[henryBsick]

I built a robot, I learned from it, and now know every square inch of every engineering principal on that robot. I am going to stand by my robot and try to compete as hard as I can as a testament of sorts to my efforts and knowledge over a rigorous 6 weeks in the beginning of each new year while in High School. Yes, it is a competition based robotic attraction, its not a bunch of classroom learning sessions. The people are really what it is about... some of the time through the robot.
I speak as a driver and builder. I devote all of my time to these things, these things changed me, through a robot that I built. I cannot speak for everyone in FIRST because I am just one person who does X things in a plethora of various activities, BUT Last time I checked, fund raising requires person to person interactions, character building. The last time I checked, the design of a website was supposed to appeal to the masses, which requires a webmaster to focus his attempts to communicate his thoughts and visions about a team to the people who may view the site. Those activities aren't about the people??
What I am getting at is every aspect of FIRST that I have ever seen is a benefit to someone. It is a positive "vicious" cycle in which everyone benefits.
My team also suffered immense personnel loss this year from last year saying goodbye to our head machinist, head travel official, and last but not least our head adviser...btw.