What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I was thinking the other day about how incredibly involved teachers, mentors and students are in the FIRST program, when I remember back to the days of Battle Bots. While the two bear minute differences, the question could still be posed:

What would you do if FIRST abruptly stopped? This includes FRC, FVC and FLL programs, just completely halting suddenly. Regardless of the reason, how would you be impacted? I'm just curious for some of the insightful comments that some of you might contribute.

My mom also got me on April fools last year saying that Nationals would be cancelled due to a fire in the Georgia dome... you can imagine how I felt

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I could get some sleep during the months between June and April (inclusive).

-dave

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I think it would be sweet to try to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenge, that is if there is another one, or possibly another similar event.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Rent a moving van and make a stop up at Clarkson. I'm sure they'd have a few things I could take off of their hands. Irrational and Denominator are definitley in need of some love.

JT
229

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

cry

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Man, if that happened, i have no idea what i would do. Robotics is my life. I guess i would actually have to study and/or get a life. But hey, Dave has a point, we can all get some sleep.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Even though I rather not think about what would happen if FIRST just stopped, I would help build a home for retired robots.


Edit: I would join SECOND and start a team.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Life would lose all meaning.

Therefore, to bring harmony back to the force I would have to start rebuilding FIRST under the name of SECOND (Science and Engineering Can Overcome the Noticeable Depression.), one team at a time. :p

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

smile and go snowboarding.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I already beat you to the punch on that one long ago Art. Actually, I think its called LAST (Lunatics Against Science and Technology). Its a bake-off. I tend to think alot about it during the month of Febuary.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

cry.... then sleep.... a lot.... then maybe do some skiing in wintertime.... and maybe a year or two later try to start my own FIRST (Im stupidly stubborn & ambitious like that) ::sigh::.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Life without FIRST? Hmmm... guess I could:

A. Get an MBA, take up golf, and join the Republican Party, or

B. Shave my head, take up rock climbing (again), and become a Zen Buddhist, or

C. Sulk, take up space, and become more and more obese, or

D. None of the above. Find some like minded folks and invent a scheme for changing the culture to one that celebrates the things we care about.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

What would I do if FIRST stopped? Crawl into a corner and cry. Then I'd go to college and sign up for their robotics program. Suffice it to say--life without robots is incredibly boring. :)

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Shouldn't we all be ending our comments with "Long may it live!"? Or some other verbal equivalent to a knock on wood.

At any rate, there's always other competitions around. I'd probably spend more time with the BEST teams and tinkering on my own projects now that I'm a grad student and all. More crazy demos of different things at schools. Speaking of, I should have one to show off at Lone Star and maybe GLR... *Crosses fingers*

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I'd be listening for the hum. Then the murmur. Then the noise. Then the roar.

And then I would smile and say, 'they're back.'

Simple.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I'd probably just curl up and die... :( I honestly don't remember what I did before FIRST... life must have been pretty boring. What would we post about on CD?

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I would probably get really depressed for a couple of weeks and be bored because I would not know what to do with all my spare time. Then I would get all my backed up sleep and form some sort of engineering club with a couple of my ex-robotics friends.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

finally get a real vacation (haven't had one in 8 years of so)

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

If FIRST was canceled I would try to find a group of people who like me love this program and would try to help start a new program with the same goals. Although sitting on the committee trying to host a VEX Championship in Michigan has showed me just how complex the entire program is. So it might be a task but I believe we can handle it.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

FIRST abruptly stopping? Before I even get to go to my first competition?
That would be the complete opposite of cool. It would be...not cool. I would like build a robot and take it to the Colonial Center and try to get in...to compete...with myself, at any rate.:p I may be arrested for tresspassing, but it's worth it, somehow.

And then I'd join SECOND.

For safety, "Long live FIRST!":D

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

the same thing im gonna do when this season is over... move on to bigger and better things

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Well, I would simply wait for a while until teenagers armed with ball peen hammers and multi meters take over the world in revenge and restart FIRST. Life continues as before.

Seriously, the robotics students would simply get back together again and create another robotics competition exactly the same as FIRST, no question about it.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Refocus my efforts on resurecting TechTV (still going 2 1/2 years latter! LONG LIVE LEO & PAT!) and move them onto FIRST.

Oh yeah, and move on.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Enjoy my free time?

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Chit Chat would get alot more popular.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Sit on my bed in shock for a while.
And then use my spare time to learn Portuguese.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Start it up again.

I couldn't rest unless I knew that I'd be losing sleep over robots. wait... that didn't make sense, did it?

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Use all the money we spent fundraising this off-season to host our own competition. On the side, immediately begin working on an underwater robot for the competition here in June, then compete more in PAReX here in Phoenix.

Then use the CD community to start a new competition. I somewhat like the ring of "ChiefDelphi Forums Invitational".

This is of course after my jaw drops to the floor in shock for a few hours.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

If FIRST was gone I would definitely get noticeably more sleep and probably a 4.0,

However I fear our culture as a whole and myself personally would be negatively impacted until a few great minds again join forces for the betterment of the world!

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Good Idea!

If first was stopped we would all storm Dean's house on segways and do something until he started it again.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I would hunt Dean down!

And then I would have about 4 more hours each day to do something useful!

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I hope that when FIRST stops for any reason that I will already be dead. FIRST plays a key role in what I do as an extra curricular activity. Without that role there's nothing else for me to do but to ride my bicycle in circles/go back to fixing computers - extremely boring nowadays, and working. I hope that Dean, Woodie, Lavery and the rest of the FIRST Org. has a contingency plan in place to keep FIRST going when they can no longer maintain their positions. I hope they're children take over and keep FIRST going. Shockingly though I don't see FIRST going anywhere for at least the next 10 years. Simply because the funding they recieve from the Teams and Sponsors keeps them afloat year after year. Unless the membership decreases and the sponsorship stops FIRST should be here for quite some time. Although it wouldn't hurt to have an additional hobbies as well as being apart of FIRST.

Long Live FIRST 4 Ever !!!!!

Has it been that long? FIRST has been around for what 15 years? This Organization will continue to grow and attract more sponsors and teams year after year. Do Deans homework and you can help FIRST keep running.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I would take up a sport or something?
Maybe just go sit in a corner and wait for something new to happen.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

If FIRST went away I would probably cry for a bit, then get back to life.
You guys all seem pretty set pn bringing it back so I wouldn't have to worry to much. FIRSTers can do anything.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

If there was no FIRST I'd:
-Stop looking at new businesses in our area as uninformed potential sponsors.
-Quit asking friends and family in my XMAS cards to visit & critique our team's website.
-Refrain from cornering Jupiter High's teachers and Principal asking for more yearbook space or team support.
-Have fewer reasons to drive a 7-seat Expedition rather than a mini-cooper.
-Have less appreciation, awe and respect for hardworking, tech-savvy high school students and the amazing engineers and other professionals who inspire, create and give so much to this world.

(Tim- interesting thread you started and your mom's April Fools prank was obviously genius! :rolleyes: )

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Play a lot more poker!



Long Live FIRST!

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Watch a lot more hockey games, find other worth while time consuming projects that can take up the rest of my life.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

AGREED!! :D

But seriously, that would be really bad. I would have WAY too much free time during the winter... my parents would probably make me do work!! AHHH!!!! :eek: (although getting sleep would be nice).

LONG LIVE FIRST!!!! (Although judging by the responses on this thread, I don't think FIRST will ever die for lack of support.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Disappointed because FIRST is a MAJOR driving force for robotics education outreach. Although it is not the only one it is a great help to the spread of engineering at a younger age.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

OCCRA (Oakland County Competitive Robotics Association) would have to change to OCRA (Overall Competitive Robotics Association).

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Three words-

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam.

:D

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Get some people together and start another FIRST.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

ive no reasonable clue as to what could be done with my life without and involvment in first. ide probly keep building robots and just take over the world or something, or like it has been mentioned before go get some sleep.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

-be ridiculously sad.
-get sleep. [definitely needed.]
-figure out another way to spend my time. [hopefully involving something nearly as cool as FIRST.]


=]

Long Live FIRST.

Although, I really don't think there's a lack of support out there, I mean, just look at this thread.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I can't even imagine a world without FIRST. I would probably fall into spiralling depression temporarily and then eventually go back to doing what I did before FIRST: build robots for fun and with no competition aspect whatsoever.
Yes I Know, I have no life.lol.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I really don't know what I would do. Last year I was a rookie and before that I was on a Lego team for 4 years. I cant really remember what I did before FIRST. I would just sit in my room all day and play with my vex kit.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Our family "vacations" have all been FIRST events for the last 6 years... :(

I guess I would plan a real vacation like we used to take. And I would find another organization to volunteer for. There were many before I joined FIRST and there will be many after I leave FIRST. I would remove the posters and pictures and Thunderchickens and Devil Duckies and CD threads that grace my cubicle at work. I'd toss away all the buttons and t-shirts that take up space in the bedroom. And I would tuck lots of memories, good and bad, into the memory album for my old age.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

1) Pick up another sport (Tae Kwon Do again maybe) to get myself busy.
2) Eat lots of chocolate.
3) Cry in my sleep while dreaming about how my heart was smashed into many little pieces with a hammer that says "FIRST ROBOTICS" on it.
=[

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Clean the house.

Errr... Get the robotics nuts in my house to fix the Roomba robotic vacuum so that IT can clean the house again. :)

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

At the risk of sounding serious in a casual discussion (thought that's what I thought Tim wanted), here is what I think will happen if FIRST abruptly stopped.

The need for more inspiration for science and engineering will not go away anytime soon. We are living in a more and more technologically driven world, where most revolutions happen in the field of science and engineering, and the quality of life driven by the produces of those revolutions. We are going to need more and more scientists and engineers if we want to solve some of the serious problems we are still facing. Global warming (whether it is or isn't caused completely by the amount of CO2 produced by human beings), natural disasters, diseases, starvation... These all needs to be solved and we need scientists and engineers to do them.

So, given the need will always be around, this become a simple matter of whether or not it is practical for FIRST to come back. We will have to consider the following questions:

1. What stopped FIRST, and can it be prevented if FIRST were to return again?
2. If it cannot be prevented, how would you build another organization that won't repeat the same mistake?
3. What are some of the things that could potentially stop FIRST we should prepare for?
4. Why should we choose to do all these work to bring back FIRST when there are alternatives out there teams and schools can join?

Those questions are based on the assumption that FIRST is in fact a worthwhile organization to bring back, that it is so successful there is no better way to inspire students about science and engineering. Most would agree with that assumption, having been involved in FIRST on a first-hand basis. Though I would still raise the following questions:

4. Some would say FIRST is a very expensive program to have in a school. Some would also say the cost is the reason why there aren't more teams in the US. So, if FIRST were to stop, even if we think it is worthwhile to bring back, should it be brought back in a form such that the cost on teams are considerably lower, a little lower, or kept at the same level?

5. Some would also argue that FIRST is not an effective program because adult mentors do most of the work and students can only watch on the side. If FIRST were to come back, would it be worthwhile to build a competition such that the students are doing more work?


To me, these questions should be continue to be examined regardless of whether FIRST get canceled or not. We are living in the real world, and cost, growth, quality, and balance are issues we will continue to face as we move forward with this program. Most of you assume FIRST is the best solution there is, and I would agree with you, except it's only because we've been involved with a team or a competition. It would be naive to believe that the rest of the world will agree with our point of view, especially when FIRST have to face so many challenges, some of which I already mentioned above. It would also be naive to believe FIRST is the only solution out there, the best solution, or the perfect solution. It is a very powerful solution, but it is also one of many.


Can we imagine a world without FIRST? Can we imagine doing things a different way? Can we inspire students about science and engineering without a FIRST team? I think the answers to these questions have to be Yes!!! Afterall, the point of FIRST is to inspire us to become more interested in science and engineering in the real world, and more importantly, even if we are not inspired about those field of studies, FIRST's goal is still to inspire us to grow up and make real impacts in the real world, whether as a scientist, an engineer, a teacher, a lawyer, a politician, or a taxi driver.

We have to learn to see a bigger world, because that's what FIRST want us to do. We have to become part of the real world, because that's what FIRST want us to be. We have to be creative, innovative, and adventerous, because those are the lessons FIRST taught us. And we have to learn to see beyond FIRST, because that's the whole point of FIRST.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Well essayed, Ken. No need to apologize for being serious -- this is serious stuff.

I think Dean's own comments, used in the recently posted 2006 FIRST Annual Report, are appropriate to quote here:

Like the man said, we need FIRST more than ever. Ken's questions about cost and effectiveness are valid and will no doubt inform our ongoing struggle to grow a great program.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I would die :ahh: . I work with my team every thrusday, I would be so lost, I can't even remember what I did on thrusdays before robotics.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

well, I would probably get more homework done than I do now :p

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Actually the statement, as printed in the report, was coauthored and signed jointly by Dean Kamen and John Abele. They did the same in the 2005 Annual Report. I think that if they choose to express the unity of their thoughts, we should honor their wishes by attributing their joint statements to both of them.

If we desire that an organization continue to be successful, we must work towards unity. Otherwise, that organization--whether FIRST, or an individual team--will be torn apart by the personal ambitions and general selfishness of its members.

As spokesman for the cause, Dean walks increasingly in the limelight. John walks in his shadow. Few people understand what John's contributions are, and whether FIRST would even exist without him.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Thanks for pointing this out, Karen. I should have noticed that both the FIRST Founder and the FIRST Chairman contributed to the quoted statement -- especially considering that both gentlemen are pictured at the top of the page, and both names appear below the statement. :o

John Abele certainly deserves much more recognition than he gets.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

It takes a huge amount of work to make FIRST the way it is today. There are many to contribute to this program who we will never even know the name of. I learned that lesson from Cal Games, it took an extraordinary amount of volunteer to pull it off, and it was just an one day event. Imagine how much work it takes to create 30+ regionals, a national headquarter, the championship event, and thousands of teams in various regions all over the country.

It's hard to imagine the reasons that would stop FIRST in its track, it could be a lawsuit that literally bankrupt the organization overnight, or some sort of cultural/economical change that makes it impossible to find funding at any level for a FIRST team/competition. But all that problems will be overcome because the leaders will still be there. Dean, Woodie, people like John Abele, folks on the executive board, folks like Dave... They are the reason FIRST is the way it is today.

If we have to consider the unimaginable, if we have to imagine a scenario where these folks are no longer there to make FIRST happen, I wonder if it will be possible to put together a FIRST similar to what we have. Will we be able to rally all the folks from all over the country to work together toward a single organization, or will the various regions develop their own organizations and go separate ways? I want to say it's possible for everyone to come together, but experience tells me how incredibly difficult it is to satisfy all the needs across a broad spectrum of people. It will have to start small again, in a region, and it won't spread to the rest of the country until it's proven again the new organization is going to be just as successful as FIRST is today, of not more. And I imagine there will be a lot of competition before that is achieved again.


Even though all these are very improbable, it's certainly very interesting to think about.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Start my own program and hold regionals in my garage, my front yard, and my back yard and hold the championship in my driveway. If it rained I would move it into my basement after it got cleaned :rolleyes:

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

If FIRST just stopped, I would probably go find a corner in my shop, bring all the robots with me and we would have a creative conversation between each other to keep our sanity in check. :ahh: So guys.....whats going on? (Silence) Thats cool......

No really, I would go out of my way to create a program that will continue to inspire children to go to school and do something great with their life. This is my life mission, FIRST inspired me, now it is my turn to inspire them.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

:eek: if robotics were canceled :eek: , i might just cry. i've made friends there who i wouldn't see otherwise! it's not quite marching band, but it's a real group. we all help each other out, and it is ... a great experiance.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

What about networking?
I haven't read anything about networking.
It is already established in FIRST among the students, mentors, parents, teams, FIRST, volunteers, sponsors. CD is one vehicle. There are others.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Seriously, if FIRST was completely cancelled, I wouldn't really mind. I mainly focus on BDPA (which focuses more on web design and programming anyway) stuff.

I would feel pretty bad for those who really put their heart and soul into the organization, but on a personal basis, I wouldn't feel that bad.

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Sounds Good :D

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Funny to read this here now.
Last year I was burnt out, if FIRST had ended then I would probably been happy. 8 years was taking its toll and I thought I wanted out.
And for reasons I am still looking into this year I am truly excited about the kick off, I feel like I did in my second year as a coach.

So if FIRST ended? I would be very very sad. I would most likely consider a different job (Part of what I like about teaching is robotics) I would look into any number of alternatives but as Ken said in a previous response (I paraphrase and butcher here) if FIRST ended it would have done so for a reason. And trying to simply replace it with the same thing would most likely result in the same end. I am not sure I am capable of building a FIRST replacement but I would be willing to help I suspect.

Long Live FIRST

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

I'd probably start to enjoy winter and do some more stuff outside :-D But I cant say that robotics runs my life...

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

if first was over .....i noticed many people stating sleep and doing something else.....i thin instead of sleepin we would all be thinkin in some way how FIRST has impacted our lives and try to keep this event going after all the event is only part of the experience thats why it is now a culture......for me i think i wouldnt stop building robots still have my deadlines and would not sleep till the thing made was working properly. and then try something new lik building a sweet under water robot. and try a competition lik first had done only with the water element... of course we all know the majority of the world is water so we should explore these undiscovered treasures.....and then ear som FOOD!!!

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

All things considered, it wouldn't affect me really until Build Season comes around. It's a year-long, two-evenings-a-week class in my school district, but I'm auditing (aka mentoring) out of the goodness of my heart :p . (Actually, it's just because the shop is my second home).

But I guess it would bring new meaning to "team captain".

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

Well we can have FIRST SECOND and LAST

Re: What would you do if FIRST was canceled?
 

sh.! don't say that..lol. well to me.. first is really important.. it's fun and a really good learning experience... so if it was gone.. i'd probably die JUSTKIDDING
i would probably hav more time for school and studying. if FiRST never existed.. then i wouldn't want to be an engineer.. but i do.. so oh well
anyways.. the FIRST program is really important and it'd b a real shame if we lost it