Duplication of programs as it relates to Chairman's

[rees2001]

It looks like I started a little fire here & I just want to clarify a few things before anybody’s feelings get hurt.

1. Our team has been just as “guilty” of doing things for the CA as any other team. As long as I’m around those days are well behind us.

2. I believe the CA & EI are great awards to give out and have spawned some amazing programs that might not have happened otherwise.

3. I believe there will always be the element of “doing something for the CA” in FIRST.

All that being said, lets look into why we are really doing a program like FIRST. We get to work with some great kids that usually want to learn something. We can have an enormous impact on kids. We are changing the culture, for good…

But sometimes for the not so good.

I see teaching kids to do things for an award as not much better than that parent at your pee-wee soccer game being disappointed at his/her kid for not taking the game seriously enough. We aren’t at the parent screaming at the ref status by any margin. But what happens when you hang your hopes on an award & you don’t get it. FIRST is about inspiring, what is inspiring about disappointing someone you look up to? I’m a teacher that loves his job. I don’t ever want my kids to think they aren’t good enough because they didn’t win an award. My kids rock!

I hope this clears things up. I just want to re-iterate that I was not calling anyone out. Every team is different. Every team is the same. Best of luck in 07-08, lets do some inspiring.

I leave you with this image.