[Franchesca]

I have found that I have grown quite a bit as a person this year and great part of is a result of being in robotics! The lead teacher of my school and one of the men responsible for the start of our team also shares my sentiment. I believe that he, Mr. Osterman, has been in great part responsible for my activeness and involvement in FIRST. He has always made sure to tell me how my efforts and work are really appreciated in our team. He has encouraged me, defended me, and helped me with team and school related things! He has always helped me to feel as a very important part of the team ... besides being a girl ... and he makes sure that everyone feels like they are truly part of the team. He is always encouraging everyone and he has soo much dedication and enthusiasm for our team and for FIRST!! I'm very thankful that he accepted the idea that Stephen Kowski came to him with (of starting a robotics team at our school) . I have matured a great deal in the way that I go about to accomplish things now, and he has been part of that "growing". He is a great coach and person ... I'm very glad to have him as one our teams mentors.

I'm also very much inspired by all of our team members:
1) Mr. Broughton -- for being the most efficient person in getting us all to the competitions and for contributing his time, energy, ideas, and money into the activities of our team.
2) Roger Riquelme -- for really interacting with the team's members (myself included) and for contributing his ingenious designs to our robot. He has really become one of the mentors or coaches that I most respect and like as a friend.
3) Mike Catlin -- (a student) who dedicated most if not all of his waking hours to help build our robot during build season. For that he was our robots driver this year and he has also grown and matured a lot as a guy.
4) Stephen Kowski -- for helping our team get started and for staying with us besides the "inconveniences" and for appreciating me ... which he doesn't really say but I know he does!! You are a very big part of our team and we couldn't have made it as far as we did without you!! Thank You for everything!!
** I also admire other people ... but not enough space **