[Joe Matt]

After bots have failed, people claiming sabotage, and students saying Gracious Professionalism is fading away, I want to look on the bright side of things. We are lucky. We have FIRST. Some kids have gangs, other drugs, some even sweat shops or war. We are the lucky ones to change the future of the world. Our goal isn't to stack the highest or collect the most pins, but to set a stride to change the world.

In 10 years, no one will remember the hot topic on Chiefdelphi, the most talked about bot, or who won Regional X, but who moved on to change the world. Who can say they went from FIRST to conquer the worlds problems and come out victorious. Those who fell trying, those who picked them up, and then carried them to success.

The corporate world is in ruins. Scandal and demise is a plague sweeping through it. We cannot sit back and comment about it and worry about if a robot can do this. We must take it by the horns and make it better.

That's what FIRST is about. Making the world better. Making it so you can watch TV without horrible news. Allowing for your dad to be a superstar without having to play football, basketball, or baseball. Kids no longer trade rookie cards for Barry Bonds but for Aristotle and Madamé Curie.

So this is what FIRST is about. So guys, step back from the fighting, the ranting, and the black-listing of the competition and realize what is beyond this. Something bigger than a fancy pit layout or a new drive system. Have faith in Dean, if he could make one axel balance, free diabetics from injections, and create a dialysis machine that would allow for a dad to come home to his daughter, then we can trust FIRST in the mission of life.