2011 Woodie Flowers Submission

What can I do to help?" Those are the words that have greeted and relieved members of Team 1987 for three years. No matter the situation, the man behind the words will eagerly approach any problem. Who is this man? Is he a mentor who shares his tools and expertise with the team? A leader who helps facilitate goals? Maybe he is an enthusiastic FIRST fan who not only tirelessly teaches, but lives the principles of FIRST. The answer to this question astounds us all. Somehow, Scott T. is all of these things and more. Whether an important part of the robot has been broken in a city far from home, or a student just needs someone to talk to, Scott is there. He brings to the team all of the tools necessary for success: intelligence, determination, and a profound belief in the ideals of FIRST.

Ever since Scott heard about FIRST, he has been promoting its values. From the day he joined our team, he has been an integral part of our organization. Scott has donated his tools, his tireless energy, and most importantly his time. During the past three build seasons, he has accrued more than 517 hours helping the team. He is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Even in all the chaos that is the build season, he never forgets the focus of FIRST. From their first moments on the team, new members learn about the values of FIRST from Scott. Coopertition and gracious professionalism are quickly added to the vocabulary of every member of the team. Scott is more than talk; his every action reinforces the values he teaches the Broncobots. He is a board member of the R-7 Alliance, a group created to foster communication and aid among the three FRC teams in our district. He is also active in many other initiatives-like the team's food drive to help the less fortunate, and letter campaigns to alert our politicians to the importance of FIRST.

Scott provides as much help to the students of 1987 as he does to the program. If a student has had a bad day at school or received a bad grade on a test, he is there to provide comfort. Better yet, when a member of the CAD team has designed an electrical plate for the robot only to be told that none of the mounting holes match, he is there with calipers, a kind word, and a grin that says "go get 'em." Scott is a father to the team. He always looks after our best interests, and helps to prepare us for the future.

In brief, Scott is the driving force behind our team. His enthusiasm and patience inspire the students to work harder after every setback. He turns mistakes into learning experiences, and always makes students feel important to the efforts of the team. Perhaps most importantly, he has imbued us with the spirit of FIRST. Because of him, we too have learned to ask others "What can we do to help you?"