UFH: Christina Alzona

[CD47-Bot]

Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Christina Alzona.



Name: Christina Alzona
Date Honored: 03-14-2005
Years involved w/FIRST: 7
FIRST Team(s): Bausch &, Lomb Incorporated/Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. &, Edison School of Engineering &, Manufacturing High School (0073), Retlif Testing Laboratories &, Sachem Central School District (0263), BAE Systems/AUDIBLE.COM/Verizon/Bad Boys From Bay Shore Ltd. &, Bay Shore High School (0271), Smithtown Schools (0810)
Role: FIRST Volunteer
Quote: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” -Walt Disney
Bio: Christina Alzona is well known in college FIRST robotics. Working with a variety of teams over the years, she has also served as the Assistant Regional Director for the SBPLI Regional.

Christina had this to tell us about her favorite FIRST memory: "My favorite FIRST memory was Nationals in 2001. It was my second time at Nationals but the first year that I had gotten involved with Chief Delphi and the Tigerbolt Community. I had met Joseph Ross, Matthew Leese, Ken Leung, Andy Baker, Patrick Dingle (and the list goes on…) for the first time and it felt like I had known them forever. The college folks went to Pleasure Island that night to get acquainted and it was just an incredible experience. I remember rooting for all these people’s teams as if they were my own. It was just a wonderful time meeting everyone and that’s when I knew that FIRST wasn’t just a club or hobby but a real aspect of my life."

Christina also has a host of accomplishments over the years. "Ever since I started robotics in ’99, I knew it was a program I wanted to stay involved in. Once I graduated high school I mentored team 271 and started helping out with the Long Island Regional. After adjusting to college life and a role as a mentor, Michael and I decided that we wanted to help out a rookie team. We went to our school (Stony Brook University) and got a little monetary support to help start team 810. At that point, I was asked to be on the Board of Directors for SBPLI and to be on the Long Island Regional Planning Committee. Michael and I helped run team 810 in the 2001-2002 school year and I was the Event Assistant at the Long Island Regional. The following academic school year, I transferred to the Rochester Institute of Technology where Matthew Leese saddled the job of President of the FIRST Robotics Club on me. I mentored team 73 for the next two years and continued to support the Long Island Regional by supplying volunteers and continuing to the Event Assistant. Matthew, Jeff, and I pushed to get a RIT Regional (which obviously happened) and I will be volunteering there as well. Although I am finally graduating college this May, I hope that this list will continue to grow."

Lastly, Christina had some advice for our community of FIRSTers: "My advice to FIRST-ers would be to follow your dreams. If there’s anything that FIRST has shown us, it’s that anything is possible with determination, hard work, and some good friends. Going through FIRST, I have done things I never thought I would do. I’ve realized that FIRST has all the things that one can strive for in life: accomplishment, friendship, family, hard work, success (regardless of whether or not you win), and happiness. It’s a place to grow, to find what you’re good at and make friends that will last forever (like my best friend Joseph Ross). FIRST is just the beginning, there’s so much all of you can become if you all follow your dreams."

Congratulations to Christina Alzona for being honored as the next Unsung FIRST Hero.

Nominated By: confidential

[Amanda Morrison]

Congratulations to Christina Alzona for being honored as our next Unsung FIRST Hero.

[DaBruteForceGuy]

WOW! That is wonderful, many congrats from team 810!
Christina mentored my team right from the start 4 years ago in our rookie year and she set the ball rolling to make for a great expiriance and an excellent addition to our school. She started my FIRST expiriance off wonderfully and it has continued to be excellent.... ""Tips Hat""" +++ Here's to you Christina Alzona!! ..... *Real Men of Genius* .....

[Ian W.]

Huge congratulations to Christina.

As Steve mentioned, Christina is one of a few people who started a team at my high school, and without her help, I probably never would've gotten into FIRST.

Even though she was only on 810 for a year before she transfered, she continued to help (though it may have been somewhat reluctantly ) over the next two years at SBPLI, 810's "home regional." I remember last year, we were running way behind on Thursday, and I managed to get her to convince a couple of inspectors to stay all the way till 8 to inspect our robot (and we then went on to become regional finalist!).

SBPLI won't be quite the same without her this year, but job interviews are definitely more important. She is definitely deserving of this honor, I only hope that one day I'll be able say I've done even half of what she has for FIRST.

[Greg Needel]

darn does this mean that people will recognize you and no mistake you for a High school student anymore

congrats Christina

[patrickrd]

Congratulations Christina! I've seen firsthand over the years all the hard work you put into FIRST. It's great knowing people like yourself, Joe, Matt, Ken (although I shouldn't name names, because there's many people I will miss naming!), and many others our age who just a few years ago were in high school on FIRST teams and now are strong mentors and volunteers in the FIRST community. I can only guess at the number of high school students you've all touched in some way and influenced in positive directions.

By the way, at FLR05 you were the best pit announcer among the something-like 20 competitions I've been to! (even if you did embarass me in front of all of 639 because my safety glasses were on top of my head instead of in front of my eyes ).

[Matt Leese]

I hate posting in these threads because I never can do a person justice in words. But I will say congratulations and that it's well deserved.

I think our little program up here at RIT may be doing pretty well at this point.

Matt

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Matt Leese

I think our little program up here at RIT may be doing pretty well at this point.

Except for everyone graduating

Congratulations, Christina

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Congratulations Christina,
After all your hard work it is nice to know that people around you see what you do and think you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work, we can't do it without you.

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Except for everyone graduating

Congratulations, Christina

not everyone....

[Rich Wong]

Congratz Christina!
Chalk up another amazing UFH from NY State. (But who’s counting….)

All of Long Island will miss you at the Long Island Regional this week.

[Christina]

Thanks everyone! Let me tell you, it was quite the surprise when Amanda emailed me about this. I couldn't have done it without all of you.

[Yan Wang]

Congratulations and thank you for embarassing Patrick on the FLR announcement system.

[Katie Reynolds]

Way to go, Christina!

[Andy Baker]

This is some deserved recognition for a fine FIRST mentor, organizer, and friend to many. Great job Christina!

/me looks at my shirt sleeve to see if it is rolled up improperly

Andy B.