1. JAW Preparing Your Chairmans Award: Almost As Fun As Building a Robot FIRST Philadelphia Kick-off Event January 5, 2008 John Larock / Carol Perrotto

2. Agenda Introductions What is the Chairmans Award? Why submit? Organizing your team Submission process Submission / Presentation Tips Examples Q & A

3. JAW Whats all the fuss about the Chairmans Award?

4. What is the Chairmans Award? Top award in FIRST Recognized as role model for other teams and embodies the goals and purpose of FIRST Regional award winners qualify to compete at Championship Championship winners enter FIRST Hall of Fame –Qualify for Championship event –Choose student to receive Allaire Medal Scholarship of $10,000 –Work with producer/director to develop video tape of team –If youre lucky, you can visit the White House

5. Chairmans Award Process Complete on-line information –Yearbook Page Complete submission on-line –Executive Summary –Chairmans Essay Submission Select regional event to submit at –Same event you submit Woodie Flowers award Presentation to judges at Regional If qualify, present to judges at Championship 2008 Deadline – Feb 21, 2008, 11:59pm EST

6. Why Submit An Entry? To be able to organize, document, and communicate what your team does Allow students a chance to share their experience with FIRST judges For recognition of what you already do To get a nice trophy & banner To allow students another avenue to demonstrate their skills and creativity To satisfy your competitive urges another way

7. Why Submit An Entry? Your team must submit an entry if you have received a NASA Grant Rookies should submit if you are vying for Rookie All-Star Award –Rookies not eligible to win Chairmans Award –Rookies to bring hardcopy for judges at Regional FIRST Hall of Fame teams are not eligible to win Regional Chairmans Award –Encouraged to submit to verify teams are maintaining their Hall of Fame status

8. JAW Organizing Your Team

9. Know the Criteria From Chairmans Award documentation in FIRST manual Emphasis on recent accomplishments (2007-08 year) and those of the past two years. –IMPACT on learning experience of students, school curriculum, engineers and community –ROLE MODEL – demonstrate why should your team be considered one –COMMUNICATION – how well has team communicated excitement and impact? –INNOVATION – team documented innovative way to spread FIRST message –PARTNERSHIP – strengths of team partnerships –DOCUMENTATION – does content exemplify true meaning of FIRST?

10. Selecting Your CA Team Two main teams –Documentation / Submission team –Presentation team Strongly suggest that Presentation Team is a subset of your Documentation / Submission team General Criteria for Documentation / Submission Team –First-hand knowledge of team history –First-hand knowledge / experience of team outreach –Embody the spirit of FIRST

11. CA Documentation / Submission Team Select leader for team Responsibilities / Tasks –Proposes where to submit Chairmans entry to rest of team –Gathers information for entry –Develops draft of entry –Obtains feedback on entry –Submits entry –Develops judge presentation

12. CA Presentation Team Additional Criteria –Students who get it and are committed –Students who know most / all aspects of team –Students who are available to put in time necessary Select a leader for team Responsibilities / Tasks –All responsibilities of Documentation / Submission Team –Develop presentation for judges –Practice presentation –Gather presentation aids –Give presentation

13. Considerations on Which Regional to Submit Entry to What do you consider your home regional? –The judges here will know your team best –The regional has a history of your teams activity Competition –Number of teams attending regional –Number of teams you estimate will submit –Competitiveness of teams most likely to submit Availability of Presenters Other reasons?

14. JAW Planning your Submission Part I – The written part

15. Know Your FIRST Team What is your team mission, vision, goals, accomplishments? How do these match up against the award criteria? How can you best tell your team story to meet criteria? It is okay to not have strengths in all areas of the award criteria – your submission should focus on telling your teams story

16. Executive Summary Answer the question asked Stay within the word counts Focus on time frame requested –More impact in recent years –Less impact many years ago Provide as many concrete results as possible Use burger dots to provide more information in the space alloted Any questions about Executive Summary?

17. JAW MOE Executive Summary 2007

18. Essay Use your creativity! Adhere to word count –Write what you need to and then edit down –Get to the point as effectively as you can How can you best tell your team story to meet criteria? –More words to complement info in your Exec Summary –Emphasize areas you really want judges to focus on –Emphasize what is unique / special about your team Balance results and emotion –Use exact quotes if you can –Show impact your team has had Any questions about Essay?

19. JAW MOE CA Essay 2007

20. JAW Planning your Submission Part II – The Presentation Part

21. Presentation Prep Ensure the presentation team gets along with each other Complement info from Exec Summary and Essay –Add info you could not get into essay due to space –Enhance topics you want to emphasize Definitely cover topic areas you need judges to hear Develop a script of your presentation –Better chance of getting specific information across –Presenters can then focus on memorizing their section(s) –Include props (posters, slides, etc.) Stay within time limit (including set-up)

22. JAW MOE CA Presentation Script 2007

23. Presentation Prep PRACTICE!!!! –Assess the flow –Determine how presentation works with props –Have different people review presentation and comment –Continually upgrade Any questions about Presentation Prep?

24. JAW Chairmans Process Tips

25. Its not only about what is submitted and presented Judges and others will be observing Chairmans Award contenders during the competition –Input from judges and others (event volunteers, other teams) may be a factor in the judges decision Your team should walk the talk –Team members should act as you describe your team in your essay and presentation –Your team (especially competition team) should demonstrate Gracious Professionalism Every team member is an ambassador for your team –Its not just about the students presenting your entry; its about every member of your team –This may include parents of team members

26. General Tips Best people on CA team are those who actively participated in team events & outreach –They have personal experiences they can share Look for ways to differentiate your team Get as much feedback on your Essay and Presentation as you can from a diverse audience before you submit / present Being well organized is extremely important Check out the layout of your presentation room in advance (if you can) –Bring ALL of your props (including easels) Be on time for your presentation

27. JAW Examples of MOE 365 Chairmans Entry 2007

28. MOEs Vision and Mission Vision –to be a model FIRST robotics team Mission –We inspire & motivate young people to pursue science and technology careers and become confident, self-reliant, responsible citizens poised to make a real difference in our world using a fun, creative, and unique environment that extends learning beyond the classroom

29. MOrE- Specific Examples www.moe365.orgwww.moe365.org - go to Chairmans Award under Main menu list

30. JAW Questions? Good luck!