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 the drafts of our 2011 Executive Summaries for each area. We have, of course, started with the 2010 summaries and will enhance them for this year.
Impact on Team Members
The 2011 season marks our seventh year as a FIRST Robotics team. Team 1629 is proud to have eighteen alumni all of whom have moved on to a four year college in a STEM related field. With only 20% of local students going on to college, this is quite an accomplishment! We have alumni attending Cornell, MIT, Case Western Reserve, Bucknell, WVU, 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
Team 1629 has formed special relationships between the team and its school system, county government, and professional community. These partnerships are vital to Team 1629's success and us playing a major role in the academic program of its schools, economic development of its community, and future investment of its professional community. In addition, two rival high schools comprise our team mandating that cooperation is a valued skill. Lastly, working with other teams creates coopertition.
Impact on Community
Team 1629 offers community events based on the FIRST sports model. During the past four 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 - providing a wonderful opportunity for many to collaborate, design, build, and compete! The past three 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 focus on spreading the FIRST message to its community. As a result, we focused on fundraising activities that encouraged interaction with people. These include, but are not limited to: full service gas pumping (for tips); a shoe shine stand (for tips); lemonade stand ($2/glass); and “Punkin Chunkin” (entry fees). In all cases, 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 shows 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. For the past three seasons, the team has 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. The team meets the first and third Mondays of every month during the off season and as a whole team at least twice a week during the build season with subteams meeting more often and reporting progress at the full team meetings. We also leverage our web site and Facebook. 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 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 local firemen will use 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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