FIRSTFARE 2013

THE CHAIRMAN’S AWARD

JACOB BENDICKSEN

FRC TEAM 1540 – THE FLAMING CHICKENS

INTRODUCTION

• Me!• Sophomore• Chairman’s manager on

1540• On the presentation team• When I’m not doing

robotics I’m climbing • During the presentation,

feel free to interrupt me (with questions)

ACTIVITY• With the people around you, discuss what the Chairman’s

Award means to you and your team.

ACTIVITY• With the people around you, discuss what the Chairman’s

Award means to you and your team.• Anyone want to share? Bueller? Bueller?

ACTIVITY• With the people around you, discuss what the Chairman’s

Award means to you and your team.• Anyone want to share? Bueller? Bueller?

• To me, it’s about using the robot as a tool to spread STEM• Competitive spirit can be good if used to better your cause

OVERVIEW

• “FIRST’s most prestigious award. It honors the team that

best represents a model for other teams to emulate and

best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. The award

helps keep the focus of the FIRST Robotics Competition on

the goal of inspiring greater levels of respect and honor

for science and technology.” – FIRST

DECONSTRUCTING THAT• Role model for other teams• Strong year-round AND multi-year program• Impacts the community (positively)• Spreads its enthusiasm for FIRST in innovative ways• Strong partnerships

• Students/corporate sponsors/mentors• Students/mentors• Team/community

HOW TO QUALIFY• Old regional model

• Eligible if you submit everything• Present at one event• If you win, you go to world championships

• New district model• Eligible if you submit everything• Submit until you win (not just districts)• If you win, you present at district championships• If you’re one of the 3 winners, then you go to world championships

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

(1 WINNER)

DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS

(3 WINNERS)

DISTRICT

(1 WINNER)

DISTRICT

(1 WINNER)REGIONAL

(1 WINNER)

AT CHAMPIONSHIPS• Needless to say, the competition is fierce• Eligible to present only if you win at district championships

or a regional• Good stuff if you win:• White House? Dean Kamen’s house?• Traveling clock trophy• Epic banner• FIRST Hall of Fame

• This means you can’t submit at regionals for five years, but that’s a good problem to have.

• Allaire Medal – scholarship!!!

ROOKIE/NASA GRANT TEAMS• Rookies can’t submit for

Chairman’s• BUT they can be

considered for Rookie All-Star by talking to roving judges

• NASA Grant teams must provide a copy of the submission as part of the grant, even if they’re rookies

ENGINEERING INSPIRATION• “Celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect

and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.”

• All teams attending are considered• 2nd place Chairman’s?

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES• On your team

• Organize to maximize learning• Student leadership• Year-round program• Alumni

• FIRST community• Organize events (informational, scrimmages, other?)• Mentor other teams• FLL• Hosting kick-offs

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES PT. 2• School community

• Add robotics to the curriculum• Camps• Demo at school events

• General public• Use your engineering knowledge to help an organization• Demos• Community service• Fundraisers• Sponsor relations• Media (online, social, TV, newspaper, etc.)• Local, state, national, and international presence

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES PT. 3• Karthik: “Pie in the sky”

• Think of something difficult to do for your team

• BUT that would be awesome if you could

• Make it happen.

THE SUBMISSION• Executive summary • Essay + ‘optional’ 4 pictures

• The two above are due Thursday, February 13th

• Presentation at event• Q&A at event (after presentation)• Video at event• Roving judges at event

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY• Each 500 characters (including spaces)

• Briefly describe the impact of the FIRST program on team participants with special emphasis on the 2013/2014 year and the preceding two years

• Examples of role model characteristics for other teams to emulate• Describe the impact of the FIRST program on your team and

community with special emphasis on the 2013/2014 year and the preceding two years

• Team’s innovative methods to spread the FIRST message• Describe the strength of your partnership with special emphasis

on the 2013/2014 year and the preceding two years• Team’s communication methods and results• Other matters of interest to the FIRST judges, if any

ESSAY• 10,000 characters ~ 4 pages• Submit online along with executive summary• Submit at one regional/district event• ‘May’ include up to 4 pictures

ESSAY TIPS• Clear headings and sections• Concise• Good flow• Relevant facts/numbers• Focus on the FIRST experience and its impact• Address questions judges want to know• Explain your work this year and the past two• Write early, then revise (maybe enlist your English

teacher)• Have non-FIRST adults read it and tell you the main

points that they got

PRESENTATION• 5 minutes• 2-3 judges• 2-3 representatives from your team• Any presentation style• Team provides special equipment

Q&A• 5 minutes• Immediately after the presentation• Judges ask questions• Interest them during the presentation• Sample questions later in presentation

PRESENTATION/Q&A TIPS• Practice!!!!!!!• Make sure you can say everything in 5 minutes – 4:45 is

better• Don’t rush. Practice it slow.• Be memorable, but communicate your main points• Tell personal anecdotes• Incorporate other points when answering questions• Ideas?

ROVING JUDGE TIPS• Have documentation ready for them (business plan, some

pictures, etc.)• Make sure you have knowledgeable team members in the

pit to talk to them• Develop a list of main points to cover, work these into the

answers to their questions

SAMPLE JUDGING QUESTIONS• What was the hardest part of robotics this year?• What do you wish your team was better at?• Why that team name?• What was a big challenge that your team faced? How did you

solve it?• How does your team raise money?• How has robotics impacted you personally?• Why should you get the Chairman’s Award?• If you could pick another team to get the Chairman’s

Award, who would it be?• How is your team run?• What will you do differently next year?• What does gracious professionalism mean to you?

ACTIVITY• Everybody stand up! Stretch!

ACTIVITY• Everybody stand up! Stretch!• I’m going to go around and ask random people these

questions.

Sample Judging Questions• What was the hardest part of robotics this year?• What do you wish your team was better at?• Why that team name?• What was a big challenge that your team faced? How did you

solve it?• How does your team raise money?• How has robotics impacted you personally?• Why should you get the Chairman’s Award?• If you could pick another team to get the Chairman’s

Award, who would it be?• How is your team run?• What will you do differently next year?• What does gracious professionalism mean to you?

VIDEO• 1-3 minutes long• Clean audio• No copyright infringements• May consist of:

• Video footage• Voice over/music over pictures• Animated presentation• PowerPoint converted to movie format

• Required for judging• When 2-3 teams have been chosen, video is viewed to make sure

it meets requirements• Often shown when recipient is announced

EXAMPLE VIDEOS• Flaming Chickens• Holy Cows• Simbotics

MORE INFORMATION• Awards guidelines, sample championship videos:

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/awards

• Team 1540 website with resources, videos, and our essay from last year: www.team1540.org

• Feel free to email me with questions! bendicksenj@catlin.edu

QUESTIONS?• Ginny Cornyn is here!

• Seasoned Chairman’s judge• Ask her stuff!

THANKS FOR COMING!