[YMTC]: Who should go to the championship?

[Branden Ghena]

Jim should go to championship unless Sam has never gone to Atlanta before.

Reasoning: Jim is the harder worker and put more effort into the team, therefore he deserves the spot. Atlanta isn't something to be missed, however, and if Sam has never been able to go before, he should be allowed on this, his last chance.

[DonRotolo]

The post above summarizes my thoughts about this one almost perfectly. Jim is the one who put in the time, he gets the reward. Sorry Sam, but just showing up every other day doesn't get a robot built - senior or not.

This is predicated on the assertion that both students are at least equally knowledgeable about the electrical system, and other robot systems are covered adequately. Although not one of the choices, if Tadd, knew enough about electronics and the drivetrain and could make his way around programming too, and the drive team happened to be excellent drivers but gibbering idiots when it comes to anything about the robot, then Tadd is who has to be there. But, again, this wasn't one of the choices.

Don

[tennispro9911]

You work hard to earn the opportunity to go. Jim should. Senior shouldn't mean a ton. That said, every member should at the very least have the opportunity to pay their own way to the competition and sam would have an opportunity to go, regardless.

[AndyB]

Jim should go. He put in more work and in the end, he earned it.

[EricH]

Definitely Jim. You work, you go. Given that Jim and Sam know about the same amount about the electrical system in general, the one who worked on it more is more likely to know the ins and outs. That is Jim in this case.

However, who is more mature/reliable? That is also something to consider. By the amount of time, Jim is more reliable. By other factors, it's an unknown.

Senior trips are nice, but not necessary. Atlanta doesn't have to be experienced as a student.

In fact, one mentor (the drive coach) will have to go. Unless the team's school is extremely permissive, one or more adults must be present. So Sam will probably have a chance again as a mentor.

Or, Sam pays his own way. That would be ideal to expose the most students--each student who doesn't have a free pass (drive and one other) pays his or her own way to Atlanta if they want to go.

Here's what I would call: Jim gets the paid trip. Sam and any other student who wants to go can go, but will have to pay for travel and other expenses on his own.

[Zyik]

Jim should go. Jim put in more work during the season. If Sam is more of a talker, he might distract the drive team more then he would help the robot.

However, how mature is Jim? If he's the kind that would leave just because he didn't get to go, what does that say about him? Has Sam got to go to Championships before?

Ideally, give Jim the free trip and see if Sam can raise the funds himself, or pay his own way, to Atlanta. If Sam can't, still take Jim. He who does the most work and is the most valuable gets to go. Senior status should only be used as a tie breaker, if used at all.

[Pavan Dave]

Depends on what you mean by talking... Since Sam is a "good talker" maybe he would be perfect to talk to judges about certain specific features that could qualify the team for a controls award?

I'm just playing devil's advocate.


The Robonauts used to have this thing called "the Room'. Throughout the build and post build you had to prove yourself to get in the room. You had to be in the room to be a driver, a captain, or any position. This made everybody step it up a notch to get into the room. The thing was, you had to keep up your attitude, your contribution, etc. to stay in the room. It was great because the decision of who was in the room was based solely on what the mentors thought because they were the ones who worked with the students. I'd say if they made it into "the room" then they go. I'd also put priorities first. If we needed to win an award to prove to some people (administration) to keep the funding and/or to get more/sustain funding I would stick to the guy who can talk walls around the judges and impress them.

As for performance, anybody can perform if there is the right motivation. For some people its people pushing them to the limit and for others its the prize in the end. You need to find that before you rule anyone out because there are many solutions to reach a common goal, just take a look around in Atlanta.


Pavan


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[Dan Petrovic]

I say Jim should go because our team feels it is incredibly important to have the younger members involved as much as possible.

Our pit crew constisted of three seniors and three freshmen this year. If you have a strong year, but fail to train the younger students, that glory will be shortlived when your talented members are gone the following year.

Additionally, since seniority isn't a factor on our team, the one who put in more time would be the one to go.