WFFA limits at District CMP

[Jon Stratis]

It is rather nice to have all the nominees recognized like that. At the regional level, you never k ow who was nominated, just who won. At least here in MN we also do a "mentor parade", having all the mentors parade across the field and line up around it right before the award is given out. It's a rather cool thing, I don't know if it's done elsewhere as well.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

At the two events I attended, two different things happened.
1. At Blacksburg, they posted all the names on one slide of a PowerPoint. They did not announce the names. The names were so small we couldn't read them.

2. At Doswell, I think they skipped the slide.


I feel they should have three awards come DCMP. It only makes sense.

BTW:there wasn't a volunteer award at either event. FIRST needs to take every opportunity to highlight and thank all the volunteers that make FIRST work. They shouldn't be reducing them.

I think VoY is the only thing that FIRST is limiting here. I would not be surprised if the WFA committee asked for FIRST to have districts help the faucet of WFFA winners turn to a trickle so they are not covering what would literally be 100 essays every year. It's not a decision that I would agree with but I don't think we are in a position to affect change there.

I don't know everything you are including on your Week 4 survey and it's tangential to this tangent, but in mine I said that comparing the AV crew in NCASH to VABLA/VADOS, FIRST Chesapeake probably isn't getting a real bang for their buck w/r/t quality and consistency of the AV production.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

At the two events I attended, two different things happened.
1. At Blacksburg, they posted all the names on one slide of a PowerPoint. They did not announce the names. The names were so small we couldn't read them.

2. At Doswell, I think they skipped the slide.


I feel they should have three awards come DCMP. It only makes sense.

BTW:there wasn't a volunteer award at either event. FIRST needs to take every opportunity to highlight and thank all the volunteers that make FIRST work. They shouldn't be reducing them.

I believe that nominees are only mentioned at the team's first district event - so perhaps the only teams that had nominated a WFFA candidate had already attended an event?

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I think VoY is the only thing that FIRST is limiting here. I would not be surprised if the WFA committee asked for FIRST to have districts help the faucet of WFFA winners turn to a trickle so they are not covering what would literally be 100 essays every year. It's not a decision that I would agree with but I don't think we are in a position to affect change there.

It's actually more than that, I think, since previous winners are allowed to be resubmitted. I believe each team only gets to nominate one WFFA recipient for WFA consideration every year if I remember correctly.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I believe that nominees are only mentioned at the team's first district event - so perhaps the only teams that had nominated a WFFA candidate had already attended an event?

That might be how it is done in New England but this is a procedure that is either not regulated or not being followed where Matt and I competed. I'm assuming it's the first one.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I believe that nominees are only mentioned at the team's first district event - so perhaps the only teams that had nominated a WFFA candidate had already attended an event?

They're recognized at whichever event the team submitted the award for. Given that the essay deadline doesn't change and there's no interview process to account for, I suspect most teams just pick the first event.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

They're recognized at whichever event the team submitted the award for. Given that the essay deadline doesn't change and there's no interview process to account for, I suspect most teams just pick the first event.

There were teams who were at thier first event.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

There were teams who were at thier first event.

Not every team submits WFFA.

[Maldridge422]

At least at the Northern VA Event, the slide was not customized for the event. It listed all the submissions in the district, including teams not present in Haymarket.

See @~3:42

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Maldridge422

At least at the Northern VA Event, the slide was not customized for the event. It listed all the submissions in the district, including teams not present in Haymarket.

See @~3:42

The same was true in Blacksburg.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

They're recognized at whichever event the team submitted the award for. Given that the essay deadline doesn't change and there's no interview process to account for, I suspect most teams just pick the first event.

I'm confused - do district teams submit WFFAs to district events, even though you only have one winner at district champs? Why?

[Joe G.]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I'm confused - do district teams submit WFFAs to district events, even though you only have one winner at district champs? Why?

At least in New England, you submit to a specific district, and the nominee is recognized there (this recognition has varied from being called down to the field individually, to simply being put on a slide with all the other nominees). The award is only given to one mentor at DCMP. As far as I know, this recognition is the only thing driven by the event the award is submitted to.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Joe G.

At least in New England, you submit to a specific district, and the nominee is recognized there (this recognition has varied from being called down to the field individually, to simply being put on a slide with all the other nominees). The award is only given to one mentor at DCMP. As far as I know, this recognition is the only thing driven by the event the award is submitted to.

WHICH is precisely why these standards need to exist. /grumpy

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I'm confused - do district teams submit WFFAs to district events, even though you only have one winner at district champs? Why?

My assumption would be because you're not registered for your DCMP in TIMS at the time the submission is due.

[Chris Fultz]

District teams submit at any district event they are attending.

They are recognized at the event where they are submitted.

We are working to make it standardized, and i believe many of the District events now introduce and ask the nominees to stand and be recognized.

Then there is one District WFFA selected from all of the submissions, and that is announced at the District CHP.

I agree with the statement that the nomination from a team is a great honor.

I also agree with the statement that not all teams nominate someone.

[Sperkowsky]

What if there was some sort of level 3 woodie flowers award. Just a small piece of paper likes deans list that way it recognizes the mentor with something physical but doesn't cost an arm and a leg. WFFA has to be one of the most expensive awards to give out with the trophy and banner.