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Unread 27-04-2010, 11:26
JaneYoung JaneYoung is offline
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
Interestingly, half of the outreach we (1885) do is not FIRST-related or even completely student-oriented*. So even though we probably won't win a CA until we start N # of FLL teams and Y # of extra FTC/FRC teams we will continue to do more FIRST and non-FIRST outreach in order to quickly spread FIRST's message to a broader scope of people.
In FRC, FTC, and FLL, the judges invited to participate have an understanding of the FIRST vision, goals, and mission. In the events that I've been privileged to be a part of, the event planning committee is very careful to invite judges that bring a diverse variety of skills to the competition so that the many aspects of the competition can be covered and judged efficiently and well. We have also been asked to make notes for helpful feedback for the teams.

It may be frustrating to the teams who want specific reasons and suggestions as to where they should improve or where they may be lacking, but I don't think that is the judges' job to figure that out. I'm not sure that is FIRST's job to figure that out. We are a part of a global community where there is so much variety that it would be wrong to limit the possibilities. For example, I think your quote is an assumption. I think that you are assuming that you have to start N # of FLL teams and Y # of extra FTC/FRC teams to garner an award. Perhaps you live in an area where FRC, FTC, and FLL teams are lacking and helping to establish those programs and help mentor new teams would be an invaluable asset to the community. Perhaps you live in an area that is saturated with FRC teams or FTC teams or FLL teams and they are already an invaluable asset to the community so the need to grow isn't the same as an area that is sparse in teams.

Is FIRST supposed to tell you that? Are the judges?

Teams identify their strengths and weaknesses and work those out. They also learn to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their communities and surrounding regions. Dean's, Dave's, and Woodie's speeches help teams with that. Sponsors can help with that, too. A rep from one of our team's sponsors and I were talking at an event this past year and we discussed the lack of diversity in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. We also discussed how that lack is reflected in the enrollment in university majors in these fields. What I know from that discussion is that diversity is very important to all of us and it was reinforced by that interaction. Do we need FIRST to tell us to talk to our sponsors and find out what is important to them or valued? We can spend time in the FIRST website and glean a lot of information and understanding. How many of us do that? People gripe about the speeches and their length at the Championship. Those speeches are often highlighting the impact that we are making and that we should continue to strive to make or increase. They aren't just empty words. These are just a few examples of what FIRST is already doing and providing for teams to think about, pick up on, understand, and get involved in.
--
If we want to put together a list of what would be helpful to teams in understanding the Chairman's Award, let's do that. That is not the same as asking for specifics in how to win the Chairman's Award.

Jane
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Last edited by JaneYoung : 27-04-2010 at 11:36. Reason: Somehow cut out part of the quote, sorry.
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Unread 27-04-2010, 12:57
Cynette Cynette is offline
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

This is going to be way too long, but here goes anyway!

As Foster quoted me as saying, I very strongly believe that every team should prepare and submit for the Chairman's Award.

Why?
1. Because it is the perfect way to document your team's history, accomplishments, and challenges.
2. Because it makes your team think about what your impact is on the team members, your sponsoring organization and on your community, and look at what partnerships you have developed.
3. Just for the experience of writing an intense essay, preparing a 5 minute presentation and filming a 3 minute video. You'll never fathom the hidden talents and abilities of the team members until you present them with this challenge.

And that's why I love quotes like this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery View Post
What another team accomplished doesn't change what you've accomplished. Just because another team did something incredible and outstanding, it doesn't mean what you did isn't incredible or outstanding. Even if you don't win the Chairman's, it doesn't mean what you did is any less impressive. You shouldn't be any less proud of the effort you put in because of what another team did.
Every team is unique and has something to offer. Please share it! You never know when your little gem could transform another team. And this is the number one reason that I do not think the bar is set to high on the Championship Chairman's Award. I think it truly recognizes a team that has gathered enough little gems to make it shine as it strives to spread all those tips and techniques with other teams.

But I agree with Jesse -
Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
... quality feedback in any organization significantly improves the organization's progress towards its goals...
We get great feedback at the regional level - which programs do the judges feel are effective, which areas need work... I'd love to get feedback from the judges after Championship.

And now on the other side parts of this discussion...

Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
... Interestingly, half of the outreach we (1885) do is not FIRST-related or even completely student-oriented*. So even though we probably won't win a CA until we start N # of FLL teams and Y # of extra FTC/FRC teams we will continue to do more FIRST and non-FIRST outreach in order to quickly spread FIRST's message to a broader scope of people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IKE View Post
1. How do you motivate your newest members to take on a noble cause? The kids we have worked with for 2-4 years seem to get it (some quicker than others). How should we be motivating the newbies?
2. How do you switch a team driven for the win over to driven for the goal? Especially when you are external to that team. As the number of teams increase, how do we plant the seed of altruism into an ever growing population. While this may not be Team 33's responsibility, it is the responsibility of FIRST as a whole and more specifcally how it applies to FRC.
For my team (1511), a large amount of our outreach / community service is also not FIRST related, but it is definately student oriented. One of our team goals is for leadership development for all students. We do that by requesting that all returning students organize a community service project that all of the team members can participate in. So we play games with nursing home residents, we clean highways, we sort medical supplies, we walk for Autism. Yes, we mentor FLL teams and support other FRC teams, but so far the judges are just as likely to recognize our non-technical community service as they are the FIRST activities for the impact it has on our students as well as the community. Ike, that is how we motivate the newbies. In the first year, they attend and particiate in a number of these activities with the knowledge that the next year they will have the challenge to organize one on their own. Our team goals are always the primary focus which minimizes the emphasis on the drive to win.

Quote:
Originally Posted by IKE View Post
3. Should someone that truly understands what Chairman's is about even re-submit? I am ok with a reactionary answer to this question, but I would much prefer some in-depth thought as this one has been bugging me since the Michigan State Championship.
Do all teams hit this wall at some point? I have to admit that we did. A few years ago, we seriously considered not officially submitting but instead preparing a presentation for the other teams at our home regional on how to prepare a Chairman's presentation. Reasons #1-3 above overruled, but that was the year that we started posting our essay for others to see as soon as it was submitted and working on convincing other teams that the process was more important than the outcome.

And finally...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolyn_Grace View Post
Other example: We're collecting science, technology, car (etc) magazines, applying a cool sticker on them about FIRST, and donating them to doctor's and dentist's offices and hospitals! We'd LOVE if other teams all over the country (world!) did this as well.

So, let's all share our ideas somehow.
This is a great idea! I will share it with one of our students who is scratching his or her head over a possible community service project! Thanks for sharing!
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Unread 27-04-2010, 14:38
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

Desiring quality feedback isn't cheesy at all. Focusing solely on the extrinsic motivators and progressing from a standpoint of "what FIRST wants" solely, without regard for and discussion about intrinsic motivators, is, in my opinion, a bit cheesy.

Take it for what it's worth, I'm wrong a lot.


Now, Ike's questions with my responses:

1. How do you motivate your newest members to take on a noble cause? The kids we have worked with for 2-4 years seem to get it (some quicker than others). How should we be motivating the newbies?

Kids will certainly "get it" on different levels at different times. However, for the past five years with 1712 I've made an exhaustive effort from the beginning to do these types of things:
a. "You're here to have you life changed for the better - forever."
b. We built a motto with four legs of passion, leadership, perseverance, community and we pay equal attention to all of them
c. Our team members, all of them, spend as much time on outreach and community activities as we do on technical learning. Our robots are not as competitive as a result (we still do ok-ish), but I'm good with that. I certainly can't argue with the students we are turning out.
d. I explain over and over and over and over again that "only" building and competing with a robot is not something I'm interested in and participating in outreach is every bit as important. Not only will it help our community, it will build a mind and skill set that will give every student a leg up in the world while they are making it a better place.

2. How do you switch a team driven for the win over to driven for the goal? Especially when you are external to that team. As the number of teams increase, how do we plant the seed of altruism into an ever growing population. While this may not be Team 33's responsibility, it is the responsibility of FIRST as a whole and more specifcally how it applies to FRC.
Something I think a lot about and have posted on. Search around here for my "mainstreamers" theory. The desire and effort to win MUST still be there, but not at all/any cost. If we're not meeting the real goal, why bother? Let's just all go back to playing sports and yelling at refs and taunting other teams, right? I just continually preach, and then show successful examples from around FIRST and life, we invite in FIRST alums, we go visit them at work to see the REAL results, etc. It's an inexact and exhausting science, but we're doing OK with it.

3. Should someone that truly understands what Chairman's is about even re-submit? I am ok with a reactionary answer to this question, but I would much prefer some in-depth thought as this one has been bugging me since the Michigan State Championship.
Are you asking about a regional, state, or championship "win"? For some that might make a difference in the answer. For me, as long as a team is within the given rules in a year, it doesn't matter to me what a team does. If a team chooses not to resubmit and chooses to help other non-submitting teams to do it the first time, great. If a team resubmits because they want the students to experience the process/interview and they decide to provide a model to chase after, then great too. I do feel, that no matter what, each team should still document and prepare the award entry AND deliver the presentation to someone important (a school board, a sponsor, etc) in addition to or instead of event judges.
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Unread 27-04-2010, 19:34
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cynette View Post
I very strongly believe that every team should prepare and submit for the Chairman's Award.

Why?
1. Because it is the perfect way to document your team's history, accomplishments, and challenges.
2. Because it makes your team think about what your impact is on the team members, your sponsoring organization and on your community, and look at what partnerships you have developed.
3. Just for the experience of writing an intense essay, preparing a 5 minute presentation and filming a 3 minute video. You'll never fathom the hidden talents and abilities of the team members until you present them with this challenge.
And this is what it's all about. Putting words down in text and video, to document what you have done as a team, to be able to show to the newbies 4 or 7 or 12 years from now when you are long gone.
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Unread 28-04-2010, 17:06
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Re: Chairman's Award -- is the bar too high now?

I think that the greater lesson in all of the awards in FIRST is simply something that is NOT taught in schools.

Too many students think that they can simply get an "A" by doing everything that is required.
Usually they do... so we get many 'A's. The value in the A has gone down....
An 'A' should be about going beyond what is required..... doing your best and finding new ways to do things or gaining new perspectives...

A 'C' is suppose to be for average work... doing the norm.... doing the minimum.... but for some reason that "BAR" has been raised to the point that students who do the minimum are now expecting to get an "A"

In real life... you don't get 'A's or awards... you work hard... you compete.... you learn and you produce.
You might get a raise or a thank you... but you do the work the best way you can...

FIRST might be better with no awards....
I would bet that everyone would still recognize the teams that inspire them....

Did everyone know that 341 was a team to emulate before the award?
OF COURSE they did.... When you move around the country you see what teams are all about.

Many teams have a tough enough time to just put together a robot and get to a regional...
This is a great accomplishment for them... they are inspired...

Other teams do more.... some teams do even more....

We need to celebrate in some way and the HOF is just a way we can acknowledge how some teams with the resources and the effort serve as role models for the rest of us...

Do you have to be HOF to be a role model? of course not...

On our team we are constantly reminded that we don't do outreach to get an award.
We do it because its the right thing to do....

Instead of worrying about awards... we need to feel self satisfaction and team satisfaction in the things we do....

I am not advocating the abolition of awards... or the efforts made in trying to achieve them but I really think we need to look inside ourselves for satisfaction...

I have been fortunate to work with many GREAT teams in the years I have spent in FIRST...
They are all winners... they have ALL influenced and inspired countless young minds....

It is in the striving to be better that we should find satisfaction....
In the overcoming of obstacles and learning how to work as a team...

My greatest joy and the thing that still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up is watching one of my team members working with a younger child.... seeing the lights go on in the child when they get to make a robot move.... or just see it move..... to be treated as an equal and excited by seeing what they can accomplish when they set their mind to it.....

This is why we are in FIRST....

Bar? what bar? set your own bar....then raise it yourself....

Someday you may look around and realize (as 341 did) that your bar is pretty high..
At that point you step down and help the other teams raise their bars....


In my classroom there are several quotes... but my favorite is one by Booker T Washington

"You measure the size of your accomplishments by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals..."


I am honored to be on the field with all of you.... and to work side by side with so many dedicated and hardworking mentors and students....
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