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Posted: Tuesday, 18 March 2008 10:03AM

Michael Martus

Pontiac Central High School - Small Engine Repair, Advanced Small Engine Repair, Electronics, Drafting/CAD, Wood Shop, Metal Shop/Welding, Computer Repair, Business Services, 10+ years in FIRST

About the teacher, in the words of the nominators:

"Mike Martus is the heart and soul of Team 47. He has been the leader of this team since it was founded in 1995. He has been a volunteer at many, many FIRST events as a ref, inspector and judge. Mike's FIRST program is the most highly successful program at Pontiac Central High School. Mike has changed the lives of many young men and women through is commitment to FIRST."

"He is the team coordinator. He is the head coach. He commits thousand and thousands of hours each and every year in order to make this team a success. He is one of the founding coaches and has been here since the beginning, 13 years ago. He is involved with every decision that is made for the team."

"In my life, I have met only a handful of truly great people. Mike Martus is one of these select few. Mike Martus is one of most dedicated people that I have ever met. I am the leader of FIRST team #33 but chose to nominate Mike for this award instead of someone from my team. Mike has been a supporter of FIRST and related Robotics programs in every way possible. He will provide help to anyone, from any team, at any time. Mike serves as a role model to mentors on other teams, we all try to be like Mike. I cannot say enough good things about this man."

"How can one person find the time to be a teacher, coach, mentor, husband, father, and friend? Ask Michael Martus. A man full of miracles, he is known to his students as 'Mr. Martus,' 'Marty,' or just 'Martus.' Mr. Martus strives each day to make a difference in someone's life. Whether it is spending 16-hour days at school trying to make our team successful, going out and finding new sponsors, or even attending team members' sports games to cheer them on; he will be there.Martus is like a father to every member on this team. He makes sure that every member on the team is taken care of in all aspects of their lives. Every student that enters his classroom is made to look at themselves as winners and supported to do their very best. Having a very successful, but somewhat weird, style of teaching, the students are taught through independent hands on work, while learning new things each and every day. He keeps students informed about the many technological fields available to them and makes sure every one of his students are enrolled in college after high school. To help out his students even more, he sets up and even accompanies them on college tours.

Martus is one of the most unique people that anyone could ever come across. We swear this man never sleeps! He is responsible for bringing the Daimler Chrysler partnership to our team in 2007 now known as the Chrysler Foundation, this man is the reason there is even still a Chief Delphi team today. Even though Martus won the Detroit Regional Woodie Flowers Award in 2005 he still continually seeks ways to better the team by making everybody feel like they belong in a family and to teach the students gracious professionalism. He even organized a group of students to volunteer at a local regional this year. His proven commitment to the concepts and growth of FIRST is unwavering by being a FIRST lead inspector and volunteer for the past thirteen years and still counting! Michael Martus is an inspiration to every student who he has been associated with.

Martus' key words for his students to live by are: You get out of this program what you put into it. Martus is a winner in every way because of the commitment he has put into this program and his dedication to his students. The students are told from time to time, 'If you work hard for yourself, I will work hard for you.' He teaches us how to make it in the real world by teaching us to never say, can't or quit. The life long lesson he has taught is to put 200 percent into whatever it is a person is working on no matter what.Martus is one of the Leaders in OCCRA, which stands for Oakland County Competitive Robotics Association. This is a local league in the county of Oakland which takes place right before the FIRST season starts. This program is a 'mini-FIRST' without adult intervention. Mike is a member of the Board of Directors, game and kit committee, and the head referee at every event. He brings to this league what he has experienced through the FIRST program.Mr. Michael Martus is the Back Bone of Chief Delphi. Without this man to support this team, there would no longer be a Team 47. He has made a difference to us, and we would like to give him something in return for all that he has done."