[Erin Rapacki]

Hmmmmm, I don't know where to start....

There are many things that can define success in FIRST. No one person can be successful, because no person could do it all themselves. A team could be successful, by winning awards and competitions, but that's not the point. I think we need to look at the matter from a different perspective. Was FIRST itself successful?
I feel that I am a success story of FIRST. I came into it my junior year (I'm a senior now) having no idea what it was all about. I was initially drawn to it because of the trip to florida, a poor excuse I know, but that's the truth. I had always been a good student, math and science came easy to me, but it was the beginning of my junior year and people were forcing me to think about my future. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I could honestly admit that if it weren't for Robotics, I would be enrolled undecided at Uconn right now.
FIRST changed me in every way possible. I am now enrolled at NEU for mechanical engineering, more so because I want to know what the hell my engineer mentors have been talking about for the past two years. Actually, I want to work on hybid and alternate - fuel car engines after I graduate. My senior year with robotics has been the best. I just loved being at every event we had, I expected nothing in return. I love telling people about FIRST because I feel there are more kids like myself that it could reach out to, and I will continue doing that (look for me next year on 125).
FIRST doesn't have this effect on a lot of kids. Some kids do it just as a school activity and think nothing of it. Some do it for the trips. Some do it because they like machining and other things and want to be able to display their ability. Not many go into it as a nothing and come out with a great outlook on life because of what they learned and the relationships they developed.
So there, I consider myself a success story of FIRST. Hopefully I won't be the last.


ByE

erin