Hall of Fame Input

[JaneYoung]

Think about the power of possibility.

You have:
- a small space that could be seen as limiting or as a window of opportunity that few of the FRC teams have.
- a message - what is the message?
- achievement - what is it?
- a team - who are you?
- roots - what are they?
- alumni - where are they and what are they doing?
- dreams -
- inspiration -
- prestige -

Share. Awards all have the same shape. The teams who earn these awards are shaped by the power of possibility. Showcase that.

[falconmaster]

We are looking very forward to being at the Hall of Fame next year! We are as excited about that as we were about competing for the chairman's. We are already making plans and we intend to use ideas discussed here! Thanks for starting this thread!

[Koko Ed]

Once again no sign of the Woodie Flowers award anywhere. We keep hearing from FIRST how important the Chairman's award and the Woodie Flowers award is and then they treat them as afterthoughts.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

Think about the power of possibility.

You have:
- a small space that could be seen as limiting or as a window of opportunity that few of the FRC teams have.
- a message - what is the message?
- achievement - what is it?
- a team - who are you?
- roots - what are they?
- alumni - where are they and what are they doing?
- dreams -
- inspiration -
- prestige -

Share. Awards all have the same shape. The teams who earn these awards are shaped by the power of possibility. Showcase that.

I do not think this is an example of what they should have, those are personal achievements. HoF teams are supposed to set an example for teams to emulate them and some of the programs they are involved in. I don't see how we can emulate "5 alumni going to MIT, started in 1995, worked with team XYZ for the build" but I can see how we can emulate the EARLY program, hosting a FLL tournaments (with logistics provided), etc. How will that help ME in my community? How is that going to work out?

Am I asking too much?


Pavan



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[Kyle]

Don't forget that the HoF teams are given very limited space and have to do with whats given to them, and also its really hard to have people there able to talk to people at all times when students are needed for other jobs.

I would like to see more space given back to the teams and allowed to put up the displays they used to be able to use. I loved the HoF this year because it was accessible to more people by not being in the pit's and not having to wear safety glasses to get to it.

[meaubry]

Koko,
I saw the Woody Flowers Award on one of the display stands.
I don't know when it got there, nor when it left.
Just thought this needed to be shared - maybe someone else can confirm it.

Mike

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by Kyle

I would like to see more space given back to the teams and allowed to put up the displays they used to be able to use. I loved the HoF this year because it was accessible to more people by not being in the pit's and not having to wear safety glasses to get to it.

This is something I liked too. I know that thorughout the competition there is a common video feed running with advertisements from companies (for example, Motorola). Can we replace this and put those custom made videos that are only shown once before the announcement of the chairmans winner, and make them a looping feed?

[DUCKIE]

More space means that teams can do more, so I am all for that!

Next year it would be nice if FIRST could release clear and concise information about the Hall of Fame with everything else at kickoff, instead of at the end of Feb. when teams are mostly focused on preparing or competing at regionals.

Things I feel should be included:

• When to set-up the displays (Told Thur. night, most already up Thur. AM)
• Hours it will be open (I feel it should be open the whole time instead of just Fri. and 1/2 of Saturday)
• Actual display dimensions (So posters can be designed early on and not rushed.)
• What will be provided (Curved Backdrop, Cylinder Tables, Chairs, Lights, ect...)

I love that we have gotten the HoF out of the pits, but having items like nice projectors and monitors next to unmonitored exterior doors is just asking for trouble. I think that many of the HoF teams would feel more comfortable having somewhere safe (not in pits) to store items. I feel that FIRST needs to arrange for a secure area (read as "place with locks on doors") for teams to store parts of their displays overnight and when not in use (like during opening ceremonies.) Although I might be biased, because we had items lifted from a covered part of our display during lunch Thursday afternoon.

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Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

That is not an example of what they should have, those are personal achievements. HoF teams are supposed to set an example for teams to emulate them and some of the programs they are involved in.

Those "Personal Achievements" might be a part of why teams won their Chairman's Awards in the first place, and I think they need to be acknowledged and shown along with programs that are being run. They are the sort of unique stories and facts that draw visitors into hearing more.

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

hosting a FLL tournaments (with logistics provided)

Am I asking too much?.

I do not think you can expect students (some of whom might be in their first year) to answer questions so in depth even if they were well-trained and knowledgeable in our programs. It would be insanely hard for me to provide you logistics information to the depth I feel you are asking for, and I've been around for 8 years. I would probably send you to our website and/or give you the contact information for the mentor that facilitates the program you are asking about.

Originally Posted by meaubry

I saw the Woody Flowers Award on one of the display stands.
I don't know when it got there, nor when it left.

I saw the WFA there for a few minutes on Friday afternoon, some of the past winners(?) took a picture with it, and then it was gone again.

[Pavan Dave]

Meredith, do you know anything about the Woodie Flowers showcase that was supposed to be there this year?

[Meredith Novak]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Meredith, do you know anything about the Woodie Flowers showcase that was supposed to be there this year?

No, Pavan, I don't know anything about this. The big trophy showed up for a while - that's all I saw of the WFA. What was supposed to happen - this showcase?

[Rich Kressly]

As best I can tell there are two topics here. Having been part of 103 in the past, a former Senior Mentor with FIRST, and a current advocate for positive imporvement for H of F, I'll shed what limited light I can on these two topics.

1. What teams display and share in the hall / the call for "full disclosure" / "what have you done lately?":
-I'm not sure where Pavan's original intent is coming from, but I think you're getting some things confused here. As others have stated, FIRST provides limited space for the HofF teams, and provides guidance to teams on what it might/should display. The DVD is one of those items and it's a must do for attending teams. All teams can and will continue to choose content here within those guidelines.

I would wholeheartedly disagree with your comments about things in the hall not being inspirational/helpful. I would agree with you that what my old team did in 2003 (and Buzz in 2002, etc, etc) may not be fully/practically applicable to your team's current efforts and, the further back in the hall you go, that may become more and more true for you. However, I would suggest a different way of looking at it. The Hall of Fame is there to INSPIRE, not necessarily there to provide a detailed roadmap to success for your team in your community. When I walk through the hall, I love going in chronological order to see how each team "raised the bar" and then, how the next that won, in its own way, raised it even higher. Wow - talk about inspiration!

When 118 makes it to the hall someday (and I hope you do), I'm sure you'll understand. Pavan, your current comments could be seen as accusatory. I sincerely hope that there is no part of your being that wonders whether or not these teams deserve to be there or that you think they aren't "doing their job" as hall of famers.

These teams are excellent role models (all of them), but they are in no way limitless in their time, people, and resources. Imagine going through a full FIRST season, attending the championship, and then on top of it you must produce a full fledged DVD for display along with finding a way to split off part of your team for the hall of fame effort and, for some, almost never even see a match in Atlanta. Now also imagine being a student on one of these teams who wasn't a part of the team when it won the CA (heck, maybe they didn't even know about the team then). These students and teams, under current rules, will never again have the opportunity of going through a chairman's award interview or have their entry judged like the rest of us. While they have great pride in the programs they belong to, there is a sacrifice they make every year that you and I don't have to. And don't be too darn hard on these folks if you don't perceive them as "doing more / doing now / doing new" lately. Let us not forget that they too need new/continued sponsors, they too lose mentors and support that needs to be recouped, they too have gone through the same exhaustive efforts that you have all year long.

Thus, a perfect "Segway" (sorry, I just had to ... the poor spelling is worth it) to number 2 here...

2. Revamping the Hall of Fame / Making Improvements
You will be happy to know that this is, at least, being discussed at the HQ level. There was a Hall of Fame meeting in Atlanta (no, I wasn't there) and there is also a small group (yes, I'm a part of this group and so are some other WFA, and national advisor folks) that has taken input from the CD community on this topic from previous threads and put together an idea/proposal for enhancement. That proposal was hand carried to HQ staff that attended/ran the meeting, delivered, and discussed.

It's important to note that whatever improvements are considered, they not only need to benefit the whole FIRST community, but they also need to put less stress / make more sense to the H of F teams themselves. In addition to that, enhancing the visibility of the WFA (and founders/volunteer awards as well) are all parts of the proposal that went forward.

Please also note, our proposal/group has no official authority, nor does FIRST have to listen to this input if they don't want to, but they are. They are sincere about trying to make improvements and have sought input from all types of sources.

In the end, it's going to come down to resources, time, space, and money. FIRST has a lot on its plate with other changes going on, but please know that this is a topic they are interested in.

If you'd like your additional thoughts on improving the Hall of Fame/similar displays to be known, please send them to FIRST in the right way. However, when you do, do it with suggestions that are thoughtful and benefit to ALL involved. Calling for "full disclosure" isn't even something you can really measure and it comes off as abrasive. Now, if you want to streamline your thought to include "concrete things we'd like to see in displays" then, by all means, send them.

Namaste.

Now - back to the original question ... The Bomb Squad wants your input

[Travis Hoffman]

A suggestion for HOF teams if space is limited -

How about a user-navigable "information kiosk" powered by a laptop/PC running PowerPoint or what have you?

You could create an almost unlimited number of presentations on not only who you were but who you are, what you do now, and how you do it. A simple hyperlink menu would let people choose which information they wish to access.

You could also embed pictures and video and such in this kiosk - run your "de facto" video when people aren't there to access the other information.

We are investigating this method as a way to concatenate all the information and reclaim all the pit real estate we used to consume by hanging banners, bringing an easel with posters, etc.

In addition, in Atlanta, Team 48, in conjunction with the other 3 Northeast Ohio FIRST Robotics Alliance (NEOFRA) FRC teams, handed out flyers to other teams describing some of the ways our regional partnership benefitted our teams, encouraging others to form similar partnerships and providing contact information if they sought more information. That would be another active method of getting your most useful HOF ideas in the hands of other teams looking for such guidance.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

I'm not sure where Pavan's original intent is coming from, but I think you're getting some things confused here. As others have stated, FIRST provides limited space for the HofF teams, and provides guidance to teams on what it might/should display. The DVD is one of those items and it's a must do for attending teams. All teams can and will continue to choose content here within those guidelines.
...
Your current comments could be seen as accusatory. I sincerely hope that there is no part of your being that wonders whether or not these teams deserve to be there or that you think they aren't "doing their job" as hall of famers.
...
These teams are excellent role models (all of them), but they are in no way limitless in their time, people, and resources.
...

My view of what the Hall of Fame comes from the speeches given every year at kickoff. Here is the excerpt from 2007's speech.

The ultimate FIRST prize is the Chairman's Award. It goes to that team which exemplifies partnership. In fact, teams that have won the Chairman's Award are our role models for all of you for transforming the culture into one that honors science and technology. To celebrate the success of our Chairman's Award teams, 15 teams have earned the right to be induced into the FIRST hall of fame. The hall of fame teams remain active in our cause and serve as examples for the rest of us to follow.

What I interpreted from "serve as examples for the rest of us to follow" meant that the teams that get in the HoF are teams that other teams should try to emulate. By being in the HoF, it was my interpretation, you had the opportunity to have teams emulate your success in the community.

I know have more knowledge on what goes on with the HoF (thanks to your post) and some of my views have swayed. I do believe that the DVDs and the other things teams show are important, but I believe helping others spread the message of FIRST is the bigger idea of the HoF. To provide a place where teams can see other teams that they can emulate or bounce ideas off of that have already had great success and been recognized by FIRST.

I apologize to you and others who might have taken my remarks as accusatory. I have tremendous respect for all of the HoF teams because they have all have greatly impacted their community and continue to do so. I just wanted some more information as to how I could impact my community the same way they impact their community by implementing programs, restructuring teams, etc.



Pavan

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[Meredith Novak]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

FIRST provides . . .guidance to teams on what it might/should display. The DVD is one of those items and it's a must do for attending teams.

Actually FIRST doesn't currently provide much guidance on HoF displays (which is not necessarily bad) and the DVD is optional (I'm not sure what happens to it). The only requirement to maintain "star status" is a Chairman's Award entry - see Section 5.14 of the manual.

I believe Pavan's frustration is representative of a lot of the FIRST community and the HoF teams, and that is why we are trying to define the mission.

I am working on some ideas to send to FIRST. One of the things they are asking is: How would you define the mission of the HOF Community in one sentence?

Any suggestions? (One sentance, Pavan )

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Meredith Novak

One of the things they are asking is: How would you define the mission of the HOF Community in one sentence?

The mission of the HoF community is to showcase the impact that these teams have had on their community and potentially - our culture and society on a global level - as they reflect their continual achievements from the past, the present, and their plans for the future, in the display.

(you didn't say it could not be a run-on sentence, Meredith. )


This could also be a part of the mission of the individuals that Rich has suggested, such as an added visibility of the achievements and recognition of our WFAs, etc.