FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) [i just learnt what FIRST means HAHAHAHAA oops :S] Lego League is a worldwide robotics competition for kids aged 9-16. (14 for kids in the US) This year marks the 11th FLL and the challenge theme is called "Smart Move", transforming transportation.

Check out the challenge main page here, and past challenges here. Wow i think Nanoquest looks pro. And Volcanic Panic?!?! HAHAHAHA omg sounds like a lame pun from me.

(Btw for the challenge main page you should click on the titles, like THE PROJECT, and not the images coz it wont work.)

FLL09 Smart Move table set-up

And here's the FLL Factsheet which is a very informative brochure about what FLL is about. And of course it's full of nice colourful pictures and inspiring quotes like that of 10-years-old Charles Peterson "I want to build things nobody else has even thought of yet," WHOA PLEASE PASS HIM THE FORK TO SPORK HIS OYSTER OF A WORLD.

Ok so. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA now as a member of the YPC and specifically under the Training team, the first obstacle that we have to hurdle is the recruitment of volunteers. (Please ignore my whiny despondent entry 2 posts back.)
Here goes -

Btw i'm going to post this here, on LJ, on twitter, on Facebook and emails to all my unsuspecting friends HAHAHAHA so please also support me and help me spread the word.

This is a voluntary thing, and paraphrasing Heartware's hair-raisingly-cliched-but-still-true (haha) tagline "If it's not from the heart, it's not worth doing." - do it only if you want to.

Of course understandably school should come first, and also understandably, the motivations for doing this will be different for different groups of people -
1) portfolio chasers
2) CIP hours fulfill-ers (i dont blame you, haha, but i hope this will become meaningful for you in the course of things)
3) good karma seekers
4) people who believe that their individual efforts can make a difference for the greater community :) Really.

Anyway ok what you can do:
FLL Volunteers' Factsheet
Ok a brief breakdown-
1) Referees - i think these are the fun-nest roles, but also most demanding because i think 2 extra trainings are required for referees than other roles, you'll have to learn the rules and everything. This is because the referees are the ones officially recording points to the teams, which means YOU ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING OR BREAKING THE GREAT ROBOTIC DREAMS OF SOME 9-16 YEARS-OLD KID!
2) Pit/Field crew - ok the diff is Pit = Practice area, Field = Competition arena. Roles and responsibilities of each group are quite straight-forward. COME JOIN THIS!! I'm gunning to be IC of either Pit or Field, my position is not yet allocated.
3) Judging assistants - actually i think it should technically be Judges' assistants?? Haha but anyway ok straightforward too. Judges are going to be adult volunteers or officials from FLL, i think.
4) Officials - heh actually if you read the pdf closely...
5) Photographers/Videographers - self-explanatory.

Ok Training Schedule.
Actually i've counted and if you're not a referee, you'll be down for only 6 days, most of them half days except for full day on the event day, and about 34 hours in total.

One thing that Shuan emphasized was that at FLL, FUN is above all else. Yes Fun is dai sai 大嗮 haha. But of course, realistically, in the local context, probably the winners will have more fun than the rest.

BUT ANYWAY. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Pat the kid on his/her back and tell him/her that winning is not everything (for both winners and non-winners), life is more meaningful than that and he/she is a great kid. :D

If i've managed to sell that and you want in, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! Since you've come so far and set your heart to do something good, DO NOT LET ADMINISTRATIVE HUMDRUM HINDER YOU!

1) Sign up at Youthbank here.
After getting in, click on Search Activity on the left sidebar and search "FLL". Select "FLL Singapore 2009 "Smart Move" - Volunteers" and the rest is simple.
2) Fill up the Heartware application form here. Email it in to fll09@heartware-network.org asap and wait for confirmation!
3) Then for solidarity and your effusing enthusiasm, you could also join our Facebook group HAHAHA. I welcome you with open arms to join the far-mily.

If you've read till here, thank you very much. It's your move.