Dealing with disapointments

[Joe G.]

Originally Posted by Ether

The tone of the article gave the impression that the problem runs much deeper than merely "lack of support". It sounds like the school (or the principal at least) is openly hostile. It's bizarre. There must be more to this story.

Without going off on a blistering rant about my former team, I just wanted to say from experience that, most unfortunately, this happens. And at least in our case, the "more to the story" was surprisingly mundane...budget cuts, liability of students with power tools, etc. Its unfortunate, but it happens. Hopefully, 1432 will find a way to survive just as we have.

[fuzzwaz]

Whenever a season is about to start a team (or at least each member on a team) comes up with some picture perfect goal for their team to achieve. When they do it often comes up along with the words "this is our year, our time".

Anyone who knows me personally knows I’m a sportsy guy. I've been on many sports teams and I love watching sports in general. Whenever anyone compares FIRST to Sports I get excited beyond belief because I firmly believe that FIRST teams can learn some lessons from the athletic world.

However, there is one key difference between a football team and a robotics team. The words "this is our time" fit way more with the football team then the robotics team.

First we got to know what they mean by that. When a sports team says "this is our time" it really means that this is their season to go all the way and win it all. This is not necessarily what it means for a robotics team... Sure, most of the time it probably means being champions at worlds, but it could also mean winning the chairmans award at any level or being an alliance captain at a regional.

"Our time"
-High School football team: State Champs
-Robotics Team: World Champs, Chairmans award, Recognized success

So now we see the very very very common goals or ideals a team sets for themselves in their head before a season starts. This is where the differences between FIRST and sports come into play however. A football team must only rely on themselves for their misfortune. I live in Michigan, the Lions lose to themselves every week, but they control their future never the less. If they win, then they win it all.

A FIRST robotics team is not that simple. A team can win every single match by blowout numbers and not get picked. Why is that? No matter what you do, you are always relying on other members of the FIRST community to recognize it. It’s hard to completely control your fate on a FIRST robotics team. You can go all the way to the finals at worlds and watch as one of your alliance partner's robots breaks down mid match. You were not there when they built their robot. You really had no say in what happened.

This is really why I believe a lot of teams face disappointments. Good and well deserving teams don’t always make it where they should.

To answer your question, you have to be proud of what you've done. And sure, being a tad disappointed is nothing but normal. But with what you are given for being on a FIRST robotics team you can’t always expect to put in your good hard work and come out as world champions. So take what you have been given and use it as hope for the future. And whatever the future may be, it’s going to be better just because you were part of the FIRST program in general, so no disappointment is needed. ;D

[Foster]

Reddit posting on Franklin High Robotics. Reddit is a news aggregater that has a very large user base. Stories that are high scoring on Reddit are often picked up by the major news sources. So there may be some national attention paid to the value of robotics and the plight of the Franklin High Program.

[rutzman]

Originally Posted by Foster

Reddit posting on Franklin High Robotics. Reddit is a news aggregater that has a very large user base. Stories that are high scoring on Reddit are often picked up by the major news sources. So there may be some national attention paid to the value of robotics and the plight of the Franklin High Program.

Adam Savage and Grant Imahara have both posted the article on Twitter in the past half hour. Whether more mainstream national news outlets catch on is yet to be seen, but it's still going to get quite a bit of exposure (They combine for over half a million followers, but I'm sure a lot of those get counted twice because they follow both of them like I do.)

[Libby K]

I contacted 1432 to see what they want/need. They need a 501c3! (and tools, since their equipment is all in that locked-out workshop). They are keeping their hopeful faces on, and I'm sure they can bounce back. Come on, FIRST community! Let's help 'em!

[Katie_UPS]

Is there anything we can do? Send emails to the principal or something? While Libby said they all they need is a 501c3, there has to be something we can do to help out...

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by rutzman

Adam Savage and Grant Imahara have both posted the article on Twitter in the past half hour.

Thank you, Adam and Grant. Not only for posting on Twitter but also showing all of us how star power can be used to help others.

Nerdy rock stars are the best.

Jane

[Jon236]

Perhaps a phone call from one of FIRST's more influential members to the principal? Or maybe from Adam or Grant? The Regional Director for Portland should also be enlisting some folks for the rescue effort I would think.

[Dustin Shadbolt]

I really applaud Adam and Grant for sharing the story and trying to help in their own way maybe a phone call would help swing the story.

[Doug G]

Originally Posted by Jon236

I agree. Another reason for teams to solicit support from their local Boards of Education. In Lyme-Old Lyme, the Ticks even had 3 Board members with kids on the team, including the Chairwoman. Our concept of 'infection' with FIRST went beyond the HS Principal, to include the BOE and local town organizations, such as the Lion's Club. It never hurts to have too many friends, especially in high places.

I'd like to echo this thought as well. We experienced a recent change in principalship at our school that has added a few roadblocks for us, but luckily we are well trenched in the BOE, superintendant, county office of ed, and have an outside 501c3. So while there's a few bumps in the road, the team will continue on regardless.

While I'm sure many of the folks reading this thread won't find themselves in the same situation as 1432, I urge you to make it a point this year to reach out to the less experienced teams in your area and get them the info they need to build a sustainable program. Teams that rely on one teacher running the show will eventually run into a situation like this.

[Trent B]

Originally Posted by Foster

Reddit posting on Franklin High Robotics. Reddit is a news aggregater that has a very large user base. Stories that are high scoring on Reddit are often picked up by the major news sources. So there may be some national attention paid to the value of robotics and the plight of the Franklin High Program.

http://digg.com/news/science/high_sc...eep_it s_cash

Digg likewise is a news aggregator with a large user base, if it is dugg high enough there is a chance it may show up on the Revision 3 show Diggnation which has a weekly audience of 250,000+ viewers.

[Tristan Lall]

Looks like local TV media have picked up the story...and someone managed to get it listed on the front page of Fark (another news aggregator website).

One of the comments* there suggested that they establish themselves as a chapter of the Church of Robotology, to take advantage of the school board's policy allowing religious organizations to operate without staff sponsors.

*The comments aren't quite as civil as on ChiefDelphi....

[AdamHeard]

I don't know enough about it to be useful, but could someone who runs a 4-H team contact them and give them the information required to make that an option for them?

[Koko Ed]

Considering all the "unwanted attention" this story is generating I would not be surprised if the school district administration does a 180 next week with a heavy dose of spin. School districts are run by politicians and the one thing they fear more than anything else is negative press.

[Isaac501]

I RT'd Adam and posted the link to my facebook page, and I have alumni from the mid '90s writing letters to the school district.

This has not gone unnoticed.