FLL Shelton Qualifying Event

Awards

The 2010-2011 Awards represent the true values and focus of FLL internationally. Children, regardless of what country they are from or which Official Tournament they compete in, will be judged using this group of awards, ultimately leading to a recognized standard of excellence for all FLL teams.

Outstanding Team Mentor Award

New to Shelton this year is an Award dedicated to Shelton High Schools FIRST Robotics Team founding member Louis J. Schmecker who passed away during the Summer of 2010. Teams that would like to honor one of their mentors should Click Here to submit the Outstanding Mentor Award Application. The Event Directors will review all of the applications and announce the winner at the closing cerimonies.

All other awards are divided into four main categories: Technical, Team Performance, Research, and Special Recognition Judges' Awards. Judges use the criteria of Technical, Team Performance, and Research excellence when determining the winner of the Champion’s Award, the most prestigious honor a team can win at an FLL Official Tournament.

All Official Tournament Organizers are required to present the Technical, Team Performance, Research Presentation, and Champions Awards. The organizers use their discretion when presenting other award categories. In addition, all Official Tournament participants receive a FLL Medallion to signify their accomplishments, both on and off the Competition Field.

Champion’s Award

The Champion’s Award is the most prestigious award that any team can win. The Champion’s Award celebrates the ultimate success of the FIRST mission and FLL Values. It measures how the children inspire and motivate others about the accessibility, excitement, and wonders of science, technology, and engineering while demonstrating respect, encouragement, and continued gracious professionalism. The winning team receives the honor of serving as a valued role model for FIRST and the FIRST LEGO League Program.

Teams considered for the Champion’s Award are those that perform well in technical and team performance categories, which are equally weighted. Once teams are selected, judges review the results of the teams' FLL Value Assessment interviews. Using this final parameter for determination, judges will decide which team(s) will receive this most coveted award. In most cases, if a team is chosen as a Champion’s Award Team, it will not receive any additional awards in the other categories.

The weight value for each of the categories is as follows:

Technical Category

Robot Design

25%

Robot Performance

25%

Team Presentation Category

Project Presentation

25%

Teamwork

25%

Total

100%

FLL Values Interviews with Judges Tie Breakers

Teamwork Award

Teamwork is necessary to succeed in FIRST LEGO@ League, and is the key ingredient in any team effort. FLL presents this award to the team that best demonstrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit, exceptional partnership, and the utmost respect to its own teammates, and in its support and encouragement of fellow teams. For more information, refer to Rubric: FLL Values in the FLL Team Manual. The team receiving this trophy demonstrates the following attributes to the Judges:

Confidence, energy and enthusiasm
Problem solving skills
Understanding and respect of others
Team interaction and group dynamics

Research Presentation Award

On the day of the tournament, each team will have approximately five (5) minutes to deliver the their Project presentation in the form of a skit, formal presentation, and/or a demonstration to name a few. This will be followed by a five (5) minute question and answer period. Due to a tight schedule this time limit must be strictly enforced. Judges will look for the team's ability to have more than one, or all, team members participating in the presentation. Judges will assess how your team does the following:

Clearly and accurately outlines and understands all aspects of the problem
Clearly defines a question to guide their research
Addresses the potential impacts if the problem is not resolved
Captures the judges' attention with the team presentation
Shows creativity and innovation in its solutions

Judged Technical Awards

The FLL Shelton Qualifying Event combined a number of FLL individual awards to create this category. A Judged Technical Award winner is predicated on distinct elements of innovative mechanical design, robust mechanical design, and innovative and robust programming, which in conjunction with one another make a robot and its team of designers, programmers, and builders stand out. The winner may be superior in any one or all three of the following categories:

Innovative Design – the team that best demonstrates its ability to use a creative design, component or unique strategy of play for the most original approach when solving the Challenge missions.
Robust Design - the team that best demonstrates its understanding and application of sound mechanical principles, producing the most solid, consistent and dependable robot.
Programming - the team who understands and applies innovative programming principles, creating an effective and efficient program to run the robot.

For the Champion’s, Teamwork, and Technical awards judges will be roaming the pits during the event.

The Research Project will be presented in a separate quiet area at the venue away from the excitement of the competition.

Robot Performance Award

FLL presents this award to the team whose robot achieved the best score on the competition field at the Tournament. The FLL Connecticut Local Events will not include elimination rounds in order to simplify scheduling and maximize the number of competition rounds the Teams can participate in.

Additional Awards

A major part of the fun at a FIRST event is the awards. Additional awards will be given out to Teams for special recognition. The FLL Shelton Qualifying Event awards include:

Ring Master’s Award – Judge’s Favorite - This award is given to a Team that the Judges find deserving but may not have place first in any of the other award categories. This award is given by the judges to their favorite team whose grace under pressure, team work, uniqueness, design quality, presentation excellence, or spirit has elevated them above other teams to be deserving of special recognition.
Lion Tamer’s Award - Against All Odds Award - We can overcome incredible odds if we just never give up, no matter what. This award goes to the team that rises above the worst situation and has to improvise, adapt, overcome, and still makes a respectable showing.
On the High Wire – Grace Under Pressure – This award goes to the team that keeps their cool during the competition despite programming glitches, mechanical failures, low batteries, or other disasters that face teams at the tournament tables. This award may go to a team even if no such disasters have occurred and they have flawlessly executed all missions but may not be a top scorer.
Send in the Clowns - Team Spirit Award - Some teams really know how to go overboard. Their communities know them well. They are loud, they are bright, they jump around, and their high-fives really sting. They may rock the boat sometimes, but they always rock the house! This award goes to the team that most enthusiastically demonstrates a commitment to getting others to see how accessible, fun, and rewarding science and technology can be, especially when you are part of a great team.
The Dancing Bear Cub – Rookie Award – This award goes to a first year team that has come together and excelled in all areas of a FLL Tournament. Rookie teams are never sure what to expect at a competition, to be able to come together in such a short amount of time and put on a respectable showing is a remarkable accomplishment. The definition of Rookie should pertain only to a first year program at a school or community center however the definition may be stretched to include a program that contains all new first year coaches, students, and mentors even if there has been an FLL program at that institution in the past.