[huskiepride6505]

Hi all...I am a new mentor to FIRST this year and am just amazed by the quality experience that this provides for students. I am even more amazed at the amount of volunteer power and committment required to make these events work. But I have learned very quickly that FIRSt is a small community where the lines of competitor and supporter are mixed to reach the heights of "coopertition."
In so saying, it is our charge to must remain cognizant of an apparent, implied, or perceived partiality on the part of anyone involved. Most FIRSTers became dedicated to this cause through their affilition with some team at some time. Though all my try to avoid it, human natures leads us to stand by our own. I must admit that my team at one time or another has felt that a team affiliation of a person with "authority" may have influenced decisions that affect our success. It is this small cast of doubt that we must protect ourselves from as we become one of the strongest competitions in this nation and beyond. To feel defeated on the basis of bais is a hard thing to overcome. We want all to take victory and defeat with pride, knowing that each individual gave their best and it is just a game.