[pfreivald]

Thank you to 217 and 174 -- you're the best alliance we could have hoped for!

Always, always, always, thank you to all the teams that have helped us along the way, especially 1511 and 340. We quite literally would not be the team we are today -- indeed, probably would not be a team at all -- without your constant and unwavering support through what I like to think of as our 'birthing pains'.

Of course thank you to Bausch & Lomb, to our local sponsors, to our mentors and parents, all the judges and volunteers.

A very personal thank you to the kids on my team -- many of you worked 80+ hours over February "vacation", and your hard work and dogged persistence paid off. Winning isn't important; trying to win is. Your dedication and "can-do" spirit inspires me to do more every year.

I couldn't have hoped for a more uplifting experience.