[Shenders]

As the Teacher/Sponsor for team 60 I am excited about all the banter going on regarding gracious professionalism and our team. I teach P.E. - not engineering. Yet, despite my lack of knowledge in both science and technology, I was inspired by all that FIRST had to offer all students - no matter what their talents or interests.

Our team works 12 months per year raising funds, designing team logos, speaking to service groups and school children throughout the area, and examining issues about what it truly means to function as a TEAM. Each student spends a tremendous amount of time working on projects that may, or may not, directly link them to the robot that goes into competition. My goal is for each of them to come away knowing a little bit more about how they can benefit the world in their own unique way,(whether it be art, public speaking, leadership, computers, etc.,)and how working together makes this a better, more productive world for all of us.

Most of our students do get to work directly on the robot, and all the students enrolled in our robotics class helped brainstorm and design our machine. All traveling team members are required to learn about the basic components of the robot, and they generally do that through hands-on experience working side-by-side with the people at Laron Engineering. Each year I work with the team I increase my own knowledge of science and technology, and I am amazed and inspired each and every day not by our team's potential for winning, but by the students themselves who have the desire, drive and determination to make everyone a winner - no matter what their gifs may be.

I hope everyone can remember that FIRST IS all about winning... but not with robots. It's about each and every individual coming away a better person for having had the experience. I know I am a better person for doing so!