Where are You Submitting for Chairmans?

[Tyler Olds]

Originally Posted by J93Wagner

I wouldn't worry too much about the Wave since second year teams typically don't win Regional Chairman's.

P.S. I finally figured out where they got their logo/name

We will be submitting to our home regional which is WI. I agree that it is rare for a second year team to win, but I am disappointed that my old team has little confidence in us.............

I would look out for team 1306 the badger bots at the WI regional. They helped start several new FLL teams and will be hosting the FLL state competition in December of 2010. They also have some great information for rookie teams about how a competition works and how to do alliance selections.

[N7UJJ]

While a second year or rookie team does not secondarily have a three year track record, it is still possible for a new team to win a regional Chairman's Award.

Last year, team 2486, the Coconuts, won the AZ CA as a rookie team.

In previous years, they did have a FTC team so they were familiar with FIRST goals and philosophy and they had asked for advice from Falcon Robotics, 842. They have been very active in the northen Arizona community, forming Lego teams and mentoring new FrC teams as well as promoting STEM education in the flagstaff area. They were well prepared for their rookie year and had an awesome Chairman presentation.

I bet it has been a long time since a rookie team gave a Chairman presentation at the championship.

[Phil Ross]

Originally Posted by N7UJJ

Last year, team 2486, the Coconuts, won the AZ CA as a rookie team.

Team 2486's rookie year was 2008, they won CA as a second year team...which is still really impressive and they are clearly a team that really has it all together.

[Akash Rastogi]

Note that rookie teams (unless this has changed-i haven't looked at the rules yet) are ineligible for Regional Chairman's anyway. They are eligible for Engineering Inspiration, however.

[N7UJJ]

Phil and Akash,
You are both correct

Team Number 2486
Team Name The Boeing Company/Southwest Windpower/Arizona FIRST Committee/Northern Arizona University & Flagstaff Unified School District #1 & Coconino High School
Team Location Flagstaff, AZ USA
Rookie Season 2008
Team Nickname CocoNuts
Team Motto GO NUTS!
Team Website www.fusd1robotics.org/chs_robotics/
Team History
Season Year - Event Awards
2010 Arizona Regional
2009 Arizona Regional Regional Chairman's Award, Website Award
2009 FIRST Championship
2009 San Diego Regional
2008 Arizona Regional Judges' Award

[Pjohn1959]

Originally Posted by Tyler Olds

I would look out for team 1306 the badger bots at the WI regional. They helped start several new FLL teams and will be hosting the FLL state competition in December of 2010. They also have some great information for rookie teams about how a competition works and how to do alliance selections.

This brings up a good point.

Since when has FLL become a ‘mandatory’ requirement for the Chairman’s Award. It seemed as though last year that the judges were given marching orders from FIRST that the winning team from each regional, had to have something to do with FLL, either by holding a competition or by starting ‘x’ number of FLL teams.

I understand that FLL is the future of FRC, but I also believe that the traditional values of the RCA have been diluted by this drive. I still believe that it is more important for teams to inspire their students to getting their engineering degree, becoming an engineer, and then coming back and mentoring FRC teams. I also see a decline in the influence from the amount of community service that a team puts in.

There is a segment in team 111’s Championship Chairman’s video that shows a student on the team, then later after graduating with her degree, has returned as a mentor to that team. When the announcer says “that team gets it”, that is what the RCA should be about, not how much money you have been able to put in FIRST’s bank account.


Sorry, I had to get that off my chest….

[Sunshine]

Chris (Moore Robotics)

Thanks for the compliment. Team 2062, C.O.R.E. Robotics will be submitting the Chairman's award in Milwaukee this year.

Our decision was based on the high caliber of teams submitting there. We feel that it would mean all that much more if we were to win. Your team is the team to watch, I could see a 3peat. Moore Robotics does it great and for the right reasons. It really is not about winning the award but doing the tasks for the right reasons.

[Fe_Will]

Originally Posted by Pjohn1959

This brings up a good point.

Since when has FLL become a ‘mandatory’ requirement for the Chairman’s Award. It seemed as though last year that the judges were given marching orders from FIRST that the winning team from each regional, had to have something to do with FLL, either by holding a competition or by starting ‘x’ number of FLL teams.

I understand that FLL is the future of FRC, but I also believe that the traditional values of the RCA have been diluted by this drive. I still believe that it is more important for teams to inspire their students to getting their engineering degree, becoming an engineer, and then coming back and mentoring FRC teams. I also see a decline in the influence from the amount of community service that a team puts in.

There is a segment in team 111’s Championship Chairman’s video that shows a student on the team, then later after graduating with her degree, has returned as a mentor to that team. When the announcer says “that team gets it”, that is what the RCA should be about, not how much money you have been able to put in FIRST’s bank account.


Sorry, I had to get that off my chest….

Finally, I completely agree and thank you for posting. How about more credit to teams who add to the stability and sustainability of FIRST and not just the "I started X teams, how many did you start?".

[J93Wagner]

I guess I didn't realize how I sounded when I posted earlier on this thread. I'm sorry to whoever I might have offended with my earlier post.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Pjohn1959

Since when has FLL become a ‘mandatory’ requirement for the Chairman’s Award. It seemed as though last year that the judges were given marching orders...

From the information provided, it seems that "since when" is last year.

Not being a judge, I can't say if this is true or not. I'd like some independent corroboration before I react. Rumors are never true.

[rsisk]

I don't think that is part of the marching orders given to the judges, however, the RCA is about inspiring students in the field of engineering, and FLL teams do inspire students in the field of engineering. So I am sure that starting FLL teams is one way to convince the judges that teams are RCA material.

[R.C.]

1323 will be submitting @ the Silicon Regional.

-RC

[Akash Rastogi]

Nothing mandates any requirements for Chairman's. If FLL was held that high in regards for a Chairman's award then trust me, we'd have more than 1 (yes I'm insanely pompous about our FLL success)...

Its just a matter how many you inspire, how wide spread your message is, your impact on your local and non-local community, and your impact on education.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

(yes I'm insanely pompous about our FLL success)...

How do arrogance and self-importance lend themselves towards inspiring others and obtaining the Chairman's Award?

I looked up the definition of pompous.
--
One of our lead mentors, Danny Diaz, is on the committee that organizes the FLL qualifiers and tournaments here in the central Texas area. He runs on exhaust fumes, balancing the demands of his job, his commitment to the team, and his family. He pushes through the tiredness to reach the goal of providing outstanding venues for students, mentors, supporters, and sponsors/VIPS to become inspired and to be impacted by the FLL program and its competitions.

His actions and that of the committee and the way that they involve our team and other teams in our community in pulling these events off, makes me feel proud, happy, and very humble to be a part of and to watch.

It is true that when working on aspects of the Chairman's, teams can be tempted to become peddlers, marketing the program on a level that gets the word out. It is also true that teams can go deeper and tap into the true value of inspiration and how that impacts others in a more profound manner than merely peddling. Finding that balance can be a balancing act in itself and is one that helps teams develop and grow, keeping themselves inspired and aware of the impact of FLL on the team as well as others.

Just a thought.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Nothing mandates any requirements for Chairman's. If FLL was held that high in regards for a Chairman's award then trust me, we'd have more than 1 (yes I'm insanely pompous about our FLL success)...

Its just a matter how many you inspire, how wide spread your message is, your impact on your local and non-local community, and your impact on education.

I have to comment on this, it is my personal opinion that it is not how WIDE you spread your message but how deep your message settles that is important. I would even venture to say that rather than start a half dozen teams with 10 students each I would prefer to start 1 team with 5 students and be sure those students get the attention they deserve and need.

Originally Posted by Fe_Will

Finally, I completely agree and thank you for posting. How about more credit to teams who add to the stability and sustainability of FIRST and not just the "I started X teams, how many did you start?".

(Do I need to say more? Sustainability is good)

Originally Posted by EricLeifermann

I have to say that alot of the time when the emcee is giving that little speech about the team that won the award 9 times out of 10 they talk about what an awesome team they are for all the FLL teams they started and the FLL comps they ran or sponsored. I can see where some people would see that i need to start 30 FLL teams this year and run 3 or 4 FLL comps to have any shot at a Chairmans award.

I feel that the chairmans award doesn't really mean what it did back when i first joined FIRST back in 2002. Yes its still an important award in most peoples eyes but i believe, now, that alot of teams are only doing most of the stuff they do to win the award.

Everything I do for FIRST I don't do for awards. If awards come from what I do and what my team does then that is awesome, but to only do something for recognition is by far the worst reason to do anything!

I disagree that teams only do what they do to win the Chairman's I can think of a couple teams that work incredibly hard, and have for years and have never been awarded with a RCA. In other words, I agree with your sentiment but disagree with your generalization.