MARS efforts. suggestions?

[Alex2614]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

In areas that can't support FRC, start Vex teams. Your team's ability to recognize that many sustainable Vex teams > a bunch of floundering FRC teams is a very wise thing that so may teams aiming for Chairmans simply ignore, and for that I commend you guys.

Thanks! We have already seen multiple FRC teams in WV fold due to lack of funds (and interfering with basketball), and we didn't want that to happen to our teams. However, we did start one FRC team in WV, but they are no longer doing FIRST.

[IKE]

Keep doing this great stuff, and be patient. For good or for bad, there is only one Chairman's award handed out at each competition. By the sounds of it, you are clearly doing the right stuff. You guys are still fairly "new" relative to some of the teams that have been doing the same stuff for the last 10-15 years.

Here is an off shoot idea though. Talk with other teams, not only in WV, but other areas of the country to form a networked initiative. Many view the Appalacians as a barrier between the East Coast and the Midwest. Brainstorm some "bridging" ideas. Throw that together with some slogans like "at the top of the mountain, we can see both sides", and back it up with initiatives that do just that.

Its a culture changing award. It requires some good hard work at changing the culture. We have had our best success using the balanced dinner approach. Your program stuff is the meat. Helping the community is the starch. Helping other teams are the vegetable. If you do this well, you will have a well balanced meal, but you likely won't get rave reviews. Throw in an interesting dessert, and you will get people talking. The Dessert I refer to is something meaningful and unique. This year we registered all of the Regionals and Districts with Gas Station TV (the TV screens at some gas stations) and did a small marketing campaign through Facebook and Twitter. The point of that campaign was to drive outside traffic and awareness to all of FRC. It aligned with Dean's Homework, it aligned with "changing culture", it only cost some time, and it was adaopting relatively new technology (web based marketing) which was kind of unique. Now, the tricky part is if do something unique that actually works, tell others about it so that they can do it to. Don't save the "good ideas" for your submission as the spirit of the award is "to be a team that others should emulate". Our "unique" idea for this coming year is recycling engineering magazines by planting them in offices about town. We will be doing a small sprinkling year round with a big push in the fall, and then another right before competition season. This has the trifecta of recycling, inspiring STEM related interest, and will be getting people when they have a long attention span (waiting rooms dentist, doctor, repair shop, hospital, salon...). Most importantly for teams that are cash strapped, it is almost free. We had to buy some paper to print hand-outs. Some staples, and some labels. should cost around $20-40 for the entire project. If you are interested in further details on this subject, PM me and I can fill in the rest of the details.

If you guys are winning EI awards, then you are knocking on the door for Chairman's. Keep knocking, and the judges will eventually answer.

[Alex2614]

Thank you for all the suggestions, guys! we really do appreciate it