[Wyewood] July 22 for A&S letters of intent

[M Wolfe via Wyewood]

Greetings from Rauthulfr, Wyewood A&S Champion

The deadline for letters of intent to enter the 3rd Baronial A&S Championship is July 22. 

Your declaration of intent should have a brief description of your single entry and outline how much table/display space you will need to present your project in its best light.  (In previous years it has been windy at times, so plan for that as you plan your display.)  This gives us time to plan how much space we'll need for all the competitors to show off their accomplishments in equal fashion.

What will happen at the competition? 
Becoming a champion requires three skills, and judging will reflect that.
*Making something
*Documentating what you've made
*And talking about what you've made. 

Why display stuff? 
One of the most enjoyable parts of an A&S championship is sharing what you've learned with your project and learning from the questions of others. Every A&S display I've ever seen taught me something. There are always new insights, even when I'm looking at something that I'm supposed to know stuff about.

Why document stuff?
Your documentation helps folks learn about what you've done if you aren't there to talk about it. More importantly, if will be something you can look back on to remember what you've done so that you can build upon that in future projects.

Why talk about what you've done?
Even the best display and documentation can never convey the most important thing about your project. It cannot share your enthusiasm for what you've done. It can't convey those little bits that were the most challenging and which almost made you give up. And it cannot engage and help people become excited as you share the story about how your project came to be.

What's most important in the judging? In descending order of importance:
*Most of all your project; the very thing you produced. 
*Secondly, your presentation. It isn't about being a skilled and smooth speaker. It is about helping the judges learn and understand what you've done.
*Finally, it is your documentation. This will have your description; your materials; and your bibliography. It doesn't need to be fancy, but it explains how your initial concept became the project you've made. 

When thinking about your project, remember that you chose your project because it was fun, or because it satisfied your curiosity, or because it offered you a challenge. Probably a bit of all three. Share that when you plan your display and think about how to present your work.

Don't worry about what other entrants might be presenting. Your entry deserves all your consideration. Worrying about what others MIGHT enter will only drive you nuts. (I speak from experience.) 

(In previous years it has been windy at times, so plan for that as you plan your display.)

This gives us time to plan how much space we'll need for all the competitors to show off their accomplishments in equal fashion. 

YIS Rauthulfr