This award celebrates outstanding demonstration of FIRST Core Values such as continuous Gracious Professionalism and working together both on and off the playing field. 

• • Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It’s a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

  • With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions.

Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended. Guidelines for this award include:

• • The team exemplifies the FIRST Core Values in relationships with other teams and by their demonstrated Gracious Professionalism

  • The team consistently demonstrates Gracious Professionalism and a positive attitude both on and off the field.

  • If the team worked with another FIRST Robotics Competition team pre-season – they can describe the following:

  • How the collaboration was conducted during the off-season and during the build season

  • How the teams divided up tasks fairly and equitably

  • How the process of communication flowed from one team to the other

  • How working together as a group was beneficial over working independently

  • The financial impacts of working together vs working independently 

During the course of the competition, the judging panel may decide a team’s unique efforts, performance, or dynamics merit recognition. Guidelines for the award may include: 

• The team keeps appearing for consideration for other awards.

• Other Judges have noticed and commented on the positive aspects of the team.

• A unique happening or feature (often one that demonstrates the team has fully embraced the principles of FIRST) has caught a Judge’s attention.

Sponsored by Dow, this award Celebrates and recognizes a team which has developed sustainable practices to have a positive environmental impact and achieve long-term continuity. Guidelines for this award include:

• • The team has a clear concept or approach to building their team and operates as a cohesive unit.

  • The team proactively identified and managed risks, acquiring the assets to effectively deal with adversity as well as unexpected events.

  • The team understands that operating in harmony with the environment is important for long-term team viability.

  • The team is taking steps to reduce their environmental impact and building environmental sustainability into team activities.

  • The team understood the goals of the competition and the mission of FIRST.

  • The team must be able to explain:

    • • What team sustainability practices are in place such as recruiting and training future team members.

      • How the team keeps students, mentors, and sponsors actively engaged by making decisions and dividing their workload

      • How the team celebrate success and document lessons learned to prevent repeating mistakes

      • How the team assesses its environmental impact and what the team does to mitigate or reduce it.

      • How the team’s environmental sustainability strategy impacts their team longevity.

      • How the team is funded and how the team budgets, including potential revenue from sustainability practices like metal recycling