Congrats Andy Baker!!!

[Andy Baker]

Thank you all.

I am still in shock.

A big, long thank you note will be written shortly.

Andy B.

[Josh Hambright]

Andy your my hero!!!!

Keep on rocking and rolling and what not!!!!!

I <3 Andy. Dont make me start my team mates cheering again.


I need to scan your autograph i got

[Raul]

Congratulations Andy!

Ever since our first alliance in 1999, I have been very impressed with the way you represent the ideals of FIRST. It would be hard for me to list all the great things that you have done that I have witnessed. DJ obviously did a great job of this and I'm sure he has witnessed many more. It would be great to see the submission posted in the white paper section so everyone can appreciate all that you have done, not just for your team, but for the FIRST community.

Hope to see you again soon.

[Kyle Hughes]

Andy -

Live it up! Winning this award is a once in a lifetime experience. I remembered feeling like an instant hero in one day. A celebrity in the lives of mathematics, science and technology! It is toooooo cooooool!

Absorb every minute. Write down your thoughts - keep them for a "rainy day", for this is truly the greatest experience and you need to remember it forever!

Andy, I am so proud of you!

Kyle

[Steve Yasick]

Andy,

Congratulations! I can't think of a more deserving person. I am proud to know you.

Steve Yasick
Team 85

[Joe Matt]

Congrats to Andy B for winning and DJ for putting it all together!

WOW!

[Mike Soukup]

Let me join in the long list of people congratulating you Andy. This thread alone should be a sign that you are more than deserving of the award. You have touched and inspired so many people, including me. I look at your team as an example and a model for all FIRST teams. I constantly wonder why we can't be more like the Technokats. You are the reason team 45 and many of the other Indiana teams are so successful. I strive to be as good a mentor as you are. See you soon, and don't be surprised if I call or email you for advice this summer.

As a few others have said, this means you can never quit FIRST

[Christina47]

congrats andy. deserved it. =)

[Kit Gerhart]

I had the chance to congratulate Andy when his winning of the Woodie Flowers award was announced, but want to congratulate him here as well. Andy has done so much to make TechnoKats what the team is today. He joined the team in 1998. and those who were around at the time know that the previous few years were not good ones for our team. Andy's various skills, including engineering, game strategy, and coaching helped us win the Championship in '98. There were others, to be sure, including Mark Coors who designed the arm on the machine, and Tim Railey, the team's lead teacher since 1992. Also we had an awesome driver and equally awesome button pusher, and many other people too numerous to mention who contributed to our success in '98. Still, Andy was one of the most important people in our competition success in '98 and subsequent years, and Andy may well have done more to "bring the team together" than any other person after some not-so-good years for our team.

Since then, Andy has turned TechnoKats in a team known throughout the FIRST community for helping other teams. He publishes our designs, gives away spare parts to other teams who need them, and helps new teams get started, and not just those near Kokomo, Indiana. Also, on a number of occasions he has been seen in other teams' pits helping them fix their robots when they need and want help. Andy is responsible for Kokomo's remote kickoff, and the list of his contributions to the FIRST community goes on.

Andy, you deserved it, and DJ Fluck deserves lots of credit for presenting Andy's case well enough to win out over all those other good candidates whose cases were presented in that pile of letters the judges had to go through.

[Ellery]

Andy,

On behalf of the Xerox FIRST community and the Rochester FIRST Coalition I'd like to Congratualte you on your Woodie Flower's Award. You have definitley been a major contributor to the FIRST community for all these years and a great guy in general.

Ellery Wong

191 X-CATS

[Paul Copioli]

Andy,

As I said on Saturday, I will say it now: There is no one more deserving of this award than you. You are what this world needs: a hero kids of all ages and backgrounds can look up to.

I am a better person today than before I met you, because of how you touched my life. I thank-you and a great big congratulations.

Your Friend,

Paul

P.S. - Did anyone else notice Andy wearing the Thunderchicken hat as he went up for the award?

Originally posted by Paul Copioli
P.S. - Did anyone else notice Andy wearing the Thunderchicken hat as he went up for the award?

Ha! I saw it and I was wearing mine too...thanks for the hats Paul!

[Redhead Jokes]

Originally posted by Raul
It would be hard for me to list all the great things that you have done that I have witnessed. DJ obviously did a great job of this and I'm sure he has witnessed many more. It would be great to see the submission posted in the white paper section so everyone can appreciate all that you have done, not just for your team, but for the FIRST community.

Posters...altho I'm familiar with Andy on this site, I'd like to hear from you a little description of what's he's done that touched your life,

and I hope that white paper is posted.

[Pamela]

Andy-

I would just like to say congratulations on winning, I cannot think of one person in FIRST that deserves this over you. You are an insperation and role model to all those on Chief Delphi, you have helped to shape the FIRST community into the caring, helpful, friendly group it is today. I hope you have many more years to come in this program because you truly are a legend and an incredible person. Keep up the good work!

[Sean_330]

Andy, congrats on your award! You deserve it more than anyone!