Why is FIRST moving backward?

[GoDaisy341]

OK so last year I was pretty ticked off that FIRST took video out of the Chairman's Award. This really limited my team to present what we do. I believe that the best way to explain something is through video; a pre-edited sequence of the perfect pictures, video and music. No way to screw it up. However, FIRST, the technology competition, is taking away the technology. And now FIRST is moving even further in the wrong direction by limiting us to Microsoft Word. Please, please FIRST, bring back video next year to the Chairman's Award for the sake of videographers like me all over the country who love their job and get pumped up to make a video that represents their team in an international competition.

[Jedi Padawan]

Let's take a look at this, if you are lucky enought to have a video team they say pictures equal 1,000 words, well for teams that don't have the ability (for lack of money mostly or for lack of mentors or even heaven forbit its students) this is quite an unfair advantage and one that would discourage new teams from even trying to acheive the ultimate goal of earning Chairmans Award. (By the way I am a sort of videographer on lets call it an extremely tight budgeted team this year and I know how much the software needed costs as well as how much time is needed for a good one and your not alone on the want but I see the reason.... plus you can always use your videos for promos in the community)

[Gabriel]

Personally, I thought that the Chairman's award was becoming more about the presentation and less about what the team had actually accomplished. Teams were putting huge amounts of time and money into getting that award, and thats fine, but there are plenty of teams that are just as worthy of the award but don't have the resources to compete on the same level and I think that because they didn't have the resources to do a major production they either ignored the chairman's award altogether. Something like the chairman's award, the highest honor in FIRST, and a representation of everything FIRST stands for HAS to be an even playing field, otherwise FIRST becomes hypocritical.

[ngreen]

Think about how you present yourself in the real world. Whether it be for a scholarship or for a job. Most will ask that you present a resume and then follow up with an interview. Most resumes are one to two pages, we get four. We also have interviews to present ourselves too. I think this way makes it easier for FIRST to make the best choice and not the flashiest on a tape. They take the team with the best credentials and personality for the award.

As for extra video footage. Last year my team created a thirty-minute i-movie which we ran parts of in our pit, we use it for promotions around my town and state, and we even put it onto dvd and sold some as a small fundraiser.

As for the move to MSWord. It has to deal with accessabilty. Most everyone can use MSWord or convert to it. And possibly that Microsoft is a big sponsor of FIRST influence their decision.

[Jedi Padawan]

Originally Posted by Gabriel

Personally, I thought that the Chairman's award was becoming more about the presentation and less about what the team had actually accomplished. Teams were putting huge amounts of time and money into getting that award, and thats fine, but there are plenty of teams that are just as worthy of the award but don't have the resources to compete on the same level and I think that because they didn't have the resources to do a major production they either ignored the chairman's award altogether. Something like the chairman's award, the highest honor in FIRST, and a representation of everything FIRST stands for HAS to be an even playing field, otherwise FIRST becomes hypocritical.

Good example for this one a particular team last year was mentoring 7 other teams last year with at least 2 or 3 lego teams and worked thier butts off for the community, they had very little time after that due to the fact they were either working on the bot or presenting to another group and so they get the usuall notebook ready (limited in resources) and come to realize the judges don't even take hardly a glance at the notebook which includes statistics and other data showing that this team has taken leaps and bounds towards completing Chairmans prerequisites. Come to find out they used an outdated old website that the team didn't have time to update (seeing as thier webmaster was thier lead programmer and electrical guy (plus forum person etc..)) . so in video and other things it really limited teams who would work in the community and yet didn't have the time/resources to devote to things like videos etc. so they didn't have the extras and as a result that year lost chairmans and got shafted despite the fact both the winning team and a few of the losing teams definately deserved at least mention.
As far as the videos we do (when we have money) are produced usuallyto go towards doing stuff in the community like educating fundraising little stuff like that that helps the community understand... at least that's its point with us.

[Mike Soukup]

Originally Posted by Jedi Padawan

Good example for this one a particular team last year was mentoring 7 other teams last year with at least 2 or 3 lego teams and worked thier butts off for the community, they had very little time after that due to the fact they were either working on the bot or presenting to another group and so they get the usuall notebook ready (limited in resources that year too) and come to realize the judges don't even take hardly a glance at the notebook which includes statistics and other data showing that this team has taken leaps and bounds towards completing Chairmans prerequisites. Come to find out they used an outdated old website that the team didn't have time to update (seeing as thier webmaster was thier lead programmer and electrical guy (plus forum person etc..)) so a team with a kickbutt website and just a few things done won that regional not to mention they had a PR person on staff who's only job is to win chairmans. so in video and other things it really limited teams who would work in the community and yet didn't have the time/resources to devote to things like videos etc. plus the videos we've produced usually go to doing stuff in the community like educating fundraising little stuff like that that helps the community understand... at least that's its point with us.

Please never say that a team is not deserving of an award they won. You can say that another team got shafted and should have been recognized, but never say that the team that won it got it only because they had a flashy website or presentation or an adult that did all the work. Definitely not gracious.

[Jedi Padawan]

Originally Posted by Mike Soukup

Please never say that a team is not deserving of an award they won. You can say that another team got shafted and should have been recognized, but never say that the team that won it got it only because they had a flashy website or presentation or an adult that did all the work. Definitely not gracious.

Reply sorry that was not the intent, the intent was that alot of good teams are competing and that some have more resources than others, and I know several teams have gotten shafted with lack of resources technologically. that was the intent, that particular team won it fair and square for that years rules as to what they could do and I say well done to them, in fact I would have loved it if they had won national chairmans. I'm sorry If I came off ungraciously that was not it's intent.

[Marygrace]

Moving backward? I dont believe FIRST is moving backward. There intent wasn't to deprive you of using the technology your team feels you excel at. I look at the whole thing as a good thing, one of the reasons they probably did this is because more and more teams were applying for the Chairman's Award meaning they dont have time to watch everyone's video,

*COUGH* *means FIRST is expanding* *COUGH*

Ahem, excuse me.

N-e ways, I also agree with what has been said, not all teams have the technology to make fantastic videos, so they dont have a chance to compete with the other teams trying to get the Chairmans Award. They dont look as professional and can't make it all flashy and pretty. I am all for the current 4pg way of judging the Chairmans award. Puts everyone at a level playing field. Now, just because it is 4 pages of information, doesn't mean you can't make it exciting.

2003 Beach Cities Robotics Chairman's Award Pages 1 2 3 4

You can still play around with your resources, and make an excellent entry, you dont need the music and narration.

PS The point of the CHairman's award is to show your contribution to awareness of FIRST in the community, not to impress people with your videographer skills.

[Schaffer]

I think that the Chairman's Award should be given based on the good work done by the team. However, In the "real world", presentation does carry a heavy weight on what is awarded; there is a reason why you wear a suit to a job interview. Creativity and professional presentation skills are important.

Does anyone have a suggestion how FIRST could still award Chairman's based on the team's efforts in their community, but still foster creativity by giving students that "go the extra mile" with video or other media an incentive to hone their communication skills?

[Koko Ed]

Perhaps the limiting of the use of tools in creating the Chairman's Award is a challange to the creator artistically to use the tool in a unique way. Word is not as limited as you think and the most creative minds will see that and put it to use. Complaining about the challange only sets up a barrier to the goal of success before you have even tried to achieve that success. FIRST loves to throw down the gauntlet and challange teams to creatively solve problems and this is just another challange to make the most out of a little. Perhaps they want to see just how resourceful your team truly is. Don't knock it til you've tried it.

[KenWittlief]

"we must move forwards, not backwards
upwards, not forwards
and always twirling, twirling towards the future" -Kronos from the simpsons

the only basis on which a team should be awarded the chairmans award is the content of the submission, not the way in which it is presented

If I serve you roadkill on gold and silver plates and utensiles on a silk tablecloth, its still roadkill

and salmon tastes just as good on a paper plate as it does on fine china.

Dont worry about the presentation for the chairmans award

and dont fret about your video skills - there are far more ways you can use them to promote FIRST besides a chairmans award submission.

[Joe Ross]

First of all, I don't think that by limiting your submission to Word, FIRST has really limited you more then last year. If you want to do your chairman's award submission in something else, there are multiple ways of importing that into word. If all else fails, take a screenshot and import that graphic to word.

However, FIRST may be shooting themselves in the foot with the e-mail submission. Last year, due to a bug in word, team 330's chairman's award submission was 88 megabytes. When zipped, it was only slightly smaller. I don't know of a single e-mail system that will send or receive 88 megabyte attachments correctly.

[GoDaisy341]

I do have to say that after reading all of the responses that I am a little dissapointed. I am well aware that some teams don't have the capability of video and my statement was not to require the use of video in the submission. What I was stating is that we should not be held back from using it. The only thing that I could think of that would keep FIRST from letting us use video is that they couldn't handle the file size or the frame size of the videos that many teams put together. There are easy ways around such a problem (like if a team opts to do video they could mandate that it be on a VHS or a DVD), but apparantly FIRST doesn't want to deal with it at all. I just find it strange that they could find a very easy solution but they decide not to.

[KenWittlief]

I would guess that maybe FIRST wants teams to spend their limited time and energy on things that earn you a chairmans award, instead of spending many hours putting together a video about why you think you have earned a chairmans award

maybe?

the submission is really just talking about what you have done

this might be their way of saying, spend more time doing, less time talking about it?

or I could be full of beans! :^)

[IMDWalrus]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

I would guess that maybe FIRST wants teams to spend their limited time and energy on things that earn you a chairmans award, instead of spending many hours putting together a video about why you think you have earned a chairmans award

maybe?

the submission is really just talking about what you have done

this might be their way of saying, spend more time doing, less time talking about it?

or I could be full of beans! :^)

I think Ken's got it perfectly. Focus on actually DOING the things that win you the Chairman's Award...not on the presentation.

Just a reminder: winning the Chairman's Award isn't very important. What really matters is getting out there and improving your community. Helping others should always come first...the Chairman's Award is just one way of recognizing the fact that you've done that.