When submitting the Chairman's Award, each submittal is required to provide several 500 character Executive Summaries that address specific areas of interest. Below are 2010 Executive Summaries for each area:
Impact on Team Members
The 2010 season marks our sixth year as a FIRST Robotics team. In 2008, we graduated our first generation of students. Out of the seven freshmen students that chartered Team 1629, all seven graduated to pursue careers in engineering. Among our first generation alumni, we have students attending Cornell, MIT, Case Western Reserve, Bucknell, and UMD. These students, who have been inspired to become engineering professionals, in turn inspire younger student members to follow their example.
Role Model Characteristics
Our partnerships - the pictures uploaded as part of this submission represent the special relationships formed between the team and its school system, the team and its county government, and the team and its professional community. These partnerships are vital to Team 1629's success as well as Team 1629 playing a major role in the academic program of its schools, economic development of its community, and future investment of its professional community. A true win/win for all partners.
Impact on Community
Team 1629 offers community events based on the FIRST sports model. During the past three years the team has supported a local robotics competition that has become known as SuGo or Sumo LEGO robotics. SuGo events have been held the first Sunday of every month for the last three years - providing a wonderful opportunity for many to collaborate, design, build, and compete! The past two years Team 1629 held special LEGO based robotics events as part of their community's special autumn festival.
Innovative Methods to Spread FIRST
Team 1629 determined that fundraising activities needed to be aligned to the teams efforts to spread the FIRST message to its community. As a result, the team focused on fundraising activities that encouraged interaction with people. The team came up with several successful events such as full service gas pumping and operating a shoe shine stand (for tips). As gas was pumping and shoes were shined, this approach gave students opportunity to talk to its community about why FIRST is important.
Strength of Partnership
The professional mentors are excellent role models for Team 1629 students and inspire them to pursue similar careers in engineering. The team showed appreciation to their partners by providing a special appreciation lunch at each of their partners facilities, including hot dogs, burgers, and a demonstration of last season's robot. This season and last, the team provided a special Valentine's Day dinner to their professional mentors and their wives during this build season.
Communication Methods
Staying connected and working together as a team is important to Team 1629. To this end, the team physically meets every first and third Mondays of every month during the off season and meets as a whole team at least twice a week during the build season with subteams meeting more often and reporting progress at the regularly scheduled team meetings. Knowing about team meetings in advance and planning accordingly helps student and adult members stay connected and work together towards team goals.
Other Considerations
Team 1629 recently entered into a special partnership with its local Rotary club. Working with the Rotarians, the team is in the process of designing an interactive robot that will be fabricated by the end of this spring. Local firemen will use the robot when presenting fire safety lessons to elementary students. Current designs include the ability to spray firemen and students with water or some other simulated fire retardant. Sparky the robot is still currently in the design process. |
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