# Sample Questions ## Engineering Inspiration Award * How has your team advanced respect for engineering in your community? * What programs or events do you run to promote STEM beyond your own team? * How do you recruit new members, especially students who may not already see themselves as engineers? * What partnerships have you built with local companies, schools, or organizations? * How do those partnerships benefit both your team and the broader community? * How has your outreach grown or evolved over time? * How do you measure the impact of your outreach efforts? * How do you ensure your team culture encourages appreciation for engineering, not just participation in robotics? * What long-term impact do you hope your team has on your community? ## Gracious Professionalism Award * What does gracious professionalism mean to your team in practice? * How do you handle conflict within the team? * How do you divide work to ensure fairness and inclusion? * Can you share an example of helping another team at an event? * How do you respond when things do not go your way in a match? * How do mentors and students collaborate respectfully? * What expectations do you set for team conduct at competitions? * How do you ensure every member feels valued and heard? * Can you describe a challenging situation and how your team handled it positively? ## Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen * What is your team’s theme, and how did you choose it? * How is your theme reflected in your robot design? * How is your team branding consistent across uniforms, pit, robot, and media? * What design choices were intentional, and why? * How do aesthetics and function complement each other on your robot? * How do new members learn and maintain your team’s visual identity? * What story does your team’s imagery tell? * How does your pit design reinforce your overall theme? ## Judges Award * What is something unique about your team that you are especially proud of? * Is there a program, tradition, or initiative that sets your team apart? * What challenge has your team overcome this season? * What impact are you making that might not fit into a traditional award category? * How has your team grown this year beyond just building a robot? * What would you want judges to remember most about your team? ## Rookie All-Star Award * What does FIRST mean to your team? * How are you building a strong foundation within your school or organization? * How did you recruit your first members? * What outreach have you completed in your rookie season? * How are you building relationships with sponsors? * What systems are you putting in place to ensure your team lasts beyond this year? * How do students take ownership of the team? * What have you learned about FIRST culture and values so far? * How are you preparing to grow in future seasons? ## Rookie Inspiration Award * How are you inspiring respect for engineering in your community as a rookie team? * What outreach have you completed in your first season? * How did you attract new members who may not have prior STEM experience? * How are you promoting science and technology education at your school? * What feedback have you received from your community about your team? * How are you building excitement about engineering among younger students? * What goals do you have for expanding your impact next year? ## Team Spirit Award * How does your team show enthusiasm at competitions? * How do you promote unity within your team? * What traditions or cheers are unique to your team? * How do you represent FIRST in your school and community? * How do you balance competitive intensity with positive energy? * How does your team maintain morale during a tough event? * How do your appearance and branding reflect your team pride? * How do you include all members in showing team spirit? ## Team Sustainability Award * How do you recruit and retain members year over year? * What is your plan for leadership transition? * How do you manage financial risk? * What are your primary revenue sources? * How do you ensure consistent funding? * What is your long-term action plan for growth? * How do you track and evaluate progress toward team goals? * How do mentors support sustainability without limiting student leadership? * What systems are in place to ensure the team thrives beyond current members?