Award Recognition for Non-STEM Mentors in the FIRST Robotics Competition

We've created this petition in hopes of bringing the lack of recognition opportunities for non-STEM mentors in the FIRST Robotics Competition to the attention of FIRST.

Since 1996, FIRST has enabled students to nominate mentors for the Woodie Flowers Award (WFA). This award recognizes a mentor who fill a set of criteria set forth by FIRST:

Level of student participation

-Creativity of effort

-Clear explanation of mathematical, scientific, and engineering concepts

-Demonstration of enthusiasm for science and engineering

-Encouragement to work on projects as a team effort

-Inspiration to use problem-solving skills

-Inspiration to become an effective communicator

-Motivation through communication

(Taken from FRC Manual)

This award has enabled students to recognize amazing mentors within FRC whose passion for STEM inspires their students to pursue STEM fields.

FIRST's most prestigious award, the FRC Chairman's Award, includes many non-STEM components in the submission, including a written essay, a presentation, and a well-edited video. Many of the mentors who are involved in creating these submissions as well as the endeavors that lead to the content involved are not engineers nor do they have any technical expertise. Some of these mentors are among the best teachers and mentors in FRC, but students cannot successfully nominate them through WFA because they do not fill the technical criteria.

The FIRST Tech Challenge equivalent to the WFA, the Compass Award, allows each team to nominate one mentor or coach for recognition regardless of their technical background. Many winners at the state and Super Regional levels of competition are highlighted for their contributions to the business, financial management, presentation, and leadership sides of FIRST. Some of the best coaches and mentors don’t have much technical experience to offer, but instead help their teams to network and find more mentors that do.

This petition hopes to influence FIRST to either expand the WFA criteria to include non-STEM mentors OR create a new award entirely recognizing mentors whose focus is business, financial management, presentation, leadership, and more.