[robocritter250]

I was in 5th grade when FIRST changed my life.

My family was sitting at the dinner table eating, and my big brother uttered the phrase "Mom, Dad, there's this team at school and they build robots, and.. I think I want to join." Little did we know that this was a life altering statement for our ENTIRE family.

I was too young to be left home alone so I got to tag along. I hated it at first because I had no idea what was going on. Then I went to SBPLI in 2000, and it was so cool. I still had no idea what was going on but I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

I spent the next 3 years watching my parents mentor, and my brother build, going to competition after competition.

When I became a freshman, I "officially" joined the team, not that anybody knew the difference.

10 years later my parents are still mentoring, my brother and I have both come all the way through the program and we now both mentor, and volunteer at the Finger Lakes Regional.

I am grateful for the opportunity FIRST has given my family and me, to not only become closer as a unit, but to meet such amazing people and be involved in such a unique experience. With out FIRST I would have never had the opportunity to meet my best friend from team 103 and all of my other friends from around the world.