As I was talking to our administration today, I realized that they really don’t have any idea how important and hard-earned the FIRST awards can be. (They just don’t have a context for what the Chairman’s Award, Woodie Flowers, GP, etc… mean.)
I’m not sure about other schools, but our principal reads any positive notes he gets from parents, etc, to the entire staff at the faculty meetings.
I was thinking that maybe we could work on our own homework - getting the word out to our schools to give FIRST teams the recognition they deserve!
Here’s my proposal -
If teams that win awards think it would benefit their cause to have other teams write thank you notes or congratulatory comments to their administration, just post the contact information here. Anyone who has time could take a few minutes to write that note and put it in the mail. I’d like to start by getting the word out to administration of teams that won in St. Louis. That way I can talk about my experiences working with the teams. Other teams could write letters for their regionals. I hope that we can help educate the schools about what the kids are doing and how hard they are working!!
Sounds like a good idea especially for those school based teams attending a regional that they unable to have an administrator or two to attend to see their students interacting with other teams/mentors/volunteers/VIPs/etc.
Team 1108, Panther Robotics, would love for our administration to hear about the benefits of FIRST and what it takes to be honored with a regional award. It would be nice for them to hear it from someone other than our team!
We will be happy to do the same for anyone who posts their contact information here.
Thanks again for coming up with this wonderful idea!
Our contact info:
Superintendent Dr. Rod Allen
1115 East 303rd
Paola, Kansas 66071
But I think it shouldn’t be limited to just when your team wins awards, it should be whenever you think the kids deserve some recognition for the great things they have done.
People have been so programmed into thinking that ranking is what matters. When in fact ranking is not the most important thing.
Administration’s need to see that even if a Robot places in last place at a competition it doesn’t mean they are an unsuccessful team!
The classic WF line, that Most of the Important things happen before the competition.
I totally agree! There is so much more to this program, and those things can be more difficult to articulate. It’s easy for administrators to understand, “We brought home this cool winning banner,” but not so easy to explain that we didn’t rank well, but we accomplished so much more. I hope that hearing it from other teams/schools will help with that message.
Team 1098 would be thrilled to write a letter for 1108! Our kids have talked about your team several times, and they’ll love brainstorming all of the things that they remember.
I’ll post a copy of the letter here when it is done just in case anyone wants some ideas.
Of course, we don’t have to limit it to one team writing a letter - let’s send several.
By the way, the contact information for Team 1098 (the little robot that had the Superbird car body) is -
Rockwood School District
High School Administrators
c/o Dr. Craig Larson
111 East North Street
Eureka, MO 63025
The kids were most proud of our Woodie Flowers Award winner Tim Emerson, helping other teams with programming, and the articulated chassis of our robot.
Teams, keep posting addresses here. Don’t be afraid to ask for recognition! You’ve earned it!! It could be good for the current team, and good for the future of the program in the schools, especially as budgets decrease and districts are looking for places to make cuts.
Sounds like a great idea! 1640 would be happy to write letters for both 1098 and 1108, and I know many other teams that deserve the recognition if they are interested.
Team 1640 would also appreciate letters to our school board and/or principles. We recently won the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control Award at the Chesapeake Regional. (We’re a small team in a large district, and the administration doesn’t necessarily “get” what it means to win regional engineering awards.) Thanks!
Attn: Ms. Jane Bertone or Mr. Norman Long at 126 Wallace Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335.
Attn: Mr. Paul Hurley at 50 Devon Drive, Exton, PA 19341.
Attn: Mr. John Nodecker at 445 Manor Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335
Hello, 1640! Your letter is next! Send one to each individual listed? Congrats on the Rockwell Automation Award! Anything else you’d like us to mention?
I think this is a great idea. One of my students had the idea of writing up a press release for each regional we had participated in. He wanted to then follow-up by sending it to local newspapers for each team who won an award at the regional. He is working on getting local newspapers for each team over the next week.
Can you post your letter either here or the CD-media section.
We won the Xerox Creativity Award for Dallas this year. Our high school and district administration were very excited.
Thanks!! This is really fun! It was very kind of you to take the time to write a letter for us. We certainly don’t need to preview it, though I would love to have a copy to show the students.
The letter for 1108 will be in the mail on Monday. We’ll post it here, too. It might help other teams get some ideas to get started.
Team 1640, we’re on your letter too. This is neat, because we’re researching and learning about teams we’ve never met.
We have a team meeting on Sunday afternoon. We will work on a little research for any team whose address is posted by then, and try to get letters out early next week. I really don’t have a template letter, but will work on one over the weekend and try post it by Sunday. It would help us if teams would, in addition to awards, mention anything else they think that their administration needs to hear to help their cause! Anything to help more district administrators to “get it”.
Congrats, 2468! You are on our list!
Thank you! No need for one team to send all four letters, though we would appreciate it if eventually everyone on the list got one (from different teams are fine). Our team’s been through some tough attrition with four moves and a school strike last year, and the medical sabbatical of our only teacher, etc, and we just want our administration to know we’re still trucking! Thanks so much.
2468, you’re on our list too! This is turning out to be a great way to learn about other teams.
Wow, I think this is a GREAT idea! Our school’s principal is just starting to realize just how important robotics is, and how great FIRST is. A letter would definitely push things along. In return, I’d be glad to write a letter for another team. My team is 744 Shark Attack. We attended the FL regional this year and won 2nd Place. We also won the Industrial Safety Award. Unfortunately, it is hard for some to see just how important safety is to the FIRST community, and how important safety can be in general. A kind letter would be much appreciated. If you need more information about my team, our team website is www.sharkattack744.com
To the attn: Principal Ray Kochis
5601 North Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308
Here is the letter we used for Panther (1108). It isn’t perfect, but I hope it expresses what we want administrators to see.
April 6, 2009
Superintendent Dr. Rod Allen
1115 East 303rd
Paola, Kansas 66071
Dear Dr. Allen,
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Robotics Team for the Rockwood School District in Wildwood, MO. We would like to share with you our experiences with your Robotics Team - Panther Robotics Team #1108.
We have had two opportunities to compete with your team this year in Kansas City and in St. Louis. In both of those competitions, your team was an excellent example of what our team seeks to be. In FIRST Robotics, the concept of “gracious professionalism” is key. It requires that students compete while still encouraging and supporting one another. Panther Robotics exhibits “gracious professionalism” time and time again. They are quick to help other teams, and model excellent character traits in addition to building a very strong robot.
Many of our students were attending their first robotics event, and they left very inspired by your team. While we are, of course, impressed by the Chairman’s Award win, which is the highest honor in FIRST, we are more impressed by each and every one of the individuals who make up Panther Robotics. The level of sportsmanship and maturity they displayed would be difficult to achieve by adults. The fact that teenagers handled themselves with such grace and character is a testament to the principles encouraged by your team and your district.
Thank you for being the type of district that creates an environment where students like these can thrive. These students will be the engineers and scientists of the future. Because of their experience with Panther Robotics, they will have the skills they need to work collaboratively with other bright minds to solve the problems society faces.
I am attaching (I think…) a short letter we are sending for Sab-BOT-age. I think almost anyone could edit a bit and use for almost any team and/or award. A similar one is going out for 2468 and 744.
I will also attach the one we wrote for your team. It is more detailed simply because we have competed with you and know more about your team. It will not mail until tomorrow, so if you see an error, just let me know. (It’s state assessment week, so I am a bit frazzled.)
Hello Shark Attack! Team 1640 is on your letter as well.
Thank you Team 1108 for sending a letter to Ms. Jane Bertone! We’d still like letters to go to the following if any teams are interested:
Attn: Mr. Norman Long at 126 Wallace Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335
Attn: Mr. Paul Hurley at 50 Devon Drive, Exton, PA 19341
Attn: Mr. John Nodecker at 445 Manor Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335
The following is Team 1640’s letter for 1108:
*Dr. Allen:
FIRST Robotics Team 1640 is writing this letter to commend your district’s robotics team, Team 1108 Panthers. Though we have never played with them directly, their reputation and record precede them. FIRST is a huge organization filled with hardworking albeit little-known teams, but not many are as successful as the Panthers.
Very few teams have done as much as quickly. Over the past six years, the Panthers have consistently outdone fifty to sixty other hardworking teams to win seventeen regional and championship awards. Though those include several regional and division game awards, in FIRST, winning doesn’t stop on the competition field—in fact, it doesn’t even start there. The Panthers exemplify this ethos, capturing awards as diverse as safety, web design, entrepreneurship, and engineering creativity and quality, not to mention the coveted Chairman’s Award. The Chairman’s is the most prestigious award in FIRST, honoring a team’s sustained success in inspiring respect for science and technology. Team 1640 congratulates the Panthers on their accomplishments and hope to play with them at the Championship next year!
*
One of the problems we have always faced in getting the word out has been a lack of understanding about FRC. It’s hard to understand an activity that has so many opportunities for success and excellence.
One of our most important metrics is the effect we, as a team, have on others and their teams. These letters will give us a way to express that to the administrators that support and fund our activities.