[Eugenia Gabrielov]

My moment isn't really during high school FIRST, though there were many extremely memorable ones. Honorable mention goes to finding out that Mr. Steve Florence was given the Woodie Flowers Award at Buckeye 2007 - I started crying when I heard it, Flo is my hero.

This moment is recent and very meaningful to me. IRI 2007:

I had taken a year off from FIRST, a year to step away from FIRST, to focus on school. I had hoped to attend a regional competition or two, maybe even volunteer in Atlanta, but other things (lack of cash, spring break adventure trip) had come up and my year off really became a full year off. I had signed up to volunteer at IRI 2007, an event one hour from my home town.

As I drove to the airport the Thursday night before, I was completely torn with emotion. I wondered if I had become disillusioned, if I would feel that spark that FIRST leaves in each and every one of us, or if I would spend the weekend feeling like an outsider.

As it turns out, FIRST has no expiration date, no time condition that says you must return in such and such time. People I had not seen in over a year (2 or 3 in some cases) pulled me into joyous hugs, new friends introduced themselves warmly, and I found myself putting pins on my shirt, losing my voice, and wondering how on earth I had survived a year without this. Thank you IRI 2007, thank you robotics, and thank you especially to all my dear friends for teaching me that FIRST evolves with each and every one of its members.