In the past few years, FIRSTers are improving how we participate during build season, competitions and Off season Robotics. Many spend their time working on programs for scouting, generating websites to promote different aspects of FIRST or other types of FIRST awareness.
I propose that FIRST or the FIRST community should generate a series of awards that highlight Scouting programs/systems, websites (such as SOAP gameday and the blue alliance), off season FIRST events and other programs which have been generated by individuals, small groups and/or teams which is used to better navigate and/or provide FIRST to others.
To award these types of FIRST inventions will bring more notice throughout the FIRST community and lead to their perfection in hopes of receiving such grand recognition.
What are your thoughts on the formation of such awards, either FIRST sanctioned or judged and handled by FIRSTers?
as well as the individuals that release so much to help others: The JVN Calculator, NBD white paper, Craig Hickman’s CADs, etc.
many teams including my own would be dead in the water without the aid of recourses like these. These people deserve to be officially recognized for their dedication to FIRST.
My team, 1939 actually recognises the teams with the best pits and, the “most chivalrous act” award at each event we go to. I’m sure if you start doing something small like that it’ll erupt and spread quite rapidly…but i’m in complete agreement with you.
How many people in FIRST know about TBA? As far as I can guess, only those who know about CD know of it. How many know of FIRSTcast, gameday or even the fact that we have so many expert teams and mentors here on CD for quick answers.
I’m thinking some FIRST-wide award by FIRSTers would increase the awareness.
There is a great program already in place to do exactly this. Started by Amanda Morrison (who is perpetually full of good ideas), the Unsung FIRST Heroes project is a perfect place to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of the “unsung heroes” that fill the ranks of the FIRST community.
Before going off on a tangent to create a whole new awards program to honor the many, many contributions that are made by the best inventive and generous minds of the FIRST community, why don’t we take advantage of the structure that already exists, and work to fill out the ranks of the UFH Honor Roll?
My initial thoughts on this were that “Yeah… this is a great idea”… Not that UFH isn’t a great honour, but The Blue Alliance *is *worth *singing *about. I mean, in many ways, we are watching the development of the future of television (not all about robots, but all about being able to watch anything, anywhere – even on a cell phone – at any time while being able to download relevant information about the video) right in front of our eyes.
It occurred to me that we have the Woodie Flowers award to recognize coaches, teachers and mentors, and the Volunteer of the Year for those who make incredible contributions in other roles. But we don’t have something to recognize the groups… groups where maybe one individual doesn’t stand out on their own, but where the team does… that make FIRST so great. I think, from a Canadian perspective, of the Canadian Society for Student Robotics, and from a Pacific Northwest perspective of FIRST WA as examples of the many deserving groups that are worthy of formal recognition.
On the other hand… I’m not quite sure how such an award would be managed or judged. But I think it might be possible, at the Championsihps, to recognize a group or organization… other than a team… that has gone above and beyond in enhancing the FIRST community. I’d be willing to call it the “GDC Award” and make the very first one to the Game Design Committee. (Probably the very first group who would say “No, give it to someone else who deserves it more…”)