Congratulations to 1241, 1477, and 610- 2013 World Champions!

[billylo]

Thanks for all the kind words to the #TheTheoryOfTexanCoyotes alliance, it means a LOT. They do.

Now that you have heard from our coaches, please allow me to show my appreciation for you, my fellow FIRSTer, on how you have changed students’ lives, and along the way, mentors’ lives too.

I still remember the afternoon when I walked into the classroom during 2013 kickoff as a rookie mentor. The excitement from the student leaders talking about their own departments was obvious. Throughout the season, reality kicked in (e.g. that darn pyramid is just so hard to climb; why does the blue frisbee fly differently than the white one?! we gonna have to face the dynamic duo 1114/2056 again in Waterloo, this time, without our best friends at 188; etc.)

Thankfully, our coaches persevered, leading by example. Students followed as a result (well, most of the time). We made it to Einstein and the rest is history.

On my flight back, reflecting on this whole experience: I wondered… what have I learned?

• “Grit” pays an enormous role in everything one does… Randy Pausch put it nicely in his last lecture… “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
  
  
• The more you put into something, the more you get out of it, and the sweeter it feels when the effort bears fruit. “The biggest and widest grin comes from the guys who persevered.”
  
  
• Mistakes are not only good; they are essential to success. Without them, there are no innovative designs. Don’t fear them. Embrace them. (just don’t make the same one twice… ☺ )

Inside our alliance, we had a motto that says “Without one – There is none.” It’s true from a micro-view within our crazy cycling alliance. But now that I have a chance to reflect on it, it’s also true from a macro perspective.

Without all of the passionate people in this competition, there is none.

So, thank you for making FIRST such a meaningful endeavor. And yes, FIRST does change lives.