Vote For FIRST

[Siri]

Bill mentioned this on his Blog on Thursday. It turns out the pot's even bigger than just $200K!

Originally Posted by Bill's Blog

I’ve asked a few times for everyone to vote for FIRST and I mentioned that FIRST could receive $200K if we receive the most votes. Well I just learned a lot more than cash is on the line. The winner will also receive a video spot that will be aired September – December on TV during Glee, House, Fringe, Bones, The Good Guys, Lonestar, NBC News & MSNBC plus in select theaters. Print ads will be included in Travel & Leisure, National Geographic, Time, Vanity Fair, Lucky, Black Enterprise & Architectural Digest, plus posted on on AOL, Yahoo! Green, MSNBC Giving Channel, Ad.com, Facebook, Quantcast, Huffington Post Impact Channel, Salon, CNN, Impact Your World, Urban Daddy, Thrillist, Care2 Action Channel, Travel & Leisure Green, Food & Wine Green, Huffington Post Green, Google, Yahoo and Bing. So if you can, please vote for FIRST. http://www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote

That's a lot of publicity.

[Kims Robot]

I just got yet another email on this and am frustrated...

Does anyone have any idea what FIRST is going to use the $200K for? I haven't voted yet because I can't seem to find an answer. I even WROTE to FIRST, and still have not received an answer.

There were some very good points made in this thread. I hate to sound political, but if FIRST is going to use it to fund more overhead and isn't going to use it to help fund regionals, or offset costs for teams, or increase Rookie grants, I'm not sure I am interested in helping them garner $200K. Teams and Regional events are struggling. $200K more to FIRST HQ that doesn't filter down isn't a good investment on Amex's part in my mind.

I absolutely love FIRST and all it brings in for all of us, but I'm not going to blindly vote for a brand name.

[Francis-134]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

I just got yet another email on this and am frustrated...

Does anyone have any idea what FIRST is going to use the $200K for? I haven't voted yet because I can't seem to find an answer. I even WROTE to FIRST, and still have not received an answer.

There were some very good points made in this thread. I hate to sound political, but if FIRST is going to use it to fund more overhead and isn't going to use it to help fund regionals, or offset costs for teams, or increase Rookie grants, I'm not sure I am interested in helping them garner $200K. Teams and Regional events are struggling. $200K more to FIRST HQ that doesn't filter down isn't a good investment on Amex's part in my mind.

I absolutely love FIRST and all it brings in for all of us, but I'm not going to blindly vote for a brand name.

I'm curious what you define as "overhead". Do you mean the people that work at FIRST HQ to organize the regional programs? Do you mean the people who work to get the donations for the kit of parts? Do you mean the people who work to design and build the field elements for each year? Do you mean the other people in payroll, IT and HR that keep all these other people paid?

I guess overhead could also be the electronics in the field, or the field elements themselves. Or it could mean the money it spends to develop the game. Or even any of the other things I just mentioned for both FTC and FLL.

Maybe it's for the insurance they need to have so that they don't lose all that they have built up. Overhead could also mean the mortgage that they don't have to pay because my tax dollars went to giving them a building (not that I'm complaining).

I guess what I'm trying to say is, what is it that you thing FIRST is spending its money on that is NOT the programs they support?

[Chris is me]

I started voting when it was revealed that the winner would receive coverage in nationally aired advertisements. Before that, I figured $200,000 could go to some group that needed it more.

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by Francis-134

I'm curious what you define as "overhead"...
I guess what I'm trying to say is, what is it that you thing FIRST is spending its money on that is NOT the programs they support?

I am not saying overhead isn't justified. I am certain that everyone at FIRST HQ works hard for a salary (in fact from what I understand many are underpaid).

But I get to choose who I vote for, and I want to know what they are going to spend that money on. I think I have that right.

Every year we pay $6,000 for our first regional, $4,000 for every regional after that... yet the regional committees never see a dime of that. If our team registered for 6 regionals, all of that money would go to FIRST HQ. I still don't understand why something like even $1K of that doesn't go to the regional.

Every year teams drop out of FIRST because they can't afford it. FIRST is trying things to make this cheaper, but the events are shorter or they are "less grand", you have to find ways to ship your own robot, etc. Overall perhaps a savings to the teams which is a step in the right direction, but not with the same product.

I've been in FIRST since 1996, I know that it USED to be cheaper, so I know their overhead is going up. Im sure that improvements in the kits can account for some of that. I'm sure there are other reasons, but I dont know them. I've read the annual reports, and I just don't see/understand them as an "average" person. They don't present the "why's" or the "where we can be more efficient".

Again, these are the issues that are important to ME and me alone. If they want my vote, that's where I want to see the money spent. OR I want to see a VERY good reason why they aren't spending it on that.

I am very particular about money. I went to Clarkson, I loved my Clarkson education. But after I graduated, Clarkson was spending money on fancy new academic buildings when they didn't have enough space to house all the students they were bringing in. They would use the alumni funds to support campus improvements instead of funding things like FIRST that were direct recruiting tools. So I chose to give money directly to the groups that I thought deserved/needed the funding. Its my money, I have that right.

Just like I have the right to choose who to VOTE for.

I am not arguing that the overhead is unjustified. I want to know what they plan to spend the $200K on and why. That's all.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

I am not saying overhead isn't justified. I am certain that everyone at FIRST HQ works hard for a salary (in fact from what I understand many are underpaid).

But I get to choose who I vote for, and I want to know what they are going to spend that money on. I think I have that right.

Every year we pay $6,000 for our first regional, $4,000 for every regional after that... yet the regional committees never see a dime of that. If our team registered for 6 regionals, all of that money would go to FIRST HQ. I still don't understand why something like even $1K of that doesn't go to the regional.

Every year teams drop out of FIRST because they can't afford it. FIRST is trying things to make this cheaper, but the events are shorter or they are "less grand", you have to find ways to ship your own robot, etc. Overall perhaps a savings to the teams which is a step in the right direction, but not with the same product.

I've been in FIRST since 1996, I know that it USED to be cheaper, so I know their overhead is going up. Im sure that improvements in the kits can account for some of that. I'm sure there are other reasons, but I dont know them. I've read the annual reports, and I just don't see/understand them as an "average" person. They don't present the "why's" or the "where we can be more efficient".

Again, these are the issues that are important to ME and me alone. If they want my vote, that's where I want to see the money spent. OR I want to see a VERY good reason why they aren't spending it on that.

I am very particular about money. I went to Clarkson, I loved my Clarkson education. But after I graduated, Clarkson was spending money on fancy new academic buildings when they didn't have enough space to house all the students they were bringing in. They would use the alumni funds to support campus improvements instead of funding things like FIRST that were direct recruiting tools. So I chose to give money directly to the groups that I thought deserved/needed the funding. Its my money, I have that right.

Just like I have the right to choose who to VOTE for.

I am not arguing that the overhead is unjustified. I want to know what they plan to spend the $200K on and why. That's all.

*Like*

.

[Brandon Holley]

It would be nice to know what FIRST wants to use the money for, although I'm sure were probably not going to get an answer. At the same time, it would also be fair if we knew exactly how each group was going to the spend their money, however I suspect we will probably not know that either.

Based on the fact that we will probably gain no new knowledge, and the fact that I participate in the program, I am going to have to vote for FIRST. The money would be quite helpful in some way (whatever it may be), and the advertising is something that could really elevate FIRST to the next level.

-Brando

[kstl99]

It is getting very close...FIRST 34%, Jumpstart 32% as of 1:00 (it was 35-31 this morning). Although I do not know exactly what FIRST will use the money for, I also don't know what anyone else would use the money for. From what I have seen after only one year involved I think it is pretty likely that it will be put to good use, if we can keep the lead for just a couple more days.

[kstl99]

34% to 33% now, at 2:23.

[kstl99]

Jumpstart is now ahead.

[JB987]

How the heck can an organization with only 68 members listed on their website link possibly be ahead of one that has many thousands, especially when you are limited in frequency of voting???

Please get on the horn and contact everyone you know to support us with their vote...

[Cory]

I don't have any faith in FIRST using this money for something that will actually directly benefit my team or any other team.

Lately FIRST has been cutting costs by charging us more and giving us less. I don't see that model changing by them receiving $200,000.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by JB987

How the heck can an organization with only 68 members listed on their website link possibly be ahead of one that has many thousands, especially when you are limited in frequency of voting???

They have 68 times more members listed then FIRST does.

[Abra Cadabra IV]

I'm trying to vote, but the page keeps constantly refreshing every time I pull it up. Any idea what the problem is? (I'm assuming it's on my end.)

[kstl99]

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