IMHO,
I have attended the Championship round when it was last held in Orlando as a mentor of a rookie team. The atmosphere from the Regionals to the Championships was electric and the team responded with a fantastic finish. Last year as a mentor of another rookie team, in a different school district, we did not attend the Championship. The students used that first year as a building block to hopefully attend the Finals this year. It seems now, that as a year two team, our chances of attending are slim to none. I'm not exactly sure how they will react to the news.
I agree that the real meaning of FIRST isn't a glitzy post-comp party, or a trip to an exotic city with many sights and sounds. The real meaning, in my mind, is to challenge young minds to do great things and to measure themselves against others of the same temperament and ability. Would I give up the opportunity to take this group to a Championship? Never! I will not, however, compromise what I see as a tremendous learning opportunity and a chance for students to be exposed to an opportunity that many others would give anything for.
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