How to Win

Awards

Take dedicated, enthusiastic students, teachers, engineers and other professionals, add six (6) weeks for design and

fabrication and you get a wide range of amazing machines that are competition ready.

"To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders."

Dean Kamen, Founder

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

Gracious Professionalism is…a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process.

They avoid treating anyone like losers … Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended.

…knowing one has acted with integrity and sensitivity.

Gracious Professionalism

When compared with the comparison group, FIRST students are:◦ More than 3 times as likely to major specifically in engineering. ◦ Roughly 10 times as likely to have had an apprenticeship,

internship, or co-op job in their freshman year. ◦ Significantly more likely to expect to achieve a post graduate

degree. ◦ More than twice as likely to expect to pursue a career in

science and technology. ◦ Nearly 4 times as likely to expect to pursue a career

specifically in engineering. ◦ More than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities.

Winners All

JudgesPosition Summary

Select team award recipients through interaction with teams, review of documentation regarding team background information to familiarize judges with teams, and serve as role models for the competitors. Judges are responsible for own travel/accommodation expenses and arrangements.

*Must sign a Volunteer Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Form prior to start of service. 

Qualifications High profile volunteer position; visible

presence Recognition of service in Regional Program

Book Community exposure Networking opportunities Ability to positively impact quality of event Judge shirt provided

Responsibilities Attend Judge Orientation Dinner Meeting Interview and observe teams in the Pit,

on the playing field and other areas Review team background literature Participate on Judge Panel to decide

team awards recipients Interpersonal skills; ability to effectively

relate to teenagers and adults Write short awards scripts extolling

merits of winning teams Announce team awards recipients; assist

with award presentations to teams

Experience And Skills Needed FIRST experience not required Strong assessment skills Strong interpersonal/communication

skills Ability to work as a member of a team Knowledge of award criteria and

selection process Ability to move about the facility

FIRST’s most prestigious award, it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate … the purpose and goals of FIRST.

Keeps the central focus of the FIRST Robotics Competition on the goal of inspiring greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology.

Encourage more of today’s youth to become scientists, engineers and technologists.

It represents the spirit of FIRST.

Regional Chairman’s Award

Engineering Inspiration Delphi Advances respect and appreciation for engineering within a

team’s school and community. This award celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine

feature. This award recognizes any aspect of engineering elegance

including, but not limited to:

◦ design,

◦ wiring methods

◦ material selection

◦ programming techniques

◦ unique machine attributes The criteria for this award is based on the team's ability to

concisely verbally describe, as well as demonstrate, this chosen machine feature.

Creativity and Innovation

Innovation in Control Rockwell Celebrates an innovation control system or

application of control components to provide unique machine functions

Creativity Xerox Celebrates creative design, use of a

component a creative or unique strategy of play

Creativity and Innovation

Industrial Design -- General Motors◦ Celebrates form and function in an efficiently

designed machine that effectively achieves the game challenge

Quality Motorola◦ Celebrates machine robustness in concept and

fabrication

Machine Awards

Team Spirit Chrysler Celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and

spirit through an exceptional partnership and teamwork.

Imagery Jack Kamen Celebrates attractiveness in engineering

and outstanding visual aesthetic integration from the machine to the team appearance.

Team Attributes

Gracious Professionalism Johnson & Johnson Celebrates outstanding sportsmanship both on

and off the fieldJudges Award Celebrates a team whose unique efforts,

performance or dynamics merit recognition.Engineering Inspiration Award Celebrates a team’s efforts in advancing respect

and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school as welll as their community.

Team Attributes

Entrepreneurship Kleiner Perkins Caufield & ByersCelebrates the Entrepreneurial spirit. Since its inception has developed a comprehensive business plan to

◦Scope◦Manage◦Obtain team objectives

Entrepreneurial enthusiasm and the vital business skills for a self-sustaining program

Team Attributes

Rookie All-Stars Celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a your

but strong partnership effort Implementing the mission of FIRST

Rookie Inspiration Celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding

success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers both within their school and community.

Engineering Inspiration Award for Rookies

Rookie Awards

Highest Rookie Seed Award Celebrates the highest-seeded rookie team

at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds.

Rookie Awards

Woodie Flowers Award Celebrates effective communication in the art

and science of engineering and design. recognizes mentors who lead, inspire, and

empower using excellent communicationExcellence in Design Award Autodesk This award honors clear and compelling evidence

of excellence in design development, documentation, communication, and presentation. The intention of the Award is to inspire, recognize and celebrate design as one way in which you can change your world.

Other Awards

Woodie Flowers Award Celebrates effective communication in the art

and science of engineering and design. recognizes mentors who lead, inspire, and

empower using excellent communicationExcellence in Design Award Autodesk This award honors clear and compelling evidence

of excellence in design development, documentation, communication, and presentation. The intention of the Award is to inspire, recognize and celebrate design as one way in which you can change your world.

Other Awards

Industrial Safety Award Underwriters Laboratories

Celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards.

Website Award Recognizes excellence in student-designed,

built, and managed FIRST team websites.

Other Awards

Spokesperson verses all the team We want to talk to the kids not the adults We want your team to be safe, please help

us with that goal—wear your safety glasses, and watch out for fingers and toes.

General comments

Take dedicated, enthusiastic students, teachers, engineers and other professionals

Add six (6) weeks for design and fabrication Get a wide range of amazing machines that are

competition ready.

Recipe for success