I got into FIRST because of a tape. In 1996 my boss got a tape of the competition and showed it at a department meeting. She said that if one of the teachers wanted to pursue it the school would support us (kindof- no $). I bit and we were off. Randy Schaeffer of the NJ Regional hooked us up with BMS and at least we had some funding.

sorry- hit the button-

Anyway, after three years of building wooden, electronic nightmare robots in our half furnished wood shop we ended the 1999 season with $68 in the bank and I was ready to quit. Our team had the wrong attitude those days, too negative, and the "fun" which was supposed to be FIRST kept getting squashed out when we competed and fell apart on the field.

When the 2000 season began almost 100 kids came out for the team. They had waited since they were in 7th grade to be there, having seen our robots in one of the demos we gave to the younger kids. So I decided to give it one more shot for the kids sake.

Our entire team changed the day after the kickoff in January 2000 when our new BMS contact Kevin showed up with a mentor team of 6 tradesmen, something we never really had before. The kids had the ideas for playing the game, the adults had the knowhow to execute them. And we had $68 to kill....

2000 was the year we won big. I still call it a miracle. I guess I'm hooked on this crazy game from now on.

WC

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had this kind of experience. After the 2000 season (our rookie year) I had no intention of coming back. It was a total, exhausting, frustrating nightmare.

However, in October 2001, our one returning high school team member requested that we try again. This one thing changed my mind and encouraged me to give it another go.

So, my number one reason for being involved in FIRST would have to be:
1. High school and college students who actually want to learn something and are willing to put in a little time to try.

Andrew
Team 356

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

So I am back... yet again... I think FIRST is a Cult, thats why I am here!! JK! Here is my story:

10th grade(1995!): FIRST came to our high school, I always liked science & tech, so a friend of mine and I joined for the 1996 season... (now team 176)
College(1998): Did not want to leave FIRST, so had to find a college with a team... but I thought it would be even better to find a school in which I could start one, and affect even more kids! So I went to Clarkson University, and as the only ex=FIRSTer, I started the team for the 1999 season(team 229). Also volunteered at a bunch of the competitions doing inspections and the like.
Off to Work(2003): I left FIRST behind at Clarkson to take a job at Harris Corporation in Rochester NY, but kicked around the idea of starting up a third team... I gave that up about a month before a Penfield HS parent approached me, her oldest daughter was on the Clarkson team and gotten my name(I think from Eric O'Brien!), her two youngest were still in HS and she wanted to start a team... So I am doing it yet again!!!

Anyways, I guess I needed that little story to expain why I am involved. In HS, I really fell in love with FIRST and its mission. I was inspired to become an electrical engineer myself, but even more, I loved seeing how much it affected others and the excitement behind it, behind something so acheivable (not like becoming a prosports player). So my whole mission on the college team was to see if I could affect just one student as much as I had been affected... just one. Well there were probably at least 10 in the first year!! Now, being asked to start another team, despite all the work it is going to be, I couldnt pass up the opportunity to affect more kids. I love the inspiration in people's eyes when they learn something for the first time, or see one of the huge competitions for the first time... Its addictive :)

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

I joined FIRST 3 years ago... this is my 4th year... i lived through FIRST for 3 years and now i am a point where i cant get myselft out of it. Just not enjoying the team work, i also met a lot of people in FIRST who i can call my friends. Engineers, mentors (not just from my team) always helped me out when i needed help. The experience that i have gained from FIRST is not explanable in words. and just like someone pointed out in this thread... simply put...

FIRST IS LIFE... :)

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

I was a sophomore at Enfield High, in Enfield, Connecticut and heard about the robotics program at Fermi High School, #175 Buzz Robotics. I was a huge nerd in high school and thought it would be a good idea. The first year I was too young to drive so my grandfather would drive me to the other side of town so I could work on the robot. I was the only person on the team who wrote software and all the engineers cautiously loved me. They knew that if I wasn’t there and they needed a software change things could get ugly. So we adopted a “if you get hit by a bus” plan, in which I carefully explained the software to one of the electrical engineers, Rich Desjean. He definitely could have stepped in and taken over for me, but I think he just wanted me to feel special. The first year was also where I got my nickname Dubes.

My second year I convinced more Enfield High people to join. I think this is the year that Erin Rapacki joined. It is definitely the year that Aidan Browne joined. He also moved into a house 2 down from mine.

The third year, my senior year, was when I really learned why Aidan Browne was a special person. Basically, it was late fall and I wasn’t doing too hot in school and I hadn’t started applying to colleges. We had a life changing talk one night at his house. A “what the hell are you doing?” type of chat. That got me motivated to start applying and I got into most of the schools I applied and ended up at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.

My sophomore year at Wentworth was when I started back up in FIRST. Erin Rapacki just started at Northeastern and told me about their team. I showed up to one of the meetings and the rest is history. I became one of the top “engineers” on the team and I might end up working at the sponsor, Textron Systems, some day.

This year will mark my 6th year of being involved with FIRST, and I made it to my senior year of computer engineering tech at Wentworth. In high school, robotics was a great way to let out the geek in me. Now as a college mentor, I see myself in some of the high school kids. Of course, robotics is just as fun as in high school. However, it also gives me a chance to give back to the Hamilton engineers that mentored me into the engineering field. When I work 1 on 1 with a high school student it often reminds me of the talk that Aidan and I had that fall night. Perhaps, I can change a high school students life as Aidan did for me, at best I could try.

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

Good thread!
Well, I joined because I figured, since I was very into technology and learning, I would make new friends and really get a good experience from it. Not only would it have been amazing for me, but also to be able to make it memorable for others. Helping them when they need it during building season, sharing tips and experiences, or just simply working together. I learned so much from Robotics, and I don't think I would step out. The experience is overall beneficial for everyone, not just yourself. And you make it a great experience for others as well, even if you don't know it. That's the beauty of FIRST.
--Dori

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

originally I got into the program cause I heard we got three days excused from school (pretty bad, right?) neways after my first regional I was absolutely hooked.....i probably wouldn't be nearly as motivated to go to college and a lot of other things....I owe a ton to FIRST and saw what the experience did for me.....

now im just hopin that I can do the same thing for some students....i may feel burned out from time to time, but I can't stop coming back for more....the fun i have, and the excitement I see in the students keeps me coming back even though i get frustrated at times....

basically i got into it for all the wrong reasons, but i got lucky and stumbled onto something that changed my life forever

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

Initially, I joined to compete. It is a thrill to try to design something better than someone else. I was a jock as a younger guy, and I truly believe in the basics of competition. This combination of design skill and sports-like competition drew me in.

With that said, I have stayed in FIRST because of the mentoring, not the competition. Not only do I make an impact as a mentor, but I also learn much from people who mentor me. Sometimes, these mentors are engineers and teachers who I admire, while in other cases they are students who teach me things.

I've tried many activities and had many hobbies, but I am proud to say that I have given them up for FIRST. These hobbies were fun, but had only self-serving satisfactions. I don't regret doing them, but I like the choices I have made to stay involved in FIRST.

Andy B.

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

I'm embarrassed to say that I joined the FIRST team at my school because my friends were in it and they bugged my to join. We have this thing at our school where on the first day of school for freshmen, all the clubs have some reps in the gym and the freshmen go around and sign up for stuff and as questions about clubs and what not. So, when I was a freshmen the robotics team was driving the robot from the last year around in the gym and, ironically, I said to myself, "I am never joining that club. It's a nerd club." That coming from the team leader of my team from 03-04. :rolleyes: But I was definitely plesantly surprised and I'm grateful for those friends who made me join. And the reason I stayed in FIRST is obvious, it's awesome!

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

the Reason i am involved in FIRST is my brother and my father. another reason i am involved is that FIRST is more fun then any sporting event out there.

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

Why am I involved in first? Because its the funnest thing ever! I heard about FIRST through some of the kids that I knew from scouts, not to mention I had seen some of our demonstrations at the board of ed meetings. So, it was at College/Career night at our school this year when one of my neighbors told me "if I was still interested in FIRST" that we had a meeting on Wednesday from 5-8. I was also told that we were keeping enrollment from freshman this year small. So I went to the first meeting, signed up for controls, and the rest is history. Our meetings start again in about two weeks, and I absolutely can't wait!

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

Im involved because its theonly thing at school thats fun and educational at the same time haha you meet tons of new people, and its something you really cant get sick of. its liek an addiction really. even when i wasnt on the team and i would go to nationals and all the regionals with my sister, i would have a blast.

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

To be honest, when I saw that District Five was starting its "FIRST Robotics Team," I thought FIRST was capitalized for emphasis and we were doing Battlebots IQ or something like that.

But once I figured out what everything really was, I'd say the reason I do FIRST is that it's just plain fun. The matches, the people, shoot, just milling around the pits is an enjoyable thing.

That, and I enjoy being tackled by robots in autonomous mode.

Re: Why are YOU involved in FIRST?
 

My freshman year (1998-1999) I heard an morning announcement. Something like: "Are you interested in mechanics, R/C cars, electronics, PC animation, accounting, photography and video? Then come to the RAGE robotics team informational meeting at 2pm in the library."
I was always taking things apart at home, and trying to build new things. Always sitting in my room surrounded by Legos. Electronics and R/C cars sounded fun so I decided to give it a try. When I got to the meeting, there were a couple of kids driving this HUGE thing picking up giant balls (1998 game). It was the coolest thing I had seen in my life, so I stayed, they let me drive it and I was hooked.

I am back now as a college mentor to try and pass on what I learned. That's the great thing about this program. Once your interested, with piratically no age limit, you can be involved for the rest of your life, and you probably will be.