Who would you like to see speak at a FIRST event?

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Jessica Boucher

Hahaha, alright, looks like we've sidetracked into "Off-Topic Land", an area I know I have to visit every so often but I am always happy to leave.

So, I'm going to post a new, but related question.

Now, we've heard a lot of different viewpoints from a lot of different people. But, do any of us on this forum actually know what's best for the target we're trying to hit with a speaker? Not necessarily. Not only are most of us in this thread out of the 14-18 bracket, but we're already FIRST-converted. Added with the fact that we're interested enough in FIRST that we take the time to be an active part of FIRST's Online Community, we are naturally more attuned to the science/tech sector than an average HS student would be. So, someone we may suggest because we like them may actually flop among who we're trying to reach.

But....does it matter? If we choose someone that would not normally be picked by someone in the target, will they react as well to the speaker?
What is the metric that we decide the successfulness of a speaker? Do more well-known speakers score better, or does a lesser-known speaker perform just as well?

One thing I do wonder is why do we always have to have just an engineer or an inventor? FIRST says it's about more than just the robots but it always goes back to that. Why not for once try someone who has no technical expertise but excels at making a difference in society at large by going the extra mile to help others? Those are the kind of people who epitomize the Chairman's Award right?
I mean we tend to look down our noses at entertainers and athletes here but there are some who would make worthy choices to inspire kids like Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn who to put it simply is an amazing human being.
I think it's good to sometimes show the kids that you don't have to make the cure for cancer to make the world a better place. Just make a difference.