Bellarmine’s Robotics FRC team, The Cheesy Poofs, recently received the 2020 Chairman’s Award from the Central Valley Regional Tournament. Although the competitions were cancelled due to health and government restrictions during the COVID-19 crisis, submissions for awards were evaluated by judges and the winners from each Regional event were announced on April 29.
According to Team 254 moderator Ann Johnson, the Chairman’s Award is the most prestigious award at FIRST, as it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST. Regional winners are eligible for the Chairman’s award at the World Championships, where the winner earns a spot in the FIRST Hall of Fame.
"What makes this win remarkable is that winning a Chairman’s award is typically something a team only wins once, and our team won the Chairman’s award at the Silicon Valley Regional in 2004 and at the World Championships, earning our spot in the Hall of Fame,” noted Johnson, who also indicated that the award is about the team’s impact -- students, mentors, moderators, school -- and not just about the robot.
Congratulations to all involved in Bellarmine’s Robotics program.