[TomWx]

I've been gone from FIRST for too long.

I've been so busy with college, the last time (before thursday) I had any contact with FIRST was through VIMS and the prior year's competition. That was a mistake that I'm not making again.

This year was my seventh straight year that I was at Drexel. 3 years as a student (8th-10th grade), 4 years as a volunteer. I've now done almost everything there is to do in FIRST. I've built, designed, and drove a robot. I've worked to get people hyped and secure funding. I've done team queueing, pit admin, field reset/repair, referee, VIP stuff, field assembly/breakdown, gopher for Carol, and now Judge Assistant. The only thing left is Crowd Control, Emcee, and paid staff.

I was trying to explain to a friend why I keep volunteering while everyone else from my team has graduated and moved on. I keep doing this because I see the excitement in the kids' eyes, and I know what they're doing is actually changing their world. These high school students are making their communities better because of their involvement in FIRST. These high school kids are, quite literally, changing the world.

Philly was small, cramped, and hot as usual. There was no practice field or area for robots to stretch their legs. The area outside became an extension of the area inside, with people playing frisbee or hackey-sack. The bleachers were packed, overflowing into the narrow aisles at any dance number. It's hard to move around.

And I wouldn't change it for the world. Thanks for making this my best year yet.

-Tom Wexler
Student, Temple University
Alumni, Team 487 (now 423)
Volunteer with the Tye-dye Mad Hatter hat.