[Chief Hedgehog]

Well, Mr Ed Law, FIRST is about the robot in the truest sense of your question. Again, I will restate your original question:

Is FIRST about ROBOT?

Yes. Yes it is.

Before I delve into this, I must acknowledge that most of the members (current, past, students, and mentors) of FRC 4607 are probably gasping as they try to process the answer... "Did Jurek just state that FRC is all about the robot?"

Yes, FIRST is about the robot. Everything we do is about the robot. However, I am talking more in the literal sense. Our marketing squad, PR squad, Logistics Department, Fabrication, safety, outreach, etc. are all in place because of the robot. If it was not for the robot - my team membership would dissolve/devolve into many parts (DECA; some hobby-groups such as CAP, computer/gaming, web design, tinkerers, etc; Supermileage Challenge; Student leadership such as NHS, Student Council; theater; HS News; Yearbook; etc.).

FIRST is an organization that revolves around a robot. FRC 4607 does not become the team it is today if my former co-coach and I set out to create only a robot. We decided to forgo the importance of the robot build itself and concentrate on bringing in the best students in Becker to create an organization that would be the most inclusive activity in the school. We went after the students that were heavily involved in Student Council, Theater, Debate, Wrestling, Basketball, Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scouts, Trap, etc. We sought out kids that were interested in Welding, fabrication, hunting, D&D (and other like strategy games), racing, etc. We wanted the kids that would spend hours on their March Madness brackets, were heavily involved in Fantasy Football, etc.

We wanted the best of all in Becker. Why? Because we saw this as the matrix to pull them all together in order to reshape the culture in our school. We saw this as the vehicle to bring in students that were not tied into the school that had a lot to offer.

We knew that the kids that were interested in building a robot would join. We did not have to seek them out. These students were going to be 'all-in" no matter how we developed the team.

Four years ago we set out to reshape the culture at Becker High School with 8 students that were interested in FIRST. We started one FRC team in 2013 and had some success. In 2016 we had 45 students on FRC 4607, 48 students on FTC teams, and 35 students on FLL teams. We are now the largest activity in Becker and have Banners that hang alongside our State Basketball, Gymnastics, and Football banners.

Just yesterday we had our FTC kickoff and our small auditorium was packed with parents, mentors, and students grades 7-10. We also received a brand new trailer from two new sponsors - and they wanted to do more. They paid for the trailer, wrapped the trailer, and then stocked it with a metric crap ton of Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola. As I sat there trying to take it all in, the President of one of the companies kept stating that he wanted to do more for the students - and then gave us more than we expected. This is the power of a program 'about' a robot.

Is FIRST about a Robot? Yes. Is it all about the robot? Heavens, no. Our largest departments on FRC 4607 are our Marketing and Business wings. In 4+ years we have gained over 24 sponsors and 10 partners. Annually we work with over 20 different schools to help build FRC in Central Minnesota - and we are involved heavily with 3 post-secondary institutions.

Sorry/not sorry for (not)making your point for you Ed, but FIRST is 'about' the robot.

The robot is important - but the students come first.