Who do you emulate?

[LeelandS]

I'm having a hard time picking one person. There are a lot of people in FIRST whom I try to emulate, like Justin Montois (from 340), Koko Ed, Andy Baker, JVN and especially Karthik (though I haven't personally met JVN yet). But if I were to pick one person in FIRST I most try to emulate, it would have to be my long-time friend and mentor from 1126, Dylan Gramlich.

Dylan was a Senior on 1126 just as I entered as a Freshman (in 2008). He was the Coach at the time (his third year doing so). My earliest memory of Dylan was helping him lift the shelves we use into our back storage. My first SIGNIFICANT memory of Dylan is him leading the 2008 strategy session. He was so knowledgeable about... Well... Everything I would ask about! We became fast friends and we're friends to this very day (5+ years later).

There are so many qualities I try to learn from Dylan. He first inspired me with his strategic knowledge of FIRST, but I'd go on to admire him for his cool-headedness (when not on the field, as least ), his fairness and his laid back nature. But what I admire most about Dylan is his leadership. Dylan is, in my eyes, a natural born leader (and, by extension, coach). Dylan was the one who inspired me to pursue leadership roles on 1126, and to eventually try out for the drive team (though I never attained my coveted goal of Coach). His natural tact and ability to control a situation always inspired me. Dylan has taught me so much over the years, and he is a true inspiration to me. When I had to write a college essay about a person who inspired me most, Dylan was a no brainer. Well... Okay, it was a toss-up between Dylan and Rocky... But I like Dylan better.

I'm not sure how much Dylan is on CD nowadays (getting ready for his wedding and all ), but if he sees this, I hope he decides to set up some DnD

[Akash Rastogi]

Two people who I've been able to meet a few times in person, and have been working with for a while now, are Richard Sisk (2493) and Ranjit Chahal (1323). The quality that both of these people have which I try to emulate is selflessness. Rich is a FIRST Senior Mentor in California and RC is the lead technical mentor on 1323. Both of these people are well known and respected in California because they will go out of their way to help another team out or to teach someone something new. Rich acts as a very crucial organizational adviser for myself and 3929 out here on the east coast, and RC acts as a very crucial technical adviser. Both of these guys deserve recognition of what they do for others, and I am thankful for being able to work with them on many different things in FIRST. Both are incredibly hard workers and always strive to learn more and become better.

[Akash Rastogi]

Sorry to double post, but I would hate to see a thread like this die in a lonely corner.

[Arefin Bari]

Andy Baker ... need I say more?

[Barry Bonzack]

Originally Posted by Arefin Bari

Andy Baker ... need I say more?

Yes. You Do. Andy has a TON of great qualities, it wouldn't be too difficult to see the next few pages being posters picking a trait of his. Which one reason did you choose?

[Andy Baker]

You all are very kind. Thank you. I am gonna try to change the subject a bit and attention to someone else.

This will be rolled out with the qualities I admire and then I'll name the person at the bottom of the post.

*Attention to Detail*

I've known this person for about 10 years, and he has always been a quiet but steady influence within the FIRST community. If you are a long-time mentor, you most likely know him or you have used his work. This person is one of the most detailed-oriented people I know. This attention to detail is what I admire most about him, although he is also kind and hilarious. He is a fantastic pilot, and even trains other pilots. He is the best drummer I have ever met, and works hard to make sure his buddies look good, even when they are making fools of themselves. He also is a very good control systems engineer, and a valuable mentor on team 51. His Drive Train Basics paper is one of the best resource for any FRC designer.

Chris Hibner is definitely a man of many talents, but his attention to detail is something that inspires me.

Andy B.

[Jay O'Donnell]

I know you said to only pick one person, but with two fantastic mentors (well, more than two, but these two stand out a little bit) I have to give both mentions here. Mike Pettingill Sr. Is the head mentor of our team, an he has put more time, money, and heart into a team then I have seen from anyone else. He is extremely knowledgeable, knows when to crack a joke or be serious, and is a great teacher of things beyond the robot. Whenever there is an outside problem or a moral problem, he is someone that anyone on our team can go to talk to. In the one year that I've known him, he has been a huge inspiration on my life. The other I must mention is Bob Bonham, a long time FIRST veteran, who is one of the nicest, funniest, and most laid-back people I know. He is able to take things very slow when you don't understand, and knows all about engineering. I'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't enjoy his presence. Both of these men are wonderful teachers and role models, and are really what FIRST is all about.

[Anupam Goli]

I will post my story

There is a certain individual with an influence that can't be measured, a heart of gold, and a will of steel. His fiery passion for FIRST and FRC was instilled in nearly everyone whom he befriended, with me being no exception. He was a pioneer on our team, allowing us to go to places far beyond where we were before. Most importantly, he was a brotherly figure to many of us. He was recognized by FIRST as a Dean's List winner in '10 for his outstanding work towards spreading FIRST's values and his positive influence on the people in his community. It is true, for I have not yet seen anyone with a more positive influence on myself and I have not seen anyone put as much work into FIRST (as a student) than he has.

He left his mark on all of us. I emulated his fiery passion for FRC and FIRST. I wanted to spread the values and ideals of FIRST because this individual showed me why these values are important. He showed me why we should be competitive, and how in order to change the culture, we had to change our own. I was hooked. I didn't see FRC as a club anymore, I saw it as a sport, where everyone could go pro. Before, I just did programming for our FRC robot when at build meetings. Now, I constantly read material online. I went from being an electrical monkey to an engineer. From someone who just does what he is told to someone who actively designs the systems. I went from being able to only program to being able to CAD, evaluate mechanical designs, and write complex threading software. This change was brought about because of that individual's influence. His unwavering philosophy of FRC reminded me of Mohandas Ghandhi's quote "be the change you wish to see in the world". He was the living context of the quote, and to this day, continues to inspire others in his community, and continues to work towards FIRST's goals.

This individual's name is Kyle Fender, and on CD, he is known as ghostmachine360. The trait that I choose is his Passion.

I could go on about Kyle, but i don't want to take up too much space. I posted what's most important about him and why I try to emulate him.

[ghostmachine360]

I have my nomination. Enjoy.

The first is someone that's been with me since my sophomore year. His tenacity has to be the trait that I highlight.

Definitions:

1. highly retentive: a tenacious memory.
2. pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate.
3. holding together; cohesive; not easily pulled asunder

All of these pretty much apply to him; usually at the same time. And they've always worked out to be something great within him.

It was his dominant trait that ultimately fueled me to keep going during the hard times working on my team. Going into my sophomore year, where we just went through a class gap my freshman year (3 freshmen going/staying in robotics compared to 30 freshman from the previous year), I was discouraged on the continuing legacy of our team. He came into the fold, fresh from FLL. Went and became immersed in the program itself; not just the robot, but all aspects of the organization. Administration, leadership, outreach, and competitive efforts; he had his hand in all (in a large way majority of the time) to make it successful. It wasn't just the tasks either. In cases where some of the leadership of the organization faltered and failed in upholding the values of FIRST, he remembered what & who mattered and held fast to his beliefs; never wavering. Whenever I was ready to leave FIRST behind from discouragement from some mentors or teammates, he was the reason I stayed. Because he represented the product of a positive FIRST impact. For most of what I was able to do in my years as a student leader at my alma mater, he was the prominent force behind my success. Through my experiences as a member, leader, alumni, volunteer, Dean's List member, and member of GeorgiaFIRST, he always pushed me to strive for excellence within my work and efforts.

He pushed me to become better in everything I worked & believed in.

He is a comrade, a friend, and a brother to me.

His name is Anupam Goli, aka Noops, or Wing here on CD. Now going off to college to make an even larger splash within the FIRST world as a FRC mentor & emcee. Thanks, bro, for the nomination. The phrase "thank you" can't even begin to describe my gratitude to you for the past 4 years of being there for me.

[treffk]

For me it is Becky Knetter, she was the original coach of our team. Her passion for us as students is why the team exists today. 1 student was unable to take AP Physics because of a lack of interest from the student body so she created the team as something for him to do. That passion is what I emulate, I want the world for my students and I try to help them achieve their dreams.

[IKE]

Jim Zondag: Work ethic.

(This is less than an emulation, but more of an admiration). I am fairly certain the first time he sleeps after kick-off is the plane ride home from the championship.

[Libby K]

I'll come back and add to this when I have the time, but I just wanted to say this is a truly wonderful thread. Rock on, FIRSTers.

[LeelandS]

I've bee lazy with this, and since I haven't resurrected a thread in a while, I thought this was a good one to revive. Barry messaged me when this thread was still young that we could have multiple people. So, to resurrect this thread, I'm going to give a portion of the (extremely long) list of people I try to emulate in FIRST.

Justin Montois, 340 - I admire Justin most for his love of the program and FIRST. Justin, a mentor of a team who has one numerous Chairman's awards in a row, consistently shows me his love of FIRST through at-competition work, CD involvement, and his hosting of FRCTop25, Mike and Justin ITM. I'm proud to call Justin a good friend, in addition to a role model.

"Koko" Ed Patterson, 191 - I try to emulate (though it's a near impossible feat) Ed's dedication to FIRST. Ed is known as a serial volunteer, and for good reason. This list of events he volunteers at (usually as Head Queue) is insurmountable. And not only regionals and champs, but off-season events, including IRI and Ruckus. Another person I'm proud to call my friend, Ed is a continuous role-model to me. Whether he's volunteering at an event or running a Fantasy FIRST Draft.

Andy Baker, 3940 - What I try to emulate most about Andy is his contributions to the program. Like Ed, Andy is dedicated to the program. And, as a Woodie Flowers Award winner, he has found ways to contribute in so many ways. His most notable contribution is founding, alongside Mark Koors, AndyMark, a company that sponsors FIRST with the Kit of Parts, and sells equipment to FIRST team. Another thing I admire about Andy that tells me he is a great mentor is his team mentorship. He mentored 45 for years, but left for CyberTooth when his daughter was of age. It's tough, to leave a well established team for a less well off one (I'm kinda of doing it now, except the new team isn't a rookie), but Andy did it.

Karthik Kanagasabapathy, 1114 - I like to consider Karthik a friend, though we don't interact very much. What I try to emulate most about Karthik is his laid back nature. When (if) I grow up, I want to be like Karthik (in a way). I don't want to be a crazy old coot who locks himself in his basement and makes robots all day. Karthik takes FRC seriously, but not to the point of obsession. He's cool. Laid back. He's just an awesome guy in general. There are a lot of things I like about Karthik. He's an amazing MC, committed member of CanadaFIRST, and someone who truly loves FIRST, his team, and every other team. He's a guy I want to be like in the future.