[Joe Matt]

First of all, I BLAME KOKO ED FOR GETTING ME INTO THIS. *shakes fist*

Also, thank you jankBS (oh the irony of that name) and dgilbueno for your insight with the team.

I was a life long member of 384 during high school and the experience has formed who I am today. FIRST isn't just an engineering program or a competition, it's a full business simulation. Engineers, programmers, engineering minded students, and programming minded students build the robot, but a full business system builds around it. One robotics friend this past summer got married and he graduated college going into video production for TV stations.

I will be honest, my small exposure to Mechatronics sounds like a good engineering program, and that's the problem. I see no engagement or captivation beyond "engineering kids". FIRST built a program around a business, governed by mentors, that attracts kids of all interests.

During my involvement late in 384 I was asked to assist with moving part of the program to a new high school opening up in the county. I had two paths going at that point: one with a variance due to other issues and staying at 384, or going to the new high school. Working with the new principle was a major problem; any conversion surrounding transition plans with 384 would result in complaints of a lack of new 'school spirit'. Honest, open communication about success were stifled by what I perceived at 16 as being confusion. Later, I would find he was working on his own plan with other teams in the area, eschewing relationships build over the years. After significant push back and a clear sign he did not care I pulled the variance cord and stayed at 384 until I graduated. This taught me an important lesson in education: politics never should interfere with education, but do.

1717's plight reminds me of my issues dealing with education system politics. I cannot comment on what they've done raising awareness, but I feel for these students to the point I come back years after swearing myself out of FIRST to post here. What their board of education has done is short sighted. That board wants is to teach kids engineering; not how to interact in a business, work with others of various ages, or inspire all with the importance on engineering.