We are bringing back our 1511 Personal Recognition Awards. Last handed out at the 2020 Miami Valley Regional the practice, like many things, fell to the wayside during the Covid years and since. We have decided to try and reinvigorate the program this year at the 2025 Finger Lakes Regional as well as the 2025 Buckeye Regional in Cleavland Oh.
FIRST is all about recognition and inspiration. This holds true for the FIRST 2025 Finger Lakes Regional event. To further encourage each of us to create the world that FIRST inspires, please use the provided Personal Recognition Buttons, or PRA’s. These buttons are not distributed freely but must be earned by an individual.
Here’s how it works…
Each team participating in the 2025 Buckeye Regional will receive a packet containing 5 PRA buttons. Included on these instructions is a QR code for submitting your PRA awards. Each team should plan to award a button to an individual at the event who should be recognized for outstanding behavior in any of the following areas:
| * Gracious Professionalism | * Helpfulness | * Spirit / Enthusiasm | |
| * Exceptional Safety | * Bringing People Together | ||
Individuals could be members of another team, FIRST staff, venue staff, the concierge at your hotel, the driver of your bus, or anyone else you feel made your competition incredible! Choosing people is going to be somewhat subjective. However, the most important criteria are actions that stand out to your team that made your competition memorable. Not only will recognized individuals receive a limited-edition button, but the team awarding the button should also record the name, team number or other affiliation, and reason for the recognition on a PRA form at the time of the award. Each button you present should have a form filled out online. Please complete this short form! Information about recognized individuals from all forms submitted will be posted on the Rolling Thunder website (penfieldrobotics.com/events/pra.php) shortly after the competition.
Credit for the Personal Recognition Awards goes to Team 365, MOE. The team graciously allowed Team 1511 to create their own PRA awards at competition.
Personal Recognition Awards from the 2025 Finger Lakes Regional
| Awarding Team | Recipient | Recipients Team Number | Award | Reason for the award |
| 378 | Mckinley | 378 | Extreme Safety | McKinley follows safety to the letter, without her we’d have all lost our eyeballs to shrapnel or something, and she’s the only willing person to do the job |
| 1511 | Jamie | 3181 | Extreme Safety | For working with their local fire house and janitor team at the school |
| 1511 | MARVIN | 2614 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | We love how kind and uplifting whoever was behind the mask was |
| 1511 | Riya | 20 | Helpfulness | Very helpful |
| 1511 | Abbie | 340 | Bringing People Together | Always happy to see everyone and signed the national anthem for people!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 1511 | Matt | 424 | Gracious Professionalism | Helpful on and off the field as a mentor and coach |
| 1585 | Parker Fields | Robot Inspector | Spirit/Enthusiasm | Keeping us enthusiastic during the low times of the competition and expressing joy |
| 1585 | Pit Crew Members | 1559 | Helpfulness | This team stepped up and gave us resources when we needed them |
| 1585 | Peggy McChesney | Pit Announcer | Extreme Safety | Not afraid to call anyone out not being safe |
| 1585 | Jessica Fetter | 1126 | Gracious Professionalism | They were really respectful and had a good strategy for matches |
| 1585 | Emile Hamway | 1591 | Bringing People Together | assisting teams in robot designs and making sure the team is loving and respectful |
| 2340 | Sarah, Lily, Sabrina, and Julia | 533 | Extreme Safety | This team had a group of girls that walked around and gave emergency little safety kits, they were all very sweet and showed kindness and graciousness towards us and other teams! |
| 2340 | Jordan | 9643 | Bringing People Together | The mentor of this team and members were all very kind, and very open to chatting and talking about their robot. The mentor talked to us all about her team and shared a lot about them and how this is their second year, and how they have worked hard together through their differences and make an amazing robot! |
| 2791 | Marvin | 2614 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | someone that was representing the school spirit by wearing a depiction of the mascot throughout the entire day of the practice session |
| 2791 | Shlok | 250 | Extreme Safety | very organized very clean and safe |
| 2791 | Jacob | 578 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | wore pirate costume for represent a school mascot |
| 2791 | Shopie Abrol | 3181 | Bringing People Together | they were playing uno and asked if we wanted to join even though we’re on a different team |
| 2791 | marvin | 2614 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | another person of good sprit |
| 3003 | Lucia Ricos-Garcia | 3181 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | Was giving amazing pep talks to her team and truly cared about cheering. |
| 3003 | Gia | 2010 | Gracious Professionalism | Gia was such a kind member of 2010, she treated everyone that came by her pit with respect and professionalism. |
| 3003 | Jared | 1518 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | Jared is one of the nicest people at this competition. He always hypes us up even if we are on the other alliance, and give every team support and recognition |
| 3003 | Matt Triola | Volunteer | Helpfulness | For keeping the live stream running all weekend for our friends and family at home |
| 3798 | Whole team | 2791 | Gracious Professionalism | The team cooperated so that we could have the seats we wanted. A member of 3799 asked if we could have the last two rows, since we were behind 2791 and they happily agreed, telling the members of 2791 that the last two rows were for 3799 |
| 6868 | Rob Heslin | 340 | Helpfulness | Rob has helped us throughout the entire season! He has made a substantial impact with our programming team and helping them fix their code! |
| 6868 | Team 2228 | 2228 | Gracious Professionalism | They are very helpful when our team needed a coral! They provided help along with support! Their safety is also impactful for all helping everyone feel included and maintaining safety! Their entire team demonstrates gracious professionalism! |
| 7903 | lita | 2228 | Bringing People Together | fun person |
| 7903 | Bryce | 340 | Gracious Professionalism | helped code |
| 8243 | JonDarr Bradshaw | Game Announcer | Bringing People Together | JonDarr has helped multiple CMSD teams and has shared FRC robotics to so many kids in Ohio. |
| 8243 | Steve Lekas | 8243 | Helpfulness | Steve is an amazing mentor who has been with us every step of the way. |
| 8243 | Annie Dreschler | 9622 | Helpfulness | Annie has helped us throughout our 4 years as a mentor and friend of our team |
| 8243 | Jordan | 9643 | Spirit/Enthusiasm | Jordan has been consistently keeping our spirits high and giving us hope and inspiration throughout our season. |