2007 Kick-Off Awards and Judging Criteria

“To create a world where science and technology are celebrated...where young people dream of becoming science and technology heros.” ~ Dean Kamen You’re not just dreaming it….you are doing it!

Today’s Discussion Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes  Role of the Judges  Role of the Team Winning Team Attributes Winning Team Attributes Overview of 2007 Awards Overview of 2007 Awards  Types of Award  Presentation Level (Regional vs. National)  Decision-makers  Criteria & Advice Key Takeaways Key Takeaways Q & A Q & A

Role of a Judge Ambassador of FIRST and its mission Ambassador of FIRST and its mission Role models to students and future participants Role models to students and future participants Detectives to collect evidence of Detectives to collect evidence of  Team performance  Machine performance Reporter Reporter Impartial Advocate of Excellence Impartial Advocate of Excellence No rule interpretation or referee duties No rule interpretation or referee duties

Role of the Team Be effective communicators Be effective communicators  Know your story – understand your strengths (& improvement areas)  Anticipate their questions and be prepared  Prioritize the information that you want to share – focus on the most important first  Use examples to illustrate your points; be specific, be concise  Advocate considerations they may not have asked about

Role of the Team Make it easy for the Judges to : Make it easy for the Judges to :  Find you -- well marked pit; have multiple spokespeople to ensure coverage  Remember you – positive impression; powerful examples; compelling stories; printed takeaway materials (easily traceable by Team #)  Know you – don’t forget to do your yearbook page

Attributes of a Truly Great Team A Judge’s Perspective

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Clearly Stated Team Mission/Goal Clearly Stated Team Mission/Goal

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Defined Team Structure Defined Team Structure  An example:  Team Lead  Marketing Lead  Finance and Accounting Lead  Technical Lead (Design, Engineering, Fabrication)  Programming Lead  Documentation Lead  Transportation/Logistics Lead

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Clear Roles & Responsibilities; Clear Accountabilities Clear Roles & Responsibilities; Clear Accountabilities An example:  Marketing  Public Relations  Public Speaking  Writers/Illustrators  Fundraising

Attributes of a Truly Great Teams Defined Communication Methods & Accountability Defined Communication Methods & Accountability

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Evidence of Sustainability Evidence of Sustainability  Business Plan  Sponsor/Mentor other teams (FRC, FLL, FVC, etc.)

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Team Interaction and Outreach Team Interaction and Outreach  Community (Schools, Businesses, Public/Private Organizations)  Other FIRST Teams  Remember this is a “Co-opetition”

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Summary of Team Accomplishments Summary of Team Accomplishments  Acknowledgement of successes -- every team member should know them  Understanding of improvement objectives

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Pit Area Pit Area  Easily identified -- memorable  Student-led  SAFE Working Environment  Clean, neat, organized

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Robot Robot  Students understand & can articulate Functionality  Students clearly involved in Design Process  Recognize and effectively describe Special Features  Differentiate themselves from other robot designs

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Effective Spokespeople Effective Spokespeople  Official delegates  All team members can advocate for team

Attributes of a Truly Great Team Spokesperson Attributes Spokesperson Attributes “Tell me something about your team/robot”  Generates Excitement  Good Storyteller  Positive Attitude  Clean – Neat – Organized  Concise, Rehearsed Presentation  Focuses on Team/Robot Strengths  Understands and describes how team meets specific award qualification criteria  Helps Judges remember key points  Provide Team and Robot Marketing Brochure  Enrolls the Judges in team’s vision

Attributes of Every Team And above all, demonstration of Gracious Professionalism throughout the competition And above all, demonstration of Gracious Professionalism throughout the competition

2007 Awards “Blue Shirt” Judged Awards Team Attribute Awards Creativity & Innovation Awards Machine Performance Awards Chairman’s Award Additional Awards Leadership Awards “Virtual” Awards Industrial Safety Award Competitive Performance Awards

Team Attribute Awards

Focused on teaming behavior & team accomplishments Focused on teaming behavior & team accomplishments  DaimlerChrysler Team Spirit  Imagery  Johnson & Johnson Sportsmanship  Rookie All Star  Engineering Inspiration  Rookie Inspiration  Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Entrepreneurship  Judges’ Award

DaimlerChrysler Team Spirit Celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through an exceptional partnership and teamwork. Celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through an exceptional partnership and teamwork. Regional Championship X X

Imagery Celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration from the machine to team appearance. Celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration from the machine to team appearance. Regional Championship X X

Johnson & Johnson Sportsmanship Celebrates outstanding sportsmanship and continuous gracious professionalism in the heat of competition, both on and off the playing field. Celebrates outstanding sportsmanship and continuous gracious professionalism in the heat of competition, both on and off the playing field. Regional Championship X X

Rookie All Star Celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as implementing the mission of FIRST: to inspire students to learn more about science and technology. Celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as implementing the mission of FIRST: to inspire students to learn more about science and technology. Championship Qualifier Regional Championship X X

Engineering Inspiration Celebrates a team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as their community. Celebrates a team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as their community. 2 nd highest honor FIRST bestows to a team. 2 nd highest honor FIRST bestows to a team. Championship Qualifier Regional Championship X X

Rookie Inspiration Celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as in their community. It is the 2 nd highest honor FIRST bestows to a rookie team. (Rookie Teams are numbered from team #1981 in 2007) Celebrates a rookie team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school, as well as in their community. It is the 2 nd highest honor FIRST bestows to a rookie team. (Rookie Teams are numbered from team #1981 in 2007) Regional Championship X X

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Entrepreneurship Celebrates the Entrepreneurial Spirit -- recognizes a team, which since its inception has developed the framework for a comprehensive business plan in order to scope, manage and obtain team objectives. This team displays entrepreneurial enthusiasm and the vital business skills for a self-sustaining program. Celebrates the Entrepreneurial Spirit -- recognizes a team, which since its inception has developed the framework for a comprehensive business plan in order to scope, manage and obtain team objectives. This team displays entrepreneurial enthusiasm and the vital business skills for a self-sustaining program. Regional Championship X X

Judges Award Reserved for a a team whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet doesn’t fit into any of the existing award categories. Reserved for a a team whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition, yet doesn’t fit into any of the existing award categories. This award can be for either team attribute or technical accomplishment This award can be for either team attribute or technical accomplishment Regional Championship X X

Industrial Safety Award Celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards. Celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards.  Determined by Safety Advisors, not the Judges Regional Championship X X

Creativity and Innovation Awards

Creativity and Innovation Focused on ingenuity and elegance of design Focused on ingenuity and elegance of design  Delphi’s Driving Tomorrow’s Technology  Innovation in Control  Xerox Creativity Note: Generally apply to a component, subsystem or strategy Regional Championship X X

Delphi “Driving Tomorrow’s Technology” Celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature -- recognizes any aspect of engineering elegance including, but not limited to: design, wiring methods, material selection, programming techniques, and 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. Celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature -- recognizes any aspect of engineering elegance including, but not limited to: design, wiring methods, material selection, programming techniques, and 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. Regional Championship X X

Innovation in Control Celebrates an innovative control system or application of control components to provide unique machine functions. Celebrates an innovative control system or application of control components to provide unique machine functions. Regional Championship X X

Xerox Creativity Celebrates creative design, use of a component, or a creative or unique strategy of play. Celebrates creative design, use of a component, or a creative or unique strategy of play. Regional Championship X X

Machine Performance Awards

Machine Performance Focused on machine quality and durability Focused on machine quality and durability  General Motors Industrial Design  Motorola Quality Regional Championship X X

General Motors Industrial Design Celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively achieves the game challenge. Celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively achieves the game challenge. Regional Championship X X

Motorola Quality Motorola Quality Celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication. Celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication. Regional Championship X X

Chairman’s Award The Essence of FIRST Spirit

Chairman’s Award Honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and which embodies the goals and purpose of FIRST. Celebrates the team judged t o have created the best partnership effort among team participants and to have best exemplified the true meaning of FIRST through measurable impact on the participants, school and community at large. Honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and which embodies the goals and purpose of FIRST. Celebrates the team judged t o have created the best partnership effort among team participants and to have best exemplified the true meaning of FIRST through measurable impact on the participants, school and community at large. Regional Championship X

Regional Chairman’s Award  On-line Submission (  Specified questions & 10,000 character max essay  Up to 4 photos  Cannot exceed 1.0MB  Must by signed (electronically) by Student Leader and Adult Mentor certifying accuracy and completeness  DEADLINE: February 22, :59PM EST  Judges use Yearbook Page (  Team selects Regional at which entry will be judged  Team must be registered at selected Regional  Woodie Flowers Award & Chairman’s Award must be submitted to same regional Regional Championship X

Regional Chairman’s Award Qualifying Award for Chairman’s Award Qualifying Award for Chairman’s Award  Judges seek evidence through official team submission, interviews and observation  On-site Interviews  10 minutes  5 minute Team Presentation  5 minute Judge-led Q & A  No more than three (3) students / mentors  Encouraged to bring and leave documentation to support submission National Qualifier Regional Championship X

Leadership awards  Allaire Medal  Woodie Flowers Award  Regional Woodie Flowers Award

Allaire Medal Celebrates outstanding student leadership and character that embodies the spirit of FIRST Celebrates outstanding student leadership and character that embodies the spirit of FIRST  Selected by Chairman’s Award winning team members  Junior or Senior accepted at 4-yr college/ university  Up to $10,000 scholarship Regional Championship X

Woodie Flowers Award Celebrates communication in the art & science of engineering & design. Recognizes mentors who lead, inspire & empower using excellent communication skills. Celebrates communication in the art & science of engineering & design. Recognizes mentors who lead, inspire & empower using excellent communication skills.  Student-nominated  Selected from winners of the Regional Woodie Flowers Award  Judged by panel of previous award winners led by Woodie Flowers Regional Championship X

Woodie Flowers Award Judging Considerations:  Based on team’s description of how teacher or mentor inspired each member of the team through:  Level of student participation  Creativity of effort  Clear explanation of concepts  Demonstrated enthusiasm for science & engineering  Encouragement to work as a team  Inspiration to use problem-solving skills  Inspiration to become an effective communicator  Mentor’s accomplishments through communication  Students’ ability to communicate clearly & concisely Regional Championship X

Regional Woodie Flowers Award Qualifying Award for Woodie Flowers Award Qualifying Award for Woodie Flowers Award  Student-nominated  On-line Submission (  600 word essay  Up to 6 photos  Cannot exceed 1.0MB  DEADLINE: February 22, :59PM EST  Team selects Regional at which entry will be judged  Team must be registered at selected Regional  Woodie Flowers Award & Chairman’s Award must be submitted to same regional Regional Championship X

“Virtual” Awards

Focused on excellence in use of computer- based enabling technology Focused on excellence in use of computer- based enabling technology  Autodesk TM Inventor Award  Autodesk TM Visualization Award  Website Award

Autodesk TM Inventor Award Celebrates excellence in student mechanical design, coordination and presentation Celebrates excellence in student mechanical design, coordination and presentation  Utilizes “ Inventor ” software package  Three (3) phase electronic submission  Score-based judging (100 points with 10 point bonus)  Two-round judging by panel of industry and education professionals  See Awards Section of 2007 FRC Competition Manual Regional Championship X

Autodesk TM Visualization Celebrates excellence in student animation Celebrates excellence in student animation  Multi-deliverable award focused on full animation process  Staged Due Dates – On FIRST web-site  Paperwork:  Storyboard/Animation:  Score-based judging (100 pts max)  Concept35 pts  Creativity35 pts  Technical Execution30 pts  Rookie classification available – See Awards section of FRC Competition Manual  Regional judging by ballot by student animators from submitting teams facilitated by Autodesk representative.  Regional Winners qualify for “ professional judging ” of Championship Award Regional Championship X X

Website Award Celebrates excellence in student-designed, built, and managed team websites Celebrates excellence in student-designed, built, and managed team websites  On-line submission (  Deadline: February 22, :59PM EST  Judging by website professionals in advance of event Regional Championship X X

Competitive Performance Awards

Competitive Performance Celebrate excellence in performance in the field of play Celebrate excellence in performance in the field of play  Highest Rookie Seed Award  Celebrates the highest seeded rookie team at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds  Regional Finalist Award  Celebrates the alliance that makes it to the final match  Regional Winner Award  Celebrates the alliance that wins the competition Regional Championship X X

Questions ?

Key Takeaways Judges are Seeking Evidence Judges are Seeking Evidence Advocate for Your Team Advocate for Your Team  Enthusiasm, excitement & passion sell  Help us understand your story  Enroll Judges in your team’s Vision Do Your Homework Do Your Homework  Understand award criteria  Position team for appropriate awards Be Prepared Be Prepared  Prioritize critical information  Know your facts -- Be illustrative, be specific Bring the Mission of FIRST to life Bring the Mission of FIRST to life You’ve Already Won – Have FUN & Enjoy the Ride! You’ve Already Won – Have FUN & Enjoy the Ride!

Thank You! Good Luck!!