[FRC Blog] The Woodie Flowers Award and Two FRC Championships

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

Now, the claim from you and others that we recognize less mentors today than before is just plain incorrect. The WFAs have set direction that at every district event the nominees at that event for the district champs are to be called down on the field and recognized.

For what it's worth, this isn't what has happened at both NE events I went to. Names are shown on the screen and people are asked to stand for applause, and then the ceremony continues. No one is called on by name or called to the stage. If it's the WFA committee's intent that ceremonies at district events are more substantial than this, that's not what's happening. It just feels like a passing announcement thing and certainly not even close to the recognition a regional WFFA would get. The District Championship WFFA award feels exactly like a regional WFFA award; these two things together make it really feel like there is less recognition of mentors in districts and not more. Maybe if ceremonies are tweaked so WFFA nominees are brought to the floor and called by name at districts, the feeling of recognition will be spread around more.

I know lots of thought has been put into the WFA process and it's hard to criticize it from the outside, but I just wanted to point this out.

[Siri]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

For what it's worth, this isn't what has happened at both NE events I went to. Names are shown on the screen and people are asked to stand for applause, and then the ceremony continues. No one is called on by name or called to the stage.

Sometimes not even this has happened historically--no standing or no slide at all--at least not at a major ceremony. Not pointing fingers and it's possible it does occur at a less visible break, but overall I wouldn't say there's much recognition in the ways I've seen on average.

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by Siri

Sometimes not even this has happened historically--no standing or no slide at all--at least not at a major ceremony. Not pointing fingers and it's possible it does occur at a less visible break, but overall I wouldn't say there's much recognition in the ways I've seen on average.

At the three GA Districts that I attended this year (Columbus, Albany, and KSU), only one (KSU) showed a slide of the finalists for the Peachtree WFFA. I do not know if this was ALL the mentors who applied, or just the mentors which remained after the district level.

I agree with the idea of ensuring that, at every event, each nominated mentor is, at a minimum, asked to stand as their name is called.

[Jon Stratis]

Here in MN, we have a "mentor parade" immediately prior to the WFFA. The mentors all group according to years of service, and walk in a parade across the field, wrapping around it at the end. Then previous WFFA's are called back to the field, the new WFFA is announced, and he/she comes out to shake hands and receive the award. Something like this could easily be adopted to the district format, having all of the nominees walk out separately for a round of applause.

[Siri]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

Here in MN, we have a "mentor parade" immediately prior to the WFFA. The mentors all group according to years of service, and walk in a parade across the field, wrapping around it at the end. Then previous WFFA's are called back to the field, the new WFFA is announced, and he/she comes out to shake hands and receive the award. Something like this could easily be adopted to the district format, having all of the nominees walk out separately for a round of applause.

This has happened at MAR DChamps (and I want to say it happened at a pre-District regional), but not district events. It's really driven down visibility and overall--apparently across several districts if not more. There seems to be a common method across the mentioned districts though: does anyone know where this may have come from and how? We now understand it's not through the WFA committee, but where's the disconnect? It's certainly understandable that the districts would want a to shorten the ceremony or discuss other concerns, but whatever it is apparently didn't reach the committee.

Another note in terms of the WFFA slide - there are at least a few cases in which nominees have not been on the slide. I don't know where the slides come from, and sometimes the MC will find out and correct it verbally. I'm not sure it's always caught though, or at least not immediately. There was a scattered misunderstanding that district events have their own selection tier based on the missing names.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

Here in MN, we have a "mentor parade" immediately prior to the WFFA. The mentors all group according to years of service, and walk in a parade across the field, wrapping around it at the end. Then previous WFFA's are called back to the field, the new WFFA is announced, and he/she comes out to shake hands and receive the award. Something like this could easily be adopted to the district format, having all of the nominees walk out separately for a round of applause.

SoCal, too. Though we add the previous WFFA winners passing the mic around and giving name, year, event, and team somewhere in the middle.