FIRST and Success: A Question of Definition

[Pamela]

Success in FIRST cannot be measured by any one standard, but did it make a difference in YOUR life, did it somehow affect how you saw the world.

Success in FIRST is bringing tears to a machinists eyes when you recognize him for inspiring so many highschoolers when he was able to work with our team.

Success is learning to work in a group of people and compromise when needed.

Success is the sparkle in my little sisters eye when she sees what she can do when she gets to high school because her 3 older siblings already made it.

Success is inspiring high schoolers to get real world experiance through internships with their sponsors.

Success is a shy 17 year old girl being able to talk in front of a Steering Commitee at a big company to ask for sponsorship.

Success is the fun and excitement people have at competition, whether they are driving, in the pits, or cheering their team on from the sidelines.

Success is the massive amount of scholarship money colleges are willing to offer to students such as me who wouldn't be here if I hadn't recieved that money.

Success in FIRST can be measured in so many shapes and forms, I could go on all day and list off how FIRST has changed my life and many others around me, the point is that FIRST is successful, in so many different ways, even those kids who just join for a free trip, so what, they make a couple friends and feel accepted someplace, maybe thats what they wanted out of FIRST.