the wikipedia page for the Citizens's Stamp Advisory Committee. It seems like it will be a tough sell.

CSAC treats every proposal the same way, regardless of any professional lobbying efforts, letter-writing campaigns, petitions, and/or appeals to influential politicians.

11. The following are not considered eligible for commemoration: government agencies, localities, non-profit organizations, associations, and similar entities.

When you do write the letter, make sure you describe FIRST and FIRST's impact (students reached in those 25 years, etc).

[KelliV]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

When you do write the letter, make sure you describe FIRST and FIRST's impact (students reached in those 25 years, etc).

Great point. With this said you may want to amend your letter. They may automatically eliminate those that say NFP in them during the first round.

There is nothing saying you can't submit several letters, I would try to also find something that fits within the guidelines but still helps spread the word of FIRST. Like FIRST student/alumni made inventions, foundation leaders (I'm thinking like Juliette Low for Girl Scouts or Dean for FIRST), Famous Robots, or modern day technological leaders.

That's what's awesome about FIRST, it doesn't stand alone and can be brought up in many other topics.

[DonRotolo]

Perhaps instead of commemorating the FIRST organization, which as a nonprofit appears to be ineligible, commemorate the mission of FIRST and it's impact.

[CLandrum3081]

Happily signed

[Calvin Hartley]

Signed, Facebook-ed, Tweeted and Google +ed. Good luck with this! It'll be great!

[Barry Bonzack]

signed. and for the additional "why is this important?" area I put "for SCIENCE!"

[capnrmorgan]

I have been involved with FIRST since the 2005 VEX Product Launch in Atlanta GA. My current involvement with FIRST is focused on promoting Girl Scout FIRST teams and I found this article from the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. I hope this gives you inspiration as Girl Scouting is a non-profit group with a few stamps!

[McGurky]

Originally Posted by capnrmorgan

I have been involved with FIRST since the 2005 VEX Product Launch in Atlanta GA. My current involvement with FIRST is focused on promoting Girl Scout FIRST teams and I found this article from the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. I hope this gives you inspiration as Girl Scouting is a non-profit group with a few stamps!

It is a good point that you brought this up.

I believe that there is little truth to the above quotes from Wikipedia (granted that I did not look at their sources).

Both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts have had commemorative stamps made through the USPS, as well as Disney; For-Profit and Non-Profits alike.

I would say you keep going. Whats the worst that could happen?

[DonRotolo]

Here is a listing of stamp criteria official from the USPS

[Hallry]

We just need a few more signers before we reach 500! Don't forget to send it to others and encourage them to sign after you do! You find the petition here: https://www.change.org/petitions/cit...first-robotics