[Ben Mitchell]

If you need an essay, please, feel free to use this. I wrote it as part of a presentation, about my experiance's with FIRST. Hopefully, It'll be one of many you can show them to demostrate the impact FIRST has had.

Good Luck, and have you tried talking to the FIRST staffers in your area?
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Last year was my first year of involvement in FIRST robotics. In the six weeks of building, and the actual competitions, I had the privilege of working with some intelligent, creative, and caring adults. In the course of the year, I worked closely with engineers, parents, as well as business people, and the FIRST staff. I was transformed by the experience, from someone who knew nothing about engineering, to one who loves the field. The engineers at Bihler, our corporate sponsor, were instrumental in helping me learn about the engineering process. No matter how late, or busy, they could always spare a minute to explain something, or to listen to an idea. Being a part of the team introduced me to a world I had never before seen: the world of engineering.

When the opportunity arose for me to mentor elementary school students with LEGO Mindstorms, I jumped at the opportunity. I had bought a Mindstorms set during the year, and I found building with it had quite a bit in common with building a big robot for the FIRST competition, but was safer, and easier to use. I wanted to share my knowledge with the younger kids, and mentor them in the same manner I was mentored by the adults of team 303.

We gave the kids a challenge every day, and they had to build a robot to complete it. Most had never used a Mindstorms set before, and it was amazing seeing the wonder on their faces as they built their first robot. They couldn’t believe it. They spent a few hours every day, explaining to each other about the different robots, and talking about drive systems. The mentors of the Summer Robotics Challenge, managed to get twenty elementary schoolers excited about engineering. So excited, in fact, that they would rather work on their robot than eat lunch. It was then we knew we had something special. FIRST could work even on an elementary level, with LEGO parts. The messages and programs of FIRST bring technology and engineering to children in a fun and engaging way. Since the program, unlike an athletics event, always has room for improvement a design, as well as infinite approaches to the same problem, FIRST can teach far more than just a single task or game or event. It teaches ideas and values that are used just as often off the playing field: Gracious professionalism, as well as creative thinking.

FIRST has changed my life, and I will continue to try and give others the same experience by expanding the FIRST program to a many places as possible. No matter how glamorous sports programs may seem, only a fraction of students can earn a living as playing sports. There is a future in engineering, and FIRST helps bring this future to young people across the country. FIRST has made me love teaching young students, and helping to introduce them to one of the most important professions in the world. . It felt like I was making a difference. I was introducing these children, whether they realizing it or not, to the field of engineering. They loved it. It was something they could do, and could continue to do, years from now, and still not learn it all. It would help bring kids out of dead-end lives, and into a successful world of knowledge, and education. It will allow them to be independent thinkers, and break the mold that society may have branded for them. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, or even how smart you are, in FIRST. It’s about ideas and learning, and that never stops at the end of season.

Thank you, FIRST, for changing my life around.

Benjamin Mitchell
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
FIRST Robotics Team 303
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