FIRST and Success: A Question of Definition

[Melissa Nute]

First to me is about so many things...

Friendship - The friends and friendships you can make through this program are amazing. As for my team, spending all that time in the shop or in the house during "union" break time, you grow close to some of those people, introducing me at least to people I would have never talked to at school. I mean seriously, these people don't judge you for your crazy behavior after spending massive amounts of time with you. (The sophomore boys - yes the 'book' jokes) Then you have the people that you meet from Chiefdelphi or Tigerbolt in my case. Some of these people are so amazing that you know they care. (/me hugs)

Mechinical Work - If it wasn't for first, I know I wouldn't have ever learned how to use a lathe, milling, band saw, cutting torch and so on nor would I have understood how it is to get enough grim on your hands from the work pieces and cleaning and not having the grim come off your hands until days later and not caring about it. The orange cleaning stuff does not get everything off either. Also, FIRST has taught me how to fix things and think outside of the box in order to get parts made.

Teamwork - Being in FIRST makes you understand that everyone on the team needs to pull their weight. When one person or team fails it can affect the team as a whole. *cough*website team*cough* It also is helping when you teach another exactly how to do something and become enthralled in that learning experiance. (however, no one ever becomes as excited about the lathe as I D

FIRST encompasses so many different things...if I were to say
everything that is means to me I would prolly have a book.

Success isn't from winning nationals but from improving as a person or as team. Putting the minds together in order to get the job done is success.