Pros and Cons of the Championship Event.

[PhilBot]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

... people who win awards basically get a cash prize.

I'll probably be posting a lot on this thread... not because I want to force my point, but because I think it warrants the discussion.

I'm certainly not trying to propose a "cash prize" for awards... although the various DARPA challenges and X-Prizes have shown how effective this can be to encourage innovative thinking.

My thought was that rather than just making a Chairmans or EI award all about "what has been done" (which can let new members ride on the coat-tails of prior members), it could also have in important "what will be done" element as well.

The problem with this is that it's easy to say this-or-that program will be implemented in the future with no real way to verify it. But what if the team generated a well structured plan to promote STEM which just needed some financial help..... Whether they get the funds from FIRST, or not, they've still taken the importent step of formulating a strategy.

Actually getting a FIRST development grant would be icing on the cake. Knowing it's possible could make the difference.

As for local judges not knowing what FIRST wants in a Chairmans or EI award..... It seems unlikely to me. By definition, Chairmans award goes to a FIRST team that is a "role model" for how other teams should act. Seems to me that it would be essential for the judges to know what FIRST expects.

Just my opinion