Post Winners Of The 2009 Regional Woodie Flowers Award Here

[JaneYoung]

All,
I thought it would be helpful to create a thread for the WFFAs so that everyone can see the list as we go through the season. Anyone can post and it can also be a thread for kudos and comments. (I've seen some individual threads and comments in the regional threads but I haven't seen one for creating a list. If there is one, someone direct me and I will delete this thread.) Congratulations to all the teams who submitted entries recognizing the value of your mentors' contributions. It is awe-inspiring.

Jane

P.S. Teams who have won, please submit a photo of your WFFA to be posted in the ChiefDelphi WFA section. It is always so nice to put a face with a name. I think you can send the photo or a link to it, to Brandon Martus. (As you can see when you click on the WFA link, we could use some photos in there. )

[FRC1710]

We are proud to announce that Mrs. Susan Rippe of Team 1710 won the Woodie Flowers Award at the Greater Kansas City FIRST Regional Competition.

[AndyH]

(We posted our essay in a different thread, but thought Jane's idea of grouping them was great, so here we are again.)

Team 1098 is VERY proud of our Woodie Flowers Finalist Winner - Tim Emerson. Many of you have met him in St. Louis. He will be a scorekeeper at the Championships in Atlanta this year, so even more people will have the chance to benefit from his positive and encouraging spirit! Tim loves FIRST, and loves working with the kids. What more could we ask? He is genuinely inspired by their successes and failures - sort of like the family on Meet the Robinsons. We can all relate to them!! Keep Moving Forward!

Here is the essay that Team 1098 students wrote and submitted for Mr. Emerson.

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If people knew the real Mr. Tim Emerson the way members of Team 1098 do, they would see a great teacher, a great mentor, and behind the glasses, the face of a man who is truly Rockwood Robotics' super hero.

He is Superman. His x-ray vision helps the Rockwood Robotics programming team see through challenges and complications. He asks questions that lead us to seek the solution for ourselves. His super strength lifts the entire team to higher levels of thinking. His words of encouragement keep us moving forward faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive.

He is The Flash. When we need him, he is there in an instant. Mr. Emerson seems to move at lightning speed from group to group.

He is Batman. He knows the tools of the trade, and like the Dark Knight, he understands the importance of safety and appropriate use of technology.

He is Mr. Fantastic. His leadership and teamwork guide the team to overcome challenges. He also possesses advanced knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering. Mr. Emerson, like Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, is a leader, both on our team and in the St. Louis region. Over the past eight years, Mr. Emerson has helped the FIRST community in St. Louis, by participating in the planning committee, running workshops, and teaching teams the programming skills necessary for success. Emerson, a life-long robotics enthusiast, has also built small test robots to teach students how to test software. Finally, he sacrifices his time to work with FLL, FTC, and FRC as a judge, scorekeeper, and robot inspector.

He is a role model for students, mentors, and community members. Co-mentor Andy Hereford said, “I strive to coach the students more like Tim does. Instead of providing answers, he responds with questions that lead the students to their own solution.”

Mr. Emerson is the superhero of mentors. His mentoring style helps students truly learn. He is quoted on ChiefDelphi as saying, “I believe mentors should teach, advise, and assist.”

Emerson, like the amazing Spiderman, always has a helping hand outstretched. Each fall, he helps anyone interested learn programming process. Over the summer, he guides students to better their programming and problem-solving skills.

Tim Emerson is a great mentor, not just because of his super skills, but because of his super attitude. Mrs. Gatto, Team 1098 founder, said, “If a student does not understand something, he patiently teaches the student in a warm and caring way.” He is willing to explain things many different ways, until everyone understands. A positive attitude, dependability, and encouraging words for students and mentors alike make him a stand-out mentor. His actions speak loudly, yet his own words, “In order to be successful, you must have a glass-half-full outlook," embody this man of Fe3C (steel).

Tim Emerson exemplifies the spirit of FIRST robotics. He exudes excitement about the possibilities for the future, and he believes in the power of teamwork. He has happily made many sacrifices in order to contribute to the team and to FIRST. He considers his time and effort to be a valuable investment to the future.

Over the past five years, Mr. Emerson has been an invaluable asset to Team 1098 and the Rockwood community. He is committed to the growth and development of our team and each of the students on it. He shows strength, patience, skill, and kindness. Like a true superhero, Mr. Emerson empowers the team to trust ourselves and boldly seek the answers to tomorrow's problems.

[emmahand]

Team 1987 of Lee's Summit, Missouri, is proud to announce their nominee, Kevin Schimpf, as the Woodie Flowers Finalist Winner for the 2009 Colorado Regional. Kevin went back to the hotel around noon on Friday before this award was announced, so our nominee from last year, Tom Hand, accepted in his place. Congratulations, Kevin! Below is Kevin's nomination essay.



What Flight Director Gene Kranz was for NASA, Kevin Schimpf has been for Team 1987's Broncobots. Without a doubt, Kevin has been a fearless leader, motivating students like no other mentor can. Team members describe him as "dedicated" and "an inspiration" but perhaps the best description can be found along the lines of Kranz's term, "The Right Stuff." Kevin is what FIRST teams look for in an all-star mentor.

What sets Kevin Schimpf apart from all other mentors is the passion he displays for the students of our team and the entire FIRST program. Undoubtedly, FIRST is famous for its compassionate and intelligent mentoring community, but Kevin is one step above the rest. Kevin is a senior mechanical engineer at Honeywell FM&T in Kansas City, Missouri, and he has been a mentor for the Broncobots for the past three years. Before his first year with our team, Kevin had no connection to FIRST. After being recommended to the program by another Honeywell mentor, Kevin has been giving his all since day one. During the six weeks of build, Kevin drives over 1300 miles and misses over 50 meals with his wife to help our team. He's there in the snow, in the freezing rain, and in the bitter cold, always with a warm heart. Kevin turns up the heat every night, inspiring and motivating students to design, build, and work to their full potential. He helps us organize what we know, decide what we need to accomplish, and create a plan for success.

We can say with absolute certainty, Kevin is the backbone of our team. He can frequently be found surrounded by students hanging on his every word. What students dream Kevin helps make a reality. With his knowledge, we are able to make our seemingly impossible ideas come to life. Kevin teaches first by encouraging, second by educating, and third by coaching. Kevin's boost of confidence is what pushes students to approach the task at hand; his praise is what drives many of us. Kevin shows what needs to be done, but more importantly, he communicates how. Whether it's learning how to weld or creating parts on CAD, Kevin finds a way to make every task beneficial for the team as a whole. By delegating responsibilities and engaging each student, our team is truly a team. He constantly encourages students to push the limits of what they know, never accepting failure as an option.

Kevin has brought more than his lathe, his table saw, and his mill to our team and the FIRST community. He brings humor in tense situations, optimistic hope and fierce determination when plans turn for the unexpected. Not limiting himself to just our team, he's shared his expertise as a volunteer at the Greater Kansas City Regional for the past two years. He fuels the fire passing on FIRST's torch when recruiting mentors for other teams. His enthusiasm alone is enough to fill a room of new volunteers. With Kevin around, we know there are second, third, and fourth chances to perfect the imperfect, there are lessons to be learned, and there are countless skills to be gained from his support and teaching.

Like Gene Kranz put Apollo 13's stranded astronaut crew first on the priority list, Kevin Schimpf puts us first each and every day. For those of us who know him, he is our shining star, our constant reminder that we are part of something more important than a robot. For the FIRST community, he is someone to be admired and emulated. Kevin Schimpf has all of "The Right Stuff."