2014 Battle O' Baltimore - Sept. 20

Announcing the 8th annual Battle O’ Baltimore (BoB)!

Brought to you by the Baltimore Area Alliance teams (BAA)

Saturday September 20, 2014, with some set up/practice time on Friday evening September 19.

Location:
McDonogh School
Owings Mills, MD (NW of Baltimore)

32 teams

Updated website, registration, how to volunteer and other details coming soon.

We are very excited about this beautiful new venue!

The mission of this event is to have an opportunity for teams to compete while introducing new teams, new drivers, new team members to FRC, training new volunteers and inviting the public in to see FIRST. The BoB will be part of the 2014 Baltimore Innovation Week.

Baltimore Innovation Week is starting to populate their calendar: http://2014.baltimoreinnovationweek.com/events

We are there on Sept. 20.

Just a quick update.
The BoB will be using an official FIRST field this year (thanks to our friends to our immediate north!) The registrations are coming in (NOTE: the registration fee goes up after Aug. 1), the volunteers are being recruited and we have a beautiful new venue. We’ve got some fun new awards, updates are on-going on the website http://www.battleobaltimore.com/index.php and we are excited to be part of Baltimore Innovation Week.

Registration prices go up $50 after Aug. 1.

$200 (early registration - prior to Aug 1)
$250 (regular registration - after Aug 1)
$100 (discounted registration for pre-rookie teams ONLY)

Team list updated: http://www.battleobaltimore.com/teams.php
(There are actually 3 more teams - we need them to fill out the registration form.)

http://battleobaltimore.com/directions.php Hotel info now posted.

Team list on the website updated. 6 slots remaining. 26 robots/25 teams. Price goes up Aug. 1.
225
316
357
422
449
533
836
888
1111
1719
2199
2377
2528
2534
2537
2849
2912
3389
3748
4464
4505
4541
4575
4945
4949

This year the BoB will feature:
-celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the actual Battle of Baltimore
-meetings for discussion of districts, YPP, RoboRio & NEMO
-lots of volunteers in-training as we grow the volunteer base here in Maryland
-FTC, FLL & Jr.FLL demos
-lots of the public via our partnership with Baltimore Innovation Week. We will be offering student ambassador tours.
-a field with full FMS borrowed from our friends to the north. Thanks MAR!
-a beautiful new venue with lots of room. Thanks McDonogh!
-new awards - all with a historic tie-in
NOTE: the 2014 BoB is not part of the Colonial Conference. The mission of the BoB is to allow new drivers and new teams to test out a competition, while also offering a competitive environment. We support the concept of the conference, but felt it was not a good match for the event this year.

4 slots left. Price goes up Aug. 1.
Website list of teams will be updated soon.

Started the process to get approval for 2914 to attend. Hopefully will get approval soon.

Wetzel

Looking like 1 slot left.

And we just filled the 2014 BoB with 32 teams.
We will be starting a waitlist so still send in an application (link on the website) if interested.

Reminder that hotel deal needs reservation made before Aug. 20 for those staying over.
http://battleobaltimore.com/directions.php

The wait list continues to grow. Later this week the BAA will be posting the deadline for sending in payment for those outstanding, and the wait list. Get those payments in asap.

There are some fun opening ceremonies (and awards) planned as we all celebrate the other Battle of Baltimore held one hundred years ago.

If your team has not yet paid, you will have until Mon. Aug. 25. If payment is not received, your team will be dropped to the wait list.

[size=]* Out to the Teams:*
Welcome to the 2014 Battle O’Baltimore. The BoB Awards Planning Committee has come up with new names and new awards to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the actual battle! We hope you will enjoy and learn a bit from these.
Details about all the awards can be found on the web site. Several are peer nominated- so be sure to pick up your team’s ballot at the registration table when you check in, and return it to the welcome table by the 2 pm deadline for your vote to be counted.
The one important award that needs to be submitted in advance is the Commodore Rodgers Mentor Award. Submissions should be emailed to “[email protected]” by 6 pm Monday 1 September. The submissions will be sent to a distinguished panel of former Woodie Flowers Regional Award winners for judging, and the BoB Mentor of the Year will be announced during the competition. Please pass this nomination form on to your students and mentors.
Criteria and entry format for the mentor award are as follows:
Award Criteria

  1.      Teach and Inspire (50%)
    
  •      Teaching concepts (engineering, computer science, business, marketing, PR, etc) that are integral to FIRST team activities.
    
  •      Inspiring students to pursue additional learning and career opportunities in these fields
    
  •      Teaching problem solving, teaming, negotiation skills
    
  • Empowering students to learn and expand their skill sets.
    
  1.      Build Partnerships and Communicate (25%)
    
  •      communicate to students
    
  •      communicate to other adult mentors
    
  •      communicate to parents
    
  •      communicate to educators / corporate sponsors / school administration
    
  1.      Model FIRST Values and Behavior (25%)
    
  •      Gracious professionalism
    
  •      Coopertition
    
  • Respect
  • Team Leadership with integrity
  • Ethical and honest behavior

Entry Details
Any team member can nominate a candidate
Only one nomination per team will be accepted
Entry should be written but should not exceed a six-hundred (600) word essay
Essay should be submitted on attached entry form to [email protected], no later than 1 September.
Mentor submitted must have a team registered and attending at the Battle O’Baltimore event where the award is presented. Mentor need not be present at the event, but it is greatly preferred.
Commodore Rodgers Mentor of the Year Award– Nomination Submission Form

Name of person being nominated:

Nominee Team #:

Name of person submitting nomination:

Describe why the person being nominated should be recognized through this award (600 words or less):[/size]

We are looking for a few more volunteers.
Application form is here:
https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?AP=1738582616

Mentor award nominations have been extended until Friday Sept. 5. Scroll down to previous post for details.

Workshops posted: http://www.battleobaltimore.com/workshops.php
These include: NEMO; Senior Mentor talk about district model & YPP; RoboRio Beta test team seminar and a FLL coach workshop.

Looking for student and alumni ambassadors to give short tours to VIPs and the public. Emails went out to the team leaders today.

Interested? Send names to the email address posted here: http://battleobaltimore.com/contact.php

The planning committee is getting excited!

  • Thanks to the MAR for sending a field and volunteers.
  • Thanks to VMW Freight Express for picking up the truss and carpet.
  • Thanks to FIRST in DC for lending their carpet and truss.
  • Many thanks to McDonogh School for being so incredibly supportive.
  • Thanks to Baltimore Innovation Week for publicizing the event.

We have over 70 volunteers and positions for a few more. Send an email to battleobaltimore(at)gmail.com if interested.

We need a few more student ambassadors to give tours to VIPS and the public.

Visit the website for the final team list, schedule, food options, load in. http://www.battleobaltimore.com/index.php

Pits will be 10’ by 10’

Workshops (NEMO, districts, RoboRio, FLL):
http://www.battleobaltimore.com/workshops.php

It’s almost showtime! Still looking for a few more volunteers and ambassadors. See you there!

#BattleOBmoreTweets
#RobotRedCarpet
#omgrobots

Award winners: http://battleobaltimore.com/

Thanks to everyone for making this a great day.