Core Values have always been at the heart of FRC Team 1816. Even before we launched our Team’s “Be FIRST“ peer-to-peer campaign several seasons ago, The Green Machine has placed high value on the ethical underpinnings of what it means to be a FIRST Robotics team.
A seminar at this year’s Team retreat inspired us to create our own set of formalized Team values. We formed a committee comprised of students of all grades and subteams. Our Team’s Core Values are: Respect, Trust, Inclusivity, Commitment, and Joy of Life. These values, along with their expansion statements, are a pathway to achieving Gracious Professionalism and acknowledging individual team, sponsor, and individual student success.
We ensure that all Team members understand Core Values via presentations of Core Value expansion statements to the Team, Core Values on name tags, and continual recognition of Core Values throughout the season, not as a singular event. Thus, we guarantee that our Core Values remain at the forefront of Team culture. We also spread values to other teams and the greater community through: pit banners at competitions; displaying Core Values on the Team website, and hands-on training in Core Values formation, including at regional events and showcases. To date, we have facilitated core values formation sessions for multiple FRC Teams including those that attended the early December pre-season training day in St. Cloud, MN.