Good Morning Teams,
Have I mentioned we’re actively reviewing elements of the control system for 2010? By the time we’re done, the new system should offer more features and monitor more functions. I can’t tell you much more than that without giving too much away, but the GDC knows all about what the proposed changes to the control system can do and are exploring creative ways to make use of the improvements during game play.
At the same time, Kate, our kit of parts engineer, is compiling the kit of parts for 2010 (thank you to the organizations that have already offered discounts or even donated parts). Please don’t forget to complete Kate’s kit of parts survey. She wants your input. And if you know of anyone willing to donate 1875 of something you’d like to use on your robot, let Kate know at FRCteams@usfirst.org
How would you feel about pins? Are you for or against the suggestion FRC stop handing out bronze participation medallions and provide year specific, game themed participation pins instead? The goal is to reduce costs while improving FRC visibility, but I’d like your opinion before we make any changes. Let me know what you think at FRCteams@usfirst.org
178 days until the 2010 Kickoff
See you there!
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9 comments:
Switching from medallions from pins is not that appealing.
I have had many of my students walk graduation with their FIRST medallions. The other students & attendees are all in amazement of that terrific medal. I don't think pins would have that same effect.
I love the medals. Until this year my team hasn't had much success, but no matter how the robot did, or how the awards turned out- every student walked away with a medal. It solidifies the idea that everyone who comes into a FIRST competition has already won.
There will be many more replies to your question here:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77894
Pins are small and would be lost or given away. I still have the participation medals from the first three years of my team and I treasure them. Even though they're bronze, they're in my HS Senior pictures (which I took with my FRC robot). Medals are a great way for FIRST to commemorate the effort all students, mentors, parents, and teachers put in to their team.
I have boxes and boxes of FIRST pins stored away, all of my medals are hanging up for everyone who enters my room to see and ask about. I have been more then lucky to be on a "successful" team in my career in FIRST but the idea of everyone getting a chance to hang a medal in their room or door and be able to explain "I was in a contest where I helped build a robot that competed in a competition with students from across the world with some of the largest corporations on the planet sponsoring that has been aired on ESPN and every major news station in the US" is a pretty cool thing to be able to say while showing off a medal, no one outside of FIRST knows the bronze is a participation medal, they see a medal and know that the person who has that was part of something great and they accomplished a task that was deserving of a medal.
Pins would be great for awards of some kind but giving every student who participated in FIRST a medal at the end of the season is one of the reasons why I love FIRST so much, its not a ribbon that is can be made in my basement or a piece of paper that costs 30 cents a copy with fancy letters.
Sorry for the long response but there are other ways to cut costs in FIRST, honoring each and every student, mentor and sponsor who gave so much throughout the season is worth the extra cost in my mind.
While I like the pin idea, I have really enjoyed having the medals available, particularly for our first year students, who are delighted to walk away with a memento that reinforces the value of their hard work during the season in a way that I don't see the pin being able to do. In addition, the medals have been fantastic items to gift to our sponsors as a thank you, and have received a great deal of positive feedback from doing so.
Medallions and pins really serve 2 different purposes. While nice to have on your wall, or present to a sponsor, they are generic and not applicable to any given season. The pins, like the Lunacy pins seen this year, present a mobile badge that can be worn with other pins and buttons. Perhaps teams could be given an option?
I like the idea of the pins, but I find sometimes the bronze medals rather unnecessary to be given out to every student that goes through FRC. I personally have not collected my bronze medals this year, they've gone to other teammates. You won't find one on my medal rack at home, either. I find them rather taunting, really, as a driver. To me, it says "Hey, thanks for playing, you can have something that thousands of other FIRSTers get too." Pins would be much lower cost, and they would look kind of cool. Sure, the idea is the same, and I probably would only collect one of them a year, to keep track of games I've played. After all, FLL gives out pins to every student that participates in a regional competition.
Personally, I think FIRST could pull this off, and save tons of money. Maybe enough in shipping costs to bring back larger trophies.
-Nick
A couple of reactions:
1) I think it depends on what type of pin; your posting is the first I heard of this idea, so I'm not sure what FIRST has in mind. A very nice, stamped/die cut metal pin I think could still hold a lot of significance. The cheap mass produced pins that teams give out would seem inappropriate to me.
2) At least for me, it's less about the physical significance than the memories and emotional weight that the medals carry. I have several FIRST participation medals, a regional champion, and a regional finalist medals at home, but to me, the most cherished of all my memorabilia from FIRST is the small pin I was given by Woodie Flowers when I met him in Atlanta last year. I think it's possible for a pin to carry the same weight to you as a medal.
3) From the standpoint of FIRST's mission to change a culture, I think the medallions have some significance. If we're trying to say to kids, "Hey, you can be just as successful and win just as much recognition from your peers by being on the robotics team as you can on the football team," there could be a lot of difference between "I got quarter kilo medal," and "I got a lapel pin." (perhaps some exaggeration present)
In what way will the reduction in costs here impact the program elsewhere?
I don't think it's fair to expect people to make a decision about this without informing them what benefits each choice offers.
if you need to save $,
keep the medal.... ditch the ribbon
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