Poll: Team Recognition

[Paradox1350]

We go to a private school. Our School really, for the most part, tried to act like we didn't exist until they saw the bot and heard that we won Rookie All Star. After that they realized that we are good, smart kids that did a ton of work, and that it would be a selling point for the school that we have this awesome robot team. Now they're all like "Go robot!"

Every student we talk to about what we did is like "Woooooow . . . " It's only the administration tha'ts like "eh." *Shrug*

We on Team 1097 make it a point to refer to ourselves as a TEAM, so at least in our own minds we are classified differently from an average recreational school club, which is basically what our school saw us as until our recent performance at Sacramento.

There wasn't much enthusiasm about robotics during our rookie year, especially because our school takes so much pride in its reputation for athletics. It seems like most schools want to see solid results, either in placement or awards, before they'll consider more support for a FIRST team, but judging from previous posts, I guess even solid veteran teams have a hard time getting recognition.

It's quite surprising how narrow-minded some people can be, but I've come to believe that changing stubborn minds and generating enthusiasm for your team is part of the FIRST experience.

[codeoftherobot]

You got that right Harry. Now maybe we can get our awards in the case and a banner on the gym wall next to the 2 hundred other championship banners...

[FadyS.]

We got one and a half yearbook pages (we paid $250 for the extra page on the yearbook) and some recognition on the annoucements. We also got $250 support from the SAC (student activity council). We got 4 buses of spectators going to see us at the Canadian Regional (288 people roughly). Our team is off to a slow start this rookie year, but I'm hoping the exposure we get from the spectators will make the difference.

[kjohnson]

We don't really get much attention from the students, but the assistant principal and the superintendant have come and watched us practice and the superintendent even came to the regional. This year they're going to let us take the practice field up on the stage and demonstrate what the robot had to do, and show the powerpoints that we're working on so they can see actual pictures and video from the competition.

Most kids are just tired of us wearing our team shirts all the time, even though its only on Fridays.

[J Flex 188]

Fady, you are kidding me!... 288 people from your school going to the CR?!? thats incredible!!.. all the more reason why CR is the premier regional this year. dont worry, you guys have been doing incredible for a rookie team, and im sure the super school support i always see and hear about at ACI will come through at CR. Seriously cant wait

as for WCI, we get money from the SAC as well, and a yearbook page as well. We have no letters or varsity jackets etc..and its kind of just another club at WCI. heheh

Originally Posted by FadyS.

We got one and a half yearbook pages (we paid $250 for the extra page on the yearbook) and some recognition on the annoucements. We also got $250 support from the SAC (student activity council). We got 4 buses of spectators going to see us at the Canadian Regional (288 people roughly). Our team is off to a slow start this rookie year, but I'm hoping the exposure we get from the spectators will make the difference.

[FadyS.]

Originally Posted by J Flex 188

Fady, you are kidding me!... 288 people from your school going to the CR?!? thats incredible!!.. all the more reason why CR is the premier regional this year. dont worry, you guys have been doing incredible for a rookie team, and im sure the super school support i always see and hear about at ACI will come through at CR. Seriously cant wait

as for WCI, we get money from the SAC as well, and a yearbook page as well. We have no letters or varsity jackets etc..and its kind of just another club at WCI. heheh

Well, yea, 288 people if we get all 4 buses full. Not everybody has handed in their permission forms yet.

[tribotec_ca88]

Well Team 1382 (ETEP Technology High School, São José dos Campos, BrAzIL!!!) has actually received a whooole lot of attention! We are literally the *Elite* students at our school, I suppose (with the exception of me, of course, i'm no genius), all the kids worship us (although some spit behind our backs) and everything we touch turns to gold...anything involving robotics, anyway! (LoL) Just kidding!!!
But we do get a lot of attention, and it's great. Teachers & staff are so supportive and most students are too. I'm proud of the impact we've had on our school, it's really made people look at us and treat us differently...We've been on national media (Rede Globo, which is like ABC/NBC in the States). That's been pretty helpful...Johnson & our school have contributed financially to the project, and being on tv/newspapers/magazines & all makes money look like it grows on trees!!!
I guess it's because we dont have any sports teams at all at our school, and we dont take "normal classes" (we learn electronics, mechanics, computer science, telecommunications, etc) so our school values FIRST so much more than any other regular high school would...
But I feel soooo bad for American schools that dont receive any credit for their efforts...nearly every team works just as hard as the next and its sad to know that in some cases their not being recognized for it!!! But just wait! I agree that FIRST will take over the world someday! WhooHoo!

[LauraN]

Originally Posted by tribotec_ca88

I guess it's because we dont have any sports teams at all at our school, and we dont take "normal classes" (we learn electronics, mechanics, computer science, telecommunications, etc) so our school values FIRST so much more than any other regular high school would...

Well now that sounds familiar. My school is a "pre-engineering academy." PLTW is required cirriculum for frosh and soph years and it was like pulling teeth to get the administration to agree to having a drama club because it wasn't directly related to our school's "theme" (and yes they call it a theme).

That said, I think a lot of our support comes from the local administration. It's very odd, but it seems like it only comes from one level. Our district is very strict about things like class trips and spending money =P so it's a bit of a project to get forms and permission to go to regionals (forget nationals) and all that. But our "local" administration, like our principal, is really supportive. We get excused absences for competitions and we display our robot at our freshman orientations. (Someone drives it around with a box of programs on it and incoming students are told to "please take a program from our school's robot." Haha it's like the epitmoe of geekiness, it's great.)

But then, when you get to the student level...well, they're either on the team or couldn't care less. =) I dunno if I have a whole lot to complain about though. We were at the SBPLI regional and the judges were asking about the size of our team. We said we were pretty small, we could stretch the number to about 25 if you included everyone who only showed up at a few meetings. Later on the in the conversation we mentioned the size of our school (250 students) and the judge said, "well, then 10% of your school is on FIRST."

Excellent point. =) Heehee.

As far as other aspects of the school go: We get just as much yearbook space as everyone else (right next to TSA, Physics League, Math Club...haha) and we're featured in the school paper every once in awhile. Our school announcements are student run, so basically if you want to talk about how our team did at a regional, you just show up in the broadcast room the next morning and tell the SGA President to let you get some camera time and you're in.

And yes our annoucements are video. =)

[fred]

Our school is sort of a mixed bag so to speak. Our board is sort of weird. Just the other day, they sent home a letter that said that if something in PA state legislature gets passed, they may have to shut down ALL extra-curricular activities. sounds like manure (or other word) to me because just a couple years ago, they spent like a million bucks on getting Nexturf for our football field and about 1/2 mill just this year cause the lights on the field are "too bright." However, we do get on the announcements and stuff and I don't think we get a lot of resistance to going away although I'm not the coach so I don't know everything that is going on. Grades do have to be up for us to go on trips, but that's a given.

Yearbook I think we got a page or two last year, but my name and one other team member's name was spelled wrong and my name has 4 letters (but it's not fred). I guess our board is okay, but our coach does have to do a lot of campaigning and arguing for us.

I think this whole thread is pathetic in that the schools shouldn't be needed to be argued with to support an organization like FIRST. I mean, what is school for anyway. I am not the hardest-working school student and stuff, but I do work a lot on robotics stuff. As for other students at school, they see battle bots and missing school. Nothing about what really goes on. I.E., us winning the Chairmans Award twice in a row means nothing to most students even though it probably gives our high school a great reputation in the FIRST community.

[Steve P]

Originally Posted by FadyS.

Well, yea, 288 people if we get all 4 buses full. Not everybody has handed in their permission forms yet.

Thats tremendous wether or not you get the full 288. I'd doubt that 288 of the 1000+ students at my school even KNEW we had a robotics club.

[Jay H 237]

We did get a photo in the yearbook this year, I'm unsure of other years. At best it would be half a page. Since we were one of the winners of the 2004 New Jersey regional (see my sig) the school board also gave out cirtificates to the students on our team. Our banners from all the comps we won were hanging in the gym but only one is left now from 2002. All the others were "stolen".

[Ashley Weed]

At my alma mater which as one of many active schools on the team, we were never truely thought of as a school club or organization. In the beginning students nor factulty knew the team existed. However, as time passed while I was in high school we tried to spread the word. Members of the team had close friends on the newspaper staff and we tried to at least be known. We had (two that I recall) "walk-throughs" which athletes get when they qualify for states; one which was when the team left for Nationals 2002, and one was when we won Ramp Riot 2002.
On a side note: the thing that bothered me the most was when we started to bring in awards. We had a great idea, that for one week school A would display them, and then they would travel to school B, and so on. This worked out perfectly right till the end of the year. However, my school would not display them in one of their numerous cases, and would not be responsiable for them being on display in the office.

[RoteAugen]

until now, my team has had next to no recognition whatsoever save for that of other robotics teams and our sponsors.... and the occasional boston comedian we bribe to come to our town for a fundraiser

[BerserkerSpyke]

We have a fair-weather school... they give us barely any money but when we won chairmans and our mentor won woodie flowers:
1. We got a seperate announcement during First period
2. We all got notes of congratulations personally signed by the principle
3. They are displaying OUR trophies in the main office
I really hope they keep the good attitude about the team... maybe they will think about giving us more money next year...