The BEST Award
The BEST award is based not only on robot performance, but on many other categories as well. This is where you can help on a team, even if you don’t enjoy engineering. Categories involved in the BEST award are…
Robot – While the robot is not the only thing involved in the BEST award, it does still weigh into it. This score is calculated based on each robot’s performance in the seeding rounds.
Engineering Notebook – This is a notebook that documents the design and engineering process used to build a team’s robot. This will be judged based on a scoresheet that covers various topics that the notebook should include.
Marketing Presentation – A presentation is always made to the judges, marketing the robot and talking about our team. Four to eight students participate in presentation. This is also judged based on a scoresheet, which includes categories for the presentation team to discuss.
Exhibit Booth – This is a display that each team will set up at the competition. The display booth includes many of the things presentation does, like information about the team and robot. Not only the judges can see your exhibit booth; all teams will set up their booths in a public area, so anyone can walk in and look at them. The booths are manned by a team member, who is responsible for an interview with the judges.
Spirit and Sportsmanship – This category is based on the team’s attitude at the competition. Lending assistance to other teams, coordinated cheers, and even behavior in high-stress situations play into this score.
The Robot Award
The Robot award is based solely on the robot’s performance in the competition. Teams can advance from the seeding rounds to the semi finals, and from there, they advance to the finals. The top few teams in the finals receive awards and advance to the regional competition.
Teams with the top notebooks enter the wildcard round. The top one or two teams (depending on the size of the hub) of the wildcard round get a free spot in the semi finals.
Other Awards
Other awards earned at the competition are the website, notebook, software design, exhibit, presentation, and spirit and sportsmanship awards, along with many others.