If you were to ask Jamie Beedy if he deserved a nomination for the Woodie Flowers Award, he’d crack a signature smile, laugh, and tell you to get back to work. For him, humility is a virtue best exemplified by a continual commitment to the behind-the-scenes work of FIRST. You won’t see him at the alliance wall coaching the drivers or leading a CAD session, important as those skills are. Instead, you might catch him at the back of the room, camera in hand, ready to document our next prototype. Or you might see him working long after hours editing a video, balancing a checkbook, or calling a sponsor. That’s who Mr. Beedy is – a mentor dedicated to the quiet successes, to making sure things are running smoothly, and who would never ask for the spotlight. It’s exactly because he doesn’t want it, that he’s all the more deserving of this recognition. FIRST’s ideals of respectful teamwork and a commitment to others are entirely embodied by Mr. Beedy.
Mr. Beedy has become an absolute staple of the local FIRST world through his ongoing support for both FLL and FRC. Though his children have long outgrown FLL, Mr. Beedy still finds himself refereeing and organizing local events. In addition, he mentors WildStang, lending his time and talent to our communications subteam, a crucial yet often overlooked part of our team.
At WildStang, the communications subteam really showcases the trademark Mr. Beedy work ethic. Running an FRC team is hard; it’s expensive; and it’s often difficult to explain to the broader community. With Mr. Beedy’s guidance and leadership, WildStang has built a sustainable model of video production, website management, and sponsor communications that enables us to thrive. He teaches the students how to organize complex media projects, communicate effectively, and use professional-grade production tools – all skills we can carry with us into our future careers. Without his passion, ingenuity, and creativity, WildStang simply wouldn’t be in the position it is today.
That’s only half the story though – what we appreciate most about Mr. Beedy is that he is always his honest self with the team. Few people have a bigger heart or are more willing to wear it on their sleeve. He’s the first to smile, to cheer, and to step in for a teachable moment. It’s apparent in both his words and his actions that FIRST has made just as much an impact on him as he has made on all the students and teams he has helped.
Looking back on the impact Dr. Flowers had on the world, his message was simple: be good to one another and don’t be afraid to dive in with your entire heart. Mr. Beedy has clearly internalized that message and our team is infinitely better thanks to his tireless dedication to our students. In a lot of ways, he is the definition of an ideal FIRST volunteer – just an average dad who wanted to spend some time with his kids but who ended up changing a whole lot of lives in the process.
We are thankful to have Mr. Beedy on our team, and excited to nominate him for this award.
