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Unread 18-10-2001, 15:37
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Madison Madison is offline
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FRC #0488 (Xbot)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 1999
Location: Seattle, WA
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mike Norton

You can go on and on about how FIRST is trying to help everybody and I can go on and on showing you how they are hurting the game
Are you trying to suggest that efforts to get more kids involved in this program is somehow *NOT* beneficial? While I agree that it may not be in the best interest of established teams, FIRST doesn't exist to cater to your team, or others like yours. It exists to get students excited about this stuff - plain and simple. Just as I serve as a mentor and role model for my team, other experienced teams should serve the same purpose for rookie teams.

When I explain drive trains and gear ratios and classical physics to my students, I do so using tools graciously provided by veteran teams like Chief Delphi and the TechnoKats. We teach the kids the basics, and then draw upon the vast base of knowledge within this community to take them to the next level.

Elitism is bad, and you're exhibiting quite a streak of it, it seems. Your sentiment that, somehow, schools and students interested in participating should be prevented from doing so solely because you have the benefit of experience, is both unfair and not within my understanding of the goals of this program.

But, that's just me. We all have our own reasons for being here, and I'm fully aware that we're all not here for completely altruistic reasons. I'd be the first to admit that. But, there comes a time when we've got to step outside of ourselves for a moment and try to regain our focus and understand what the program is trying to do.
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