How to win the Impact Award: Convincing the Judges

Awards, Other, Project Management, Scaling a Team (Advanced), Sustaining a Team (Intermediate)

Presenters: Isriah Keila and Meghan Ho, from RoboLancers Team 321

The FIRST Impact Award recognizes a team that demonstrates the greatest measurable progress toward achieving FIRST’s mission of transforming society to elevate science and technology in our culture. Teams who have established a successful track record in support of this mission should submit for the award. But measuring and communicating your achievement is no easy task. In this session, we’ll share our perspectives and insight on the various components of the submission and interview process, including understanding your audience, documentation requirements, and Impact scouting.

About Isriah and Meghan

The presenters are mentors for 2023 Championship FIRST Impact Award Winner team 321, the RoboLancers. Through the nonprofit Philadelphia Robotics Coalition, the presenters train and support teachers to become successful FIRST coaches.

Isriah Keila has been a coach of the RoboLancers since 2021. He is the full-time Operations Manager for the Philadelphia Robotics Coalition, the non-profit organization founded by the RoboLancers. He has been involved in FIRST for 17 years, an alum of every FIRST program from kindergarten through high school, and mentoring thereafter. He holds a BS in Management Information Systems from Florida State University.

Meghan Ho has been a mentor of the RoboLancers since 2012. She was part of the first group of students on the RoboLancers that presented for the Chairman’s Award, and has been working with students for the last 10 years to further develop their Impact submissions. She holds a BS in Management Information Systems from Temple University.