[JesseK]

You know I've never given thought to a verbal pitch. I've always "pitched" it via whatever situation I've been given, be it presentation format, handouts, etc.

There was one I created that was an animated power point, emphasizing the noisiness and single-threaded-ness of most STEM programs funded by private organisations. Then FIRST comes in with a loud, powerful statement that FIRST seeks to change the way we see things as a nation: Academics should be celebrated more than athletics; the future of our childrens' success rests solely in the hands of what those hands create rather than in the latest economic bubble or sociological fad; the organisation that helps FIRST meet it's monumental goals will not have to do it alone.

It was in different words than those, but the idea was to show how FIRST stands out from the rest of the STEM initiatives while also delivering Dean's message as I've gathered it from all of his speeches.