1.4       FIRST Ethos and Core Values

1.4.1       Core Values

The FIRST Core Values are fundamental to FIRST and unique to its programs. They emphasize friendly sportsmanship, respect for the contributions of others, teamwork, learning, and community involvement and are part of our commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of unity.

Our community expresses the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism^® and Coopertition^® through the FIRST Core Values.

Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.

Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.

Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.

Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.

Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.

Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

1.4.2       Gracious Professionalism^®, a FIRST Credo

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. Gracious Professionalism is not clearly defined for a reason. It is an aspirational ideal to always strive towards, not a goal to be achieved or a method of measuring someone, and for this reason, you can never say someone “is” or “is not” being Graciously Professional. We should each work to better embody Gracious Professionalism in all our actions. How we pursue this can and should mean different things to everyone.

Some possible meanings of Gracious Professionalism include:

-        gracious attitudes and behaviors are win-win,

-        gracious folks respect others and let that respect show in their actions,

-        professionals possess special knowledge and are trusted by society to use that knowledge responsibly, and

-        gracious professionals make a valued contribution in a manner pleasing to others and to themselves.

In the context of FIRST, this means that all teams and participants should:

-        learn to be strong competitors, but also treat one another with respect and kindness in the process and

-        avoid leaving anyone feeling as if they are excluded or unappreciated.

Knowledge, pride, and empathy should be comfortably and genuinely blended.

In the end, Gracious Professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. When professionals use knowledge in a gracious manner and individuals act with integrity and sensitivity, everyone wins and society benefits.

Figure 1‑2 Dr. Woodie Flowers, Gracious Professionalism advocate and exemplar

“The FIRST spirit encourages doing high-quality, well-informed work in a manner that leaves everyone feeling valued. Gracious Professionalism seems to be a good descriptor for part of the ethos of FIRST. It is part of what makes FIRST different and wonderful.”

- Dr. Woodie Flowers, (1943 – 2019)

Distinguished Advisor to FIRST

It is a good idea to spend time going over this concept with your team and reinforcing it regularly. We recommend providing your team with real-life examples of Gracious Professionalism in practice, such as when a team loans valuable materials or expertise to another team that they will later face as an opponent in competition. Routinely highlight opportunities to display Gracious Professionalism at events and encourage team members to suggest ways in which they can demonstrate this quality themselves and through outreach activities.

1.4.3       Coopertition^®

At FIRST, Coopertition is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with one another even as they compete. Coopertition involves learning from teammates and mentors. Coopertition means competing always but assisting and enabling others when you can.

Message from Woodie Flowers Award Recipients

The Woodie Flowers Award is the most prestigious mentoring award in FIRST. The award recipients created an important message for all FIRST Robotics Competition teams to consider as we tackle each season.

Performing at your best is important. Winning is important. This is a competition.

However, winning with Gracious Professionalism and being proud of what you have accomplished and how you have accomplished it is more important. FIRST could create rules and penalties to cover almost any scenario or situation, but we prefer an understandable game with simpler rules that allow us to think and be creative in our designs.

We want to know that our partners and opponents are playing at their best in every MATCH. We want to know they are playing with integrity and not using strategies based on questionable behaviors.

As you create your ROBOTS and award presentations, prepare for competition and MATCH play, create and implement game strategies, and live your daily lives, remember what Woodie said time and time again, and let’s ‘Make your Grandmother proud.’

Woodie Flowers Liz Calef (88) Mike Bastoni (23) Ken Patton (51, 65) Kyle Hughes (27) Bill Beatty (71) Dave Verbrugge (5110, 67) Andy Baker (3940, 45) Dave Kelso (131) Paul Copioli (3310, 217)

Rob Mainieri (812, 64, 498, 991, & 2375) Dan Green (111) Mark Breadner (188) John Novak (16, 323) Chris Fultz (234) John Larock (365) Earl Scime (2614) Fredi Lajvardi (842) Lane Matheson (932) Mark Lawrence (1816)

Eric Stokely (258, 360, 2557, & 5295) Glenn Lee (359) Gail Drake (1885) Allen Gregory (3847) Lucien Junkin (118) Matt Fagen (4253) Christine Sapio (2486) Mark Buckner (4265) Norman Morgan (2468) Francisco Guerra (4635)