Take a step back...
 

I take a step back, and look at the complexity of this post.

I take another step back, and look at the complexity of FIRST.

I take just another step back, and look at how my life has changed.

Then I contemplate, boy oh boy where would I be without FIRST.

If you'll take my honest assessment of this whole situation, I think FIRST has done its job.

What has it brought out in all of us?

Sure it has been painful at times to go through the experience, but that's life, I can't believe how narrow minded I would have been had it not been for FIRST.

I'm sure you'll all agree, that regardless of your feelings regarding the experience, that you've not only learned something, but have probably done a great deal of growing up.

This tests both students and mentors. In what I believe to be the most challenging field of all, group dynamics.

If you take a step back from the madness, it ultimately boils down to this, one opinion against another.

These opinions are formed through the experience of FIRST, all regarding how one has been treated by other people.

... and you know what?

In my short three years on the team, by passing on my knowledge of not only robot building, but life in general, I have felt the most gratifying thing off all, being able to change a life.

I will also extend my gratitude up the chain, to our mentors, who without them I would not be here at this point.

Thank you Mr. Shinta, Mr. Rock, Mr. Bronstein, Mr. Sambyal, Ms. Worrall.

However, I would also like to thank those whom I've worked with. Being open-minded, respectful, and ultimately great people. Whom without I probably would not be here posting today.

Thank you Catherine, thank you Jennifer.

These names may not be familiar to you, but whoever you be, mentor or student, I'm sure you have names whom have changed your life in one way or another.

I'd like to open it up to anyone willing, to recognize those who have made an impact on our lives. (Should have waited till thanksgiving to be more correct I suppose)

Good luck to all, whereever your journey my take you.

I read these posts after I have spent my Sunday preparing for yet another training session for our new rookie team 832. I started to ask myself why I am still doing this. I think that the FIRST program has many different levels that allow growth throughout your involvement. Through my high school career I learned many things that have brought me here to Georgia Tech to study mechanical engineering and to allow me to succeed. But I didn't stop there. I kept thinking there was more to it than just getting me interested in engineering. I decided to continue my involvement by starting a new team. That, believe it or not, has many new challenges that I had never encountered before. The politics and the challenge of having to explain things to those who have never been exposed to such a program. We had neer fully designed a robot on our own and now we were being expected to. I learned a whole lot from this experience. I think that no matter how long you are involved in this program at whatever level, you always learn something new. There are other programs once you get to college that are challenging but none have such interation between high schools and industry. Where else can you impact the lives of high school students and pass on your knowledge? I don't know when I would ever stop my involvement in FIRST. It gives me such a rush to be able to help others achieve their goals and surpass them.

I LOVE YOU KEN!
 

Ken,
I know that sometimes it seems like we over living in out funny little GRT bubble don't love and cherrish you, but we REALLY do. I know last year wasn't the best it could have been, and maybe that's because you positioned yourself more as a student, rather than as a mentor, as you should have, and as you deserve to be.
You know how it works with us. Mentors don't machine parts, they don't design. You tried to be both, and I think that maybe that's where things went a little sour for you.

I don't think, though, that FIRST died in you, Ken, I don't believe it. It's just at another stage now. You've let go of the "student" part of FIRST. You're one of the most amazing students GRT has ever had, but at the same time last year you were BEYOND student.

You know I love you ken. You're what I hope to be when I'm 30. This year I've been put in charge by some odd quirk of the voting system or something, I'm not really sure, and I know I'll be asking you for more help than you can possibly hope to give me. You said you changed some lives, and you're absolutely right. We worked together at Lockheed, and then GRT for two years. The amount you taught me, and the effect you had on me WILL last for as long as I love engineering.

With all my heart I want to thank you Ken. You've been one of the most amazing people I've ever had the privilage to meet, and I want you to know for SURE that you are not un-appriciated in the slightest. I cherrished every lesson you taught, every criticizm or praise you gave to a piece I'd made.

THANK YOU KEN! I'LL MISS YOU THIS YEAR, WHEN I'LL PROBALLY NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER! *HUGS KEN*

Re: Exactly
 

Re: The Death of FIRST
 

I thoughts on some of the topics in this thread...

I am high school senior, and, although I do not plan on starting my own team in college, I do plan on helping mentor a team at a high school, who was a rookie this year, in the city of my college. I don't expect to take over or be thier leader. I do not want recognition or anything else...I just want to share my experience with them.

I think FIRST has affected me in a way that nothing else could have. No, FIRST did not inspire to become an engineer. I am going into Journalism. Does that mean that FIRST failed me, or more like, I failed FIRST? No, I don't believe that. I learned so much from being a part of my team. FIRST teaches us things like organization skills, how to work as a team, teaches us to accept rejections AND sucesses. As the captian of my team, I feel like I gave all I could to my team, and what an experience I had. From the late nights, to the excitment of competiton, the dissapointments of loosing, to the nerve recking moments before they announced the Chairman's Award winner and the tears that filled our teams eyes after winning, I enjoyed every moment of it.

I don't think FIRST will ever die in me. Sure, other things will take over, but I think, and I truly hope, that FIRST will be a part of me, because it was a big part of my high school experience and I dont think that I can forget it so easily. I truly want to keep FIRST a part of my life. One of my future hopes is to be a judge.

And about the having a FIRST decorated room...get this. Three of our team members got our team summation (which we used in our buttons and hoodies this year, equals our team number) tatooed on thier shoulders. A few more members are concidering. I dont think they will ever forget thier hard work and dedication to our team.

Re: The Death of FIRST
 

holy thread resurrection batman......Brandon aren't threads this old supposed to be permanently locked?

Re: The Death of FIRST
 

wow, i didnt even notice this tread was that old...i just saw it at the bottom, and it looked interesting, so i read it and replied...didnt even bother looking at the dates...

Re: The Death of FIRST
 

There's a more recent thread on a related topic here.

Re: The Death of FIRST
 

It's actually kind of interesting to see how topics have changed (or not) over the years.