FiM is NOT FIRST

[Beth Sweet]

It has been about 2 months now since FIRST was bombarded by this new FiM which until that time, had been a well-kept secret. When I first read the thread and through the documentation, I chose to defer my thoughts until I was able to think with my head instead of my heart. It has taken 2 months, but I finally feel that I have been able to look at this based on the facts that FiM has given. What follows are the thoughts that I've composed.

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This year, there was a new program created called FIRST in Michigan (FiM). All Michigan FRC teams were required to participate in it if they wanted to participate in FIRST. FiM, however, is not the same thing as FIRST. It is truly a separate organization with a fully different set of values. FiM is seen by anyone outside of the committee which formed it, as an attempt to turn FIRST into OCCRA. (For those unfamiliar with OCCRA, please see the OCCRA section of the CD forums; in short it is a purely robot organization encompassing SE Michigan) FiM does not have respect, nor care, about any awards outside of robot/technical.

While some may say the above statement is biased, FiM has said it in its actions. Technical awards are worth more than twice of non-“culture changing” non-technical awards. FiM has set up this system to evaluate based on points. As such, their point allocation dictates their values.

Awards
All Technical Awards * 5 points
Other Judged Awards** 2 points
FIRST Culture Transforming Awards*** 0 points

* Industrial Design, Quality, Driving Tomorrow's Technology, Innovation in Control, Creativity
** Chrysler Team Spirit, Highest Rookie Seed, Imagery, Johnson & Johnson Gracious Professionalism, Judges Award, Underwriters Laboratories Industrial Safety, Website
*** Chairman’s Award, Engineering Inspiration, Rookie All-Star, Woodie Flowers, Entrepreneurship, Autodesk Visualization
Unspecified which category: Autodesk Inventor

The data above comes from FiM’s .pdf file which it sent out to Michigan teams, the first time any of us found out that we would not be allowed to participate in FIRST Robotics this year. As you can see above, “Other Judged Awards” are worth less than half of what “Technical Awards” are. That means, that in the mind of FiM, being the most Graciously Professional team in the entire competition is worth less than half of having the best designed electronics board. What absolutely terrifies me, is that I have it on fairly good authority that the FIRST Board of Directors has approved this system. Apparently the FIRST Board of Directors no longer values gracious professionalism either, at least not even half as much as an Industrially Designed robot.

What really upsets me, is that this new program which teams who want to be a part of FIRST are required to participate in, thinks that “Culture Transforming Awards” are the least valuable in the entire competition. The Chairman’s Award, which FIRST has preached for years to be the most important, and the most coveted, is worth absolutely nothing. 0 points go toward the team effort, and all that these all important “Culture Transforming Awards” do is qualify only the team for states for 1 award. A “Technical Award” gives a team effort 5 points toward the States, and qualifies a team for that award at states.

FIRST in Michigan is an entirely different program than FIRST. Perhaps the people who have started this organization can create their own organization, which, similar to OCCRA, may operate separately of FIRST. I want to participate in FIRST, where the hours upon hours I spend teaching my students about gracious professionalism, and helping them perfect their Chairman’s submission and presentation, are actually worth something. The detrimental effects of this program will linger. I have been told these point allocations are written in stone for this year, that they will not be changed. The FIRST Board of Directors needs to take a face full of cold water and reconsider their approval of this program. The damaging long term effects of this “experimental pilot” could take years to reverse. If those who are in charge of the FiM organization are to be the ones who evaluate the program, this catastrophe could continue on for years to come. What FiM is doing will ruin the FIRST program in Michigan, I do not doubt this for a second. If FiM wants a purely robot program, by all means, create one. If FiM wants a lower cost program, by all means create one. But if FiM wants to get their way but knows well that no one will buy their line so they’re going to force their way onto teams who want to participate in the real FIRST, well, I’m officially going on the record that I’m not ok with that.