Hall of Fame 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.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Meredith Novak

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?

Given that the Hall of Fame teams are there because they have won the highest honor in FRC, and given that the honor is bestowed on the team that best embodies the goals of FIRST, I think the mission is obvious.

The Hall of Fame Community is tasked with showcasing the actions, accomplishments, and attitudes of Chairman's-Award-winning teams, in order to give other teams a clear view of what FIRST wants them to aspire to.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by Meredith Novak

Any suggestions? (One sentance, Pavan )

@ Meredith - My suggestion would be to add a word limit next time
@ Jane - Doesn't Dave tell us not to lawyer the rules?

...

How would you define the mission of the HOF Community in one sentence?

To help teams across the world better support their communities' needs for robotics education/outreach by being a resource and helping guide these teams by providing them with information about new programs, partnerships, etc., so they can emulate these programs, partnerships, etc., which have been proven successful.


Pavan


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[Jack Murphy]

[quote=Pavan Dave

How would you define the mission of the HOF Community in one sentence?

Pavan


QUOTE]

How about if the next 9 year old that discovers one of these incredible teams says out loud.


"WOW!!"

Sorry Jane, I guess "quote" is in my future vocabulary

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by Meredith Novak

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 )

Whoops ..... sorry about that. The DVD is currently optional and the entry is mandatory .... a recent change .. . I am getting old ...

[katiyeh07]

Originally Posted by Meredith Novak

As more teams are added to the Hall of Fame, we are struggling with the role it should play at the Championship Event. Although a showcase for the Chairman's winning teams, the HOF should also be a tool to inspire the FIRST community. If you have any suggestions on what your team would like to see from the Hall of Fame displays/participants to serve all the teams (present and future), please post here. I will prepare these to present to FIRST and the other HOF teams. Thank you.

For about 3 or 4 years I sat in the HOF at nationals. Needless to say, it wasn't fun. It was an honor to see that the hard work that my team had done was still being recognized, but the way that the HOF is set up and run needs to be changed. On my old team (175), we'd take very few kids to the championship event. And after splitting the team up between the drive team, scouting, and pit crew, we were spread very thin, and then on top of that, we had to put people in the HOF. Sitting in the HOF during the event, not being able to really see my team in action, or even see a screen that the matches were being displayed on stunk. It just felt like the kids that were in the HOF were more or less separated from the rest of the event.

What would be a great alternative to the HOF I think would be putting all of the HOF teams in their own pit row. Give them bigger pit spaces to accommodate not only their team, and their robot, but also so they can set up their HOF display in the pit. This would not only allow the teams to be together and not so separated, but it would also allow people passing through to look at HOF to view their robot, their team dynamic skills, and all of the other fancy stuff that goes into the HOF displays.

I honestly don't understand why FIRST won't do this.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of the hall of fame, I just know for a fact if you asked any student that has to sit there all day how they felt about it, they'd probably feel the same way (at least a little) I do/did.

Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but FIRST really needs to step up their game when it comes to the HOF. It's been like this for too long, and it's not fair to the teams for having to rotate people in and out of the displays, or to the students are stuck there.

Because honestly, in the what...3 days I was in the HOF every year, only about 20 people (including judges) really asked about what my team had done that got us the award, or asked for advice on what to do. The rest were just people getting pins. Which is why it'd be great if FIRST would go with the idea that I, and many others have had about combining HOF team's pits and their display into one place.

Anyone else agree or disagree?

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by katiyeh07

For about 3 or 4 years I sat in the HOF at nationals. Needless to say, it wasn't fun. It was an honor to see that the hard work that my team had done was still being recognized, but the way that the HOF is set up and run needs to be changed. On my old team (175), we'd take very few kids to the championship event. And after splitting the team up between the drive team, scouting, and pit crew, we were spread very thin, and then on top of that, we had to put people in the HOF. Sitting in the HOF during the event, not being able to really see my team in action, or even see a screen that the matches were being displayed on stunk. It just felt like the kids that were in the HOF were more or less separated from the rest of the event.

What would be a great alternative to the HOF I think would be putting all of the HOF teams in their own pit row. Give them bigger pit spaces to accommodate not only their team, and their robot, but also so they can set up their HOF display in the pit. This would not only allow the teams to be together and not so separated, but it would also allow people passing through to look at HOF to view their robot, their team dynamic skills, and all of the other fancy stuff that goes into the HOF displays.

I honestly don't understand why FIRST won't do this.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of the hall of fame, I just know for a fact if you asked any student that has to sit there all day how they felt about it, they'd probably feel the same way (at least a little) I do/did.

Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but FIRST really needs to step up their game when it comes to the HOF. It's been like this for too long, and it's not fair to the teams for having to rotate people in and out of the displays, or to the students are stuck there.

Because honestly, in the what...3 days I was in the HOF every year, only about 20 people (including judges) really asked about what my team had done that got us the award, or asked for advice on what to do. The rest were just people getting pins. Which is why it'd be great if FIRST would go with the idea that I, and many others have had about combining HOF team's pits and their display into one place.

Anyone else agree or disagree?

Call it a necessary evil or even a noble sacrifice for the cause.
I just wish that FIRST would do the same for the HOF. If they can't or won't then give it to the HOF teams to run. These are proud capable teams and I bet you they'll make it right.

[katiyeh07]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

EDIT: I also want to see EVERYTHING you do in the public domain. From every speech you have written speaking about robotics education to the Chairman's submission that you won your award with. I want yearly recaps and possibly seasonal newsletters, if not individually then by a collaboration where a team takes charge and publishes the paper full of a summary by each team and distributes it in both an electronic and physical fashion.

.

I feel like a bum for just responding to this all now, but in April I hadn't planned on making it to the championships, so I didn't get around to reading this until now.

But this statement is quite possibly the most irrational thing to demand out of teams that win the Chairman's Award. It'd be like looking at someone after an iron man competition and telling them "Oh hey, congrats, but now what we're going to have you do, right now, and for every year for the rest of your existence, is basically re-do and document what you just did". Any CA winning team (both regional and national), would tell you that the amount of work you put into your Chairman's submittal is exhausting.

It's more or less impossible to document everything, but I'm more than certain if you simply went and ASKED any Chairman's Award winning team member in the HOF what it took for them to get there, they'd gladly tell you what they did in full detail. Because that's what they're sitting there in the HOF for, to talk to other people and share ideas.
I don't know where you get the idea that teams that are in the HOF should be spoon feeding teams that can't quite figure out how to get there. Any team that is trying to win Chairman's should be and is more than likely so far out and driven on their own path that they don't need directions from past winners to succeed.

[Carol]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

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.

There also was a meeting recently in NH of representatives from HOF teams (some dialed in) to discuss these and other issues. As Rich said, our suggestions had no official authority but FIRST was very interested in our views. And interestingly, most of the suggestions/comments made in this thread were echoed at that meeting - great minds think alike!

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by katiyeh07

I feel like a bum for just responding to this all now, but in April I hadn't planned on making it to the championships, so I didn't get around to reading this until now.

But this statement is quite possibly the most irrational thing to demand out of teams that win the Chairman's Award. It'd be like looking at someone after an iron man competition and telling them "Oh hey, congrats, but now what we're going to have you do, right now, and for every year for the rest of your existence, is basically re-do and document what you just did". Any CA winning team (both regional and national), would tell you that the amount of work you put into your Chairman's submittal is exhausting.

It's more or less impossible to document everything, but I'm more than certain if you simply went and ASKED any Chairman's Award winning team member in the HOF what it took for them to get there, they'd gladly tell you what they did in full detail. Because that's what they're sitting there in the HOF for, to talk to other people and share ideas.
I don't know where you get the idea that teams that are in the HOF should be spoon feeding teams that can't quite figure out how to get there. Any team that is trying to win Chairman's should be and is more than likely so far out and driven on their own path that they don't need directions from past winners to succeed.

Being in the HoF means you did something right. By being in it and having a booth and people doesn't mean much. NOT everyone I talked to knew what they were talking about. Many times they would say "you may want to talk to ____ (s)/he is on the field but maybe you can catch them" or something along those lines. THE people I wanted to talk to were not there.

Being in the HoF means you did something right at one point and time. I want to know this information to better help my community. I don't care about the award. I will try to impact my community regardless if FIRST wants me spreading jFLL instead of EARLY or FLL instead of GEAR. I will do what my community needs me to do and by winning Chairmans and them recognizing that I am "worthy" of this "honor" means nothing to ME if tomorrow one of the students I host at the EARLY or GEAR or ANY competition tells me he wants to be an engineer and work on robots instead of being the next Michael Jordan or Muse.

Its about doing something without a care for whatever recognition you might or might not get.

However since these teams have demonstrated at one point in time they were the best example in their community, maybe I could adopt one of those programs to make my impact in the community even GREATER.

I want the HoF teams to help me spread STEM more efficiently by showing me what they did to deserve the "honor" of being in the HoF.

I don't care about the award. That is my position. From now, till the end. I would however like to be spoonfed or just fed all of the information that have made other communities successful. I think it IS the spirit of FIRST and of GP to spread your knowledge of spreading STEM efficiently.

Deleted the rest. The people who I am talking to know already what I am trying to say.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Being in the HoF means you did something right. By being in it and having a booth and people doesn't mean much. NOT everyone I talked to knew what they were talking about. Many times they would say "you may want to talk to ____ (s)/he is on the field but maybe you can catch them" or something along those lines. THE people I wanted to talk to were not there.

Being in the HoF means you did something right at one point and time. I want to know this information to better help my community. I don't care about the award. I will try to impact my community regardless if FIRST wants me spreading jFLL instead of EARLY or FLL instead of GEAR. I will do what my community needs me to do and by winning Chairmans and them recognizing that I am "worthy" of this "honor" means nothing to ME if tomorrow one of the students I host at the EARLY or GEAR or ANY competition tells me he wants to be an engineer and work on robots instead of being the next Michael Jordan or Muse.

Its about doing something without a care for whatever recognition you might or might not get.

However since these teams have demonstrated at one point in time they were the best example in their community, maybe I could adopt one of those programs to make my impact in the community even GREATER.

I want the HoF teams to help me spread STEM more efficiently by showing me what they did to deserve the "honor" of being in the HoF.

I don't care about the award. That is my position. From now, till the end. I would however like to be spoonfed or just fed all of the information that have made other communities successful. I think it IS the spirit of FIRST and of GP to spread your knowledge of spreading STEM efficiently.

Deleted the rest. The people who I am talking to know already what I am trying to say.

Our '92 entry is lost forever after numerous moves. It's was a game with a board and everything.