Behavior at the competitions

[JGecko146]

I was at a regional last week and saw something that floored me.

The team sitting in front of us, who shall remain nameless, had several students playing games on their laptops or on Nintendo DSs during Dean’s speech during Saturday’s opening ceremonies. Some of these students, who were wearing team shirts, were sitting right next to adults in team shirts. None of the adults told them to pay attention or put the games away.

Is it just me or are more and more students looking at FIRST as a right instead of a privilege? Back when I was on a team behavior like what I described would get you in serious trouble. I think some kids are beginning to look at FIRST as “just another club” as opposed to the life changing experience that it really is. I understand that you get out of it what you put into it and that these kids are only cheating themselves, but I am still appalled to see such blatant disrespect towards anyone in FIRST let alone Dean.

Originally Posted by JGecko146

I was at a regional last week and saw something that floored me.

The team sitting in front of us, who shall remain nameless, had several students playing games on their laptops or on Nintendo DSs during Dean’s speech during Saturday’s opening ceremonies. Some of these students, who were wearing team shirts, were sitting right next to adults in team shirts. None of the adults told them to pay attention or put the games away.

Is it just me or are more and more students looking at FIRST as a right instead of a privilege? Back when I was on a team behavior like what I described would get you in serious trouble. I think some kids are beginning to look at FIRST as “just another club” as opposed to the life changing experience that it really is. I understand that you get out of it what you put into it and that these kids are only cheating themselves, but I am still appalled to see such blatant disrespect towards anyone in FIRST let alone Dean.

No offense, but Dean's speeches aren't exactly the most thrilling. They deliver incredibly relevant content, for a very good cause, but they're boring.

Just because another team does not value FIRST as a "life changing experience" like you does not mean they intend disrespect.

[BrendanB]

One thing I would caution you with: don't judge someone by the shirt they wear. You don't know if it is a family member or friend who is wearing the shirt. Yes, they probably should have put them away, but that is their coaches job and we are not to judge them.

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by JGecko146

had several students playing games on their laptops or on Nintendo DSs during Dean’s speech during Saturday’s opening ceremonies.

I am a bit saddened that we live in a day where actions like this are becoming "the norm" and "acceptable". I've been out to lunch 3 days this week, and at every one of them, someone at the table pulled out their phone to check their email (I was the ONLY other person at the table). Call me old, but I hate this and refuse to do it. If I am spending time with a person, I am spending time with them, not the 560 other people I can access via the world wide web. I think to so many people parenting is plopping their kid in front of a computer or hand them a DS and expect those devices to parent the kid for them. WAKE UP WORLD. We are creating a generation of awkward antisocial kids that don't know how to TALK to eachother, or even more important how to LISTEN to others... if its not a text or a tweet... how on earth do they interact??

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

No offense, but Dean's speeches aren't exactly the most thrilling. They deliver incredibly relevant content, for a very good cause, but they're boring.

Just because another team does not value FIRST as a "life changing experience" like you does not mean they intend disrespect.

This statement just floored me. I will agree Dean does not have the most exciting manner of speaking. HOWEVER, he is the founder of the program, a billionaire that so many look up to, and it is a privilege that so many of us get to meet him, interact with him and listen to his ideas. Many other billionaires wouldnt give me the time of day... I got to visit Dean's HOUSE! I am HONORED to have had the chance to be involved in something he and so many other great engineers are involved in. How on earth can we "spread the word of FIRST" or "fix what's broken" if we cant even encourage our students to be respectful enough to sit and listen to him speak?? It will never BE a life changing experience if they can't listen to others, listen to what the program has to offer. ITS 40 MINUTES of your life... do you really need to be playing video games?? MY grandmother would have slapped me upside the head if she saw me do something like that!!!

[dude__hi]

A lot of teams aren't very rigid about behavior at competitions. While what other teams do is up to them it doesn't paint a very good image when we have guests visit us during regionals or championship. It's a great contrast to our team as a whole though. Guests see the general behavior from such and such team and compare it to how our team members behave.

[JGecko146]

I’m not saying you have to hang on Dean’s every word. I’ve heard Dean’s FIRST speeches since 1996 and still enjoy them but I understand this may not be the case for everyone. However by the time you reach high school you should know how to sit still for a few minutes and listen to someone speak. It’s a matter of respect. Whether you find Dean fascinating or boring, he’s the founder of FIRST and he deserves our respect. If your football coach or dance instructor or boss were speaking to your group and you were playing a game chances are they would find that completely unacceptable, so why should FIRST be any different.

If the kids were in fact friends of team members and not on the team themselves, then they still need to realize that once you put on a team shirt you will be seen by others as being on the team. Good, bad or indifferent unless you are clearly under the age range, let’s say six years old, people will guess you’re on the team.

I’m not trying to bash these kids, I’m just making the point that this does happen. I wish it was the first time I’d seen something like this, but it’s not. Maybe I look at the world of FIRST differently because I’ve seen it change my life and the lives of countless other people around me. To each his or her own. All I’m saying is that gracious professionalism is not something you turn on and off based on your interest level in what is going on around you.

[dag0620]

Originally Posted by JGecko146

I’m not saying you have to hang on Dean’s every word. I’ve heard Dean’s FIRST speeches since 1996 and still enjoy them but I understand this may not be the case for everyone. However by the time you reach high school you should know how to sit still for a few minutes and listen to someone speak. It’s a matter of respect. Whether you find Dean fascinating or boring, he’s the founder of FIRST and he deserves our respect. If your football coach or dance instructor or boss were speaking to your group and you were playing a game chances are they would find that completely unacceptable, so why should FIRST be any different.

If the kids were in fact friends of team members and not on the team themselves, then they still need to realize that once you put on a team shirt you will be seen by others as being on the team. Good, bad or indifferent unless you are clearly under the age range, let’s say six years old, people will guess you’re on the team.

I’m not trying to bash these kids, I’m just making the point that this does happen. I wish it was the first time I’d seen something like this, but it’s not. Maybe I look at the world of FIRST differently because I’ve seen it change my life and the lives of countless other people around me. To each his or her own. All I’m saying is that gracious professionalism is not something you turn on and off based on your interest level in what is going on around you.

Well in response to them being friends of the team

So in my Rookie Year I've heard a lot about first, while what goes on in my team is a different story (), what I always hear at the community level in FIRST is that this is like a sport.

Well in sporting events (even at the HS level) you as a friend or just supporter of the team often wear the Shirts and Gear of the Team. However does this make these people part of the team playing the game?????

I'm pretty sure the same applies for Robotics. Just my $0.02

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by dag0620

Well in sporting events (even at the HS level) you as a friend or just supporter of the team often wear the Shirts and Gear of the Team. However does this make these people part of the team playing the game?????

I don't know about other teams, but 1511 takes our "gear" pretty seriously. We make sure that anyone wearing it understands us, and understands GP. Its great that people come out to support us, and we suggest they wear red and black or give them our pins, but unless we are sure they can help us keep up our spirit and our image, we don't put shirts on them. Other teams can do as they wish, but when you are up for big awards like Chairmans, every person in your shirt/gear reflects on your team. It can be as simple as telling the chaperones who hold your seats the concept of "we want to be able to sit together, but we arent allowed to save seats, so its important to be gracious to other people & teams"... to making sure the parents, friends and sponsors that wear our shirts to events really understand what the team is about.

I've heard and understand many stories about assumptions, from the guy on the subway who isnt paying attention to his own kids acting up, and someone who says something stern to him, only to realize his wife just died... so everything always deserves a second thought, but I encourage teams to realize that their team gear reflects their team image, and to do what they can to make sure anyone wearing it is going to portray what they want to reflect.

A side story is that we were pretty cramped in the stands in Boston and one of our kids climbed over the seats just as we noticed a judge walking up the stairs right next to us. He was embarrassed for himself and the team, even though it wasn't anything major. He knew he was in team gear and reflecting our team, and felt badly that his actions might have looked negative to others.

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

A side story is that we were pretty cramped in the stands in Boston and one of our kids climbed over the seats just as we noticed a judge walking up the stairs right next to us. He was embarrassed for himself and the team, even though it wasn't anything major. He knew he was in team gear and reflecting our team, and felt badly that his actions might have looked negative to others.

would he have felt bad/embarrassed without the judge present?

[Akash Rastogi]

I usually would not care about something like this, but I feel it should be heard.

On Friday and Saturday, the team sitting behind us in Boston repeatedly said "I hope team 11's robot breaks" (verbatim) while our alumni, current members, mentors, and parents were all there to listen and not say a word.

Now, we've never had something this rude said to us, and it was a blemish on our regional experience. The most ironic part was being paired with said team for eliminations. I was a little bitter about this by the end as the team did not show respect while we showed them our respect by sitting down during our matches when asked politely.

There were also other very obnoxious members of teams sitting opposite of us. If I was on their team I would just feel embarrassed about a student yelling obnoxiously and purposely at every little part of Dean's (and others' speeches). It was very rude when the special guests and speakers (who were amazing by the way) had to deal with ridiculously rude behavior from immature students from local teams.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

No offense, but Dean's speeches aren't exactly the most thrilling. They deliver incredibly relevant content, for a very good cause, but they're boring.

Just because another team does not value FIRST as a "life changing experience" like you does not mean they intend disrespect.

Yeah, Dean's speeches can be boring. I admit I don't always listen to every word of what he says but playing videogames is outright rude.

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

I am a bit saddened that we live in a day where actions like this are becoming "the norm" and "acceptable". I've been out to lunch 3 days this week, and at every one of them, someone at the table pulled out their phone to check their email (I was the ONLY other person at the table). Call me old, but I hate this and refuse to do it. If I am spending time with a person, I am spending time with them, not the 560 other people I can access via the world wide web. I think to so many people parenting is plopping their kid in front of a computer or hand them a DS and expect those devices to parent the kid for them. WAKE UP WORLD. We are creating a generation of awkward antisocial kids that don't know how to TALK to eachother, or even more important how to LISTEN to others... if its not a text or a tweet... how on earth do they interact??

Seconded, I can understand if your phone rings and it is your mother but to just fiddle with your phone because the person you are with is boring is rude.

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

This statement just floored me. I will agree Dean does not have the most exciting manner of speaking. HOWEVER, he is the founder of the program, a billionaire that so many look up to, and it is a privilege that so many of us get to meet him, interact with him and listen to his ideas. Many other billionaires wouldnt give me the time of day... I got to visit Dean's HOUSE! I am HONORED to have had the chance to be involved in something he and so many other great engineers are involved in. How on earth can we "spread the word of FIRST" or "fix what's broken" if we cant even encourage our students to be respectful enough to sit and listen to him speak?? It will never BE a life changing experience if they can't listen to others, listen to what the program has to offer. ITS 40 MINUTES of your life... do you really need to be playing video games?? MY grandmother would have slapped me upside the head if she saw me do something like that!!!

Just to be clear, I DO smack our students when I see it. I got permission from their parents and everything.

[Rick Wagner]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

... ITS 40 MINUTES of your life... do you really need to be playing video games?? MY grandmother would have slapped me upside the head if she saw me do something like that!!!

Thank you.

I always look forward to hearing Dean in person. His speeches are never boring. If people actually listened to him, they would see that they are always different and quite profound.

[fordchrist675]

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

No offense, but Dean's speeches aren't exactly the most thrilling. They deliver incredibly relevant content, for a very good cause, but they're boring.

Just because another team does not value FIRST as a "life changing experience" like you does not mean they intend disrespect.

Agreed, but if you get the chance to talk one on one with both Dean and Woodie like I have the conversations are very fun and entertaining but relevant to whatever the topic may be.

At the same time it is common courtesy and those teams should realize that they should at least try to be gracious and professional if nothing else lower brightness and at least sort of act like your paying attention.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

Agreed, but if you get the chance to talk one on one with both Dean and Woodie like I have the conversations are very fun and entertaining but relevant to whatever the topic may be.

At the same time it is common courtesy and those teams should realize that they should at least try to be gracious and professional if nothing else lower brightness and at least sort of act like your paying attention.

I agree with you in every aspect. It goes something like this, put those kids in a class room with a teacher giving a lecture. Now I can say that those same students not paying attention because they are playing a game or something, they are doing the same thing to the teacher. It is a mind set and mentality that is becoming more common in students that they feel as though they can do whatever it is they want. To me this is saddening because in my eyes, it is becoming worse and worse as time goes on.

I must admit however, I may have drifted off into a day dream while still looking awake during Dean's speeches, but I did not seem to be pre occupied like some individuals are.

I have also seen this same behavior, and this really floors me and honestly saddens me, while the national anthem is being played.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about a situation like this, but if it was up to me, the students would get a stern warning and it wouldn't happen again. It seems like blatant disrespect.

Just my two cents. Feel free to comment.

Cass

[delsaner]

Originally Posted by Dancin103

I have also seen this same behavior, and this really floors me and honestly saddens me, while the national anthem is being played.

Wow... that's all I can really say to above statement. =/