[Tuba4]

I am a school board member. I can tell you what worked when I was introduced to FIRST. The lead teacher/advisor of Team 63, the Red Barons, asked me to attend the Greater Toronto Regional the year of Zone Zeal. I arrived Saturday morning about 10am and saw a number of matches, including one involving the Red Barons (seeing your team in action can't hurt!). During the break before the alliance pairings, I got a more detailed explanation of the game, a tour of the pits (safety glasses included) and a team t-shirt, which I still have. Alliance pairings, a quick bite of lunch and off to the finals.

It didn't take long for me to know I had to get involved. Whats not to like? A regional is one part sporting event, one part rock concert and one part dance party. But clearly a regional is just the payoff for a long build season.

The next fall I started out coaching a Lego League team. Then on to the big leagues in time for Stack Attack. I have been actively involved now for five seasons.

The real buzz is seeing how a student who barely knows which end of a wrench to hold in his or her first year progresses to being a team leader in two or three years. Or how a student with no particular direction for life after high school earns a full scholarship to an engineering school based in large part on their participation in FIRST. So be sure to have students talk about how FIRST has impacted them.