Thanks 2005 Seniors

[Jverdon]

As I sit here and ponder what to write about the 2005 seniors (to all seniors on all teams) there are a few things that come to mind, but first i want to thank all seniors from all the under classmen. Thanks to you seniors for teaching, helping us grow, and just for being are friends. You taught us how to represent are teams in FIRST and you showed us all different ways to do all sorts of jobs from mechanical, to inventor, build team, scout teams, drive team, and just flat out being a great strong leader. There will be a huge hole in alot of teams, and some big shoes that will need filling, and with what you have showed us and taught us we will be able to step up and fill in those holes and those big shoes. You will all be greately missed and will be talked about throught team history. You have built a great legacy that will live on for a long time to come. From all the Team members you leave behind THANKYOU for everything that you have given us.

[Bcahn836]

It is hard being a senior this year, the team is moving up and growing so quickly and I am really not sure if I will be back next year. For me I have learned alot from the under class men and they remind me of what it was like when I first joined the team a few years ago. I hope that they get as much out of FIRST as I did in my few years there. FIRST has taught me so much about Gracious Professionalism, team work, and to never stop learning and that is something that I will always remember. Our awards ceremony is going to be tough, there are alot of seniors on the team this year some of our best leaders, our best students will be leaving, by the end of the awards ceremony I don't think there will be a dry eye in the house. Attached is a speech that I am going to give on behalf of all the seniors on the team.

[Jverdon]

On a personal note, there are 9 seniors on my team (364) they are all hard working team members that are going to missed alot. I feel that they are all my best friends. Without these guys i would have never even know what FIRST was now i live for FIRST. As a sophmore on the team i have now been with these guys for 2 years on are team and see that myself and the other underclassmen on are team have alot of work cut out for us to replace 9 of the hardest working most dedicated group of indivuals that I will ever know. As these guys get ready to go off to there seperate schools I will always remember the good times and the bad times that these guys gave me. They are and will always be my best friends. I will never be able to repay them for the awesome memorys that they have given to me. Next years season will be hard for me not because of the game or building the robot, but because i will not be bale to share the new memories with theses guys. I can only hope that they stay on as team mentors or even go off and start there own team. I look forward to build great memories with those that are left on my team and with those that will join my team. All i can say to those that leave is Thankyou for the great times. you are truely my best friends.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Twelve seniors on 234 this year. Many of us have been members since our freshman year.

Nationals was bittersweet this year. It was nationals, so it was great and 234 did better than we ever have (first time we ever made it past the elimination rounds, ever.) But at the same time, I'm not going to be coming back to the people and places I've come to know over the past four years.

I can only hope, as a senior, that I am leaving the team stronger than when I joined and that I have prepared the underclassmen to fill our shoes.

But it's not like I'm dropping out of FIRST or anything crazy like that. I'm going to Purdue next year - how could I NOT be involved

To all the underclassmen out there - keep it up, give 110%, and only improve upon what we have done.

[Nick Mac]

I'm a senior and about 25% of my team will be gone next year because their high school careers have ended. Fortuneatly it's only high school that's over because i'd like to come back and mentor. I'm just afraid of what will happen next year when i first realize that this isn't my team anymore. Everything i've done for the past four years has been FIRST and i'm glad to see that people gained something from the legacy left behind by every senior involved. Just take what you've learned and remember to reapply it because when i came in as a freshman i had no clue what was goign on, and i'm leaving now with so much more knowledge, responsibility, self-respect and respect for science and technology. The nice thing about this for the underclassmen is that it allows you all to step up and push those above you and the freshman coming in. Every person involved with first is capable of rising to the occasion which is what makes our program so special. Keep helping everyone you can because I've learned so much from every class. And I thank you all for that.

[Kyle Love]

45 has 3 seniors this year. It was kind of sad losing our last match, knowing the drive team would get broke up next year. Austin was driver for 4 years. (02-05) and Greg was operator(04-05). Together, they worked flawlessly through the past two seasons. Our third senior, Steven Carmain, is our Electrical leader. All 3 combined made our team absolutely great. They are great guys, hopefully next year you can see them on a college team, like 461 or 1646. Great times! Make me proud 45 seniors!

[nobrakes8]

I'm one of 4 seniors leaving team 1071 this year. I've been with them for 2 of the 3 years, we went from worst at our last invitational in 2004 to winning UTC this year, first time ever makeing the elmination rounds EVER for team max, then going to nationals and being an alliance captian was something awsome, especially when we looked down the line of all the captians and see vetran teams like 245, 191, 27, 173, and our team included with them.

We got where we are today by haveing awsome seniors last year who were captians of sports teams (as I was this year) and they really stepped up. This year the four seniors were there every night, as a senior I could only hope Team MAX could pick up where they left off this year. It's going to be hard saying goodbye in 2 months at our team party because in our short 2-3 years on MAX we grew to be really close friends even with the underclassmen. Unfortunatly for Team MAX, even with the advisors asking us to return as mentors, two of us have to move onto bigger things and moving away for college (we even got the "can't ya take the winter semester off" speech already)

Next year I want to try and ref or do something at the Finger Lake Regional and to some extent maybe help team 191 (those guys were pretty cool). I've been a member of NHS, SkillsUSA, and other things, FIRST is by far the best organization out there, I'm sure most seniors feel that way and will miss being a high school student on a FIRST team as much as the teams miss us.

Good luck underclassmen, most of ya'll are ready to step up, at least my team is, and I'm sure next year we'll be amazed bout what you guys could do.

[KathieK]

In my four years on RAGE I have watched our senior class grow and mature and become fantastic young adults. Each one of them is very special to me and it will be tough to say goodbye - but I hope that they will stay in touch as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. I hope that as a mentor I have made a small impact on them because they have truly inspired me in so many ways.... Jon H., Jon K., Caitlyn, Caitlin, RJ, Mark, Lisa - dream big! You can achieve anything you set your minds to! Think outside the universe!

[Mike33]

Myself, Phil33, and Kevin33 are the only seniors on our team that have been members since freshman year. We are going to miss the experience of the competitions, the friends we make, the good times we share, etc. I just hope i can find a team that will let me join as a college mentor. I'm addicted to F.I.R.S.T. and i wouldn't have it any other way. So to all teams out there, LET THE COLLEGE KIDS COME BACK! PLEASE.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by nobrakes8

I'm one of 4 seniors leaving team 1071 this year. I've been with them for 2 of the 3 years, we went from worst at our last invitational in 2004 to winning UTC this year, first time ever makeing the elmination rounds EVER for team max, then going to nationals and being an alliance captian was something awsome, especially when we looked down the line of all the captians and see vetran teams like 245, 191, 27, 173, and our team included with them.

We got where we are today by haveing awsome seniors last year who were captians of sports teams (as I was this year) and they really stepped up. This year the four seniors were there every night, as a senior I could only hope Team MAX could pick up where they left off this year. It's going to be hard saying goodbye in 2 months at our team party because in our short 2-3 years on MAX we grew to be really close friends even with the underclassmen. Unfortunatly for Team MAX, even with the advisors asking us to return as mentors, two of us have to move onto bigger things and moving away for college (we even got the "can't ya take the winter semester off" speech already)

Next year I want to try and ref or do something at the Finger Lake Regional and to some extent maybe help team 191 (those guys were pretty cool). I've been a member of NHS, SkillsUSA, and other things, FIRST is by far the best organization out there, I'm sure most seniors feel that way and will miss being a high school student on a FIRST team as much as the teams miss us.

Good luck underclassmen, most of ya'll are ready to step up, at least my team is, and I'm sure next year we'll be amazed bout what you guys could do.

Unfortunately we cannot accept college mentors. Only Xerox and Wilson Magnet employees. But if you are going to RIT they are a huge influence on the Rochester FIRST scene and support numerous teams already (73 most notably, 1405, 1567, 340, though GRR doesn't really need it some of their mentors are from RIT like Kate Norland and Matt Leese and Greg Needel helps 1511) and it looks like at least five more teams will be starting up next season and will certainly require veterans to help them along.

[Shu Song]

As I read these posts, tears dribbled down my eyes. I, too, am a senior. There will be 9 seniors from the team of 25 students leaving this year. Only 2 will return next year as college mentors (I'm one of them). We leave behind a great void that will surely be filled with eager new members ready embrace all that is FIRST.

I've watch our team learn and grow from defeat after defeat, pick itself up from almost financial collapse and change from an new and inexperienced team to a well seasoned veteran right before my eyes. This team has truly been the best experience of my life thus far, and I hope that it will continue to make it so for all the new members who join the team.

I'll be attending Cornell next year, and as mentioned earlier, I'll definitely mentor the team. So, I see this as a mere transition, not the end.

[Alex Cormier]

I too will be leaving my first and only HS team SparX. i've been on it and in the pits every year we have existed. we started out with a room full of kids who saw a future in robotics and technology in our schools. we are down to minor adults who want to go into a work/college field that will continue their spirit to make things and create a better way to live life. I too will be moving on to a college atmosphere where i will not only hopefully help a team as a mentor (wow...) but as a HS kid at heart.

So i say to all juniors, make your last year on your team the best and look for a different team to help or the same team as before. You will love the change from a student to a mentor.

[Kyle]

I am a senior but I will not be leaving FIRST
For those people that know me, you know that I love to talk but all I can say right now to the seniors that are on FIRST teams and especially on MOE is
THANK YOU, I will always remember you all and good luck in life


Also to all juniors: as your last year approaches remember that it is your last year as a student. Take a few minutes at every team meeting, gathering and competition and just look around and enjoy it because once its over its over.

[opnickc]

Man. . . I can't believe I'm a senior already.
FIRST is special. There's no other activity like it.

When I was down by Einstein after the awards ceremony saturday, I went up to Dean Kamen and told him, "Thank you so much for making FIRST."

He replied, "Thank you for being a part of it."


Wow. FIRST is amazing. I'm definately going to have to get involved with the team up at LSSU, even if I wait a year or two to get into the college swing of things. I can't see myself not being involved with FIRST in the future. It's been so much a part of my life.

[Barry Bonzack]

Starting a team this year from complete scratch was not easy. I am proud of the accomplishments of the entire team and how far 1604 has come since just last October. The entire school already knows that we exist, and there has already been talk about the community about what a cool program HHS has. The school curriculum guides came out this month, Lowe and behold next year there will be engineering classes offered, tying FIRST directly into the Harmony High School curriculum. The team is growing, the younger students are becoming more dedicated, the administration has been great all year and support is getting bigger, our teacher sponsor is getting more involved... I finally was able to step back realize in March that next year the team will continue without me, and it will thrive. We set the bar high, we made goals, some simple "have robot built in 6 weeks," some highly improbable seemingly unattainable goals which were also met this year. The main goal was achieved, Start a team that will last in the community and will continue for years to come to inspire a future generation of students. 1604 was not started this year by the seniors for the class of 2005, it was founded for the class of 2015 who may not even realize yet that they want to be engineers. FIRST has the power to completely change a student's future. If only one student is completely inspired to became something great, then the entire effort was worth it.

I simply can not wait to move forward. I do not wish to go back and relive this year, I have my sights set on helping mentor as a college student. I will be coaching possibly more than one team next year and do not be completely involved in any one. I have projects I can't wait to begin, I hope to be involved in getting FLL going for the local teams to take over and mentor, and i have various plans just for the summer to improve myself and how I can help out even more.

The Harmony High School motto is "I am here to take so I have more to give." and that is exactly what I have learned from my entire High School and FIRST experience.