Thanks 2005 Seniors

[neilsonster]

Although I won't be a student on the team ever again I can't help but feel like I'm not finished yet. Waterloo is about 3 hours away from my high school so there will be difficulty with me mentoring the team next year... but I won't live with myself if I don't. I will always be kicking myself for waiting until my last year to join FIRST.

There was talk that the team might go under within a couple of seasons because the past four years it has held together by so few critical people, most of whom are graduating. But new people come every year, and the message of FIRST continues to grow throughout our community. Unfortunately, if you're outside of the GTA in Canada, like we are, it's fairly difficult to get a robotics team up and running. There are no experienced mentors, no engineers who have joined from other teams, and few large corporations able to sponsor teams. We only know what we have learned on our own.

I hear that next year the team even wants to try for the Chairman's award, which they have never done. I'm not sure why they never did before, but I think this was the first year that our school really learned what FIRST was about.

Perhaps our graduating students of 2005 are the ones who will spread FIRST much in the same way that Ian MacKenzie and Karthik did from Team 188. I can only hope .

[Freddy Schurr]

As I sit back and reflect on this year, I am proud to be a member of Team 204. This program has given me a lot. When I needed someone to turn to or just get away, Team 204 was there. I mean, I don't look as ourselves as a team but more like a CRAZY FAMILY. To our underclassmen, its your turn to take up the challenge. We have given you the skills, now it time for to do it.

To FIRST, thank you for giving me the opportunity for me to think and show my skills. When I was in Philly, one of the judges said "Is there any seniors on your team". I raised my hand and then he ask " What do you planned on doing next year". I replied by saying " I will be attended community college and hopefully coming back and mentoring my team". And then the judge said " Why is that you want to come back to FIRST". I say " I think its cool for giving students that are interesting in the engineering and science field a chance to shine and show what they are about. FIRST to me is about a big book, I just close one chapter and about to start a new chapter.

To rest of the SENIORS, I think we can never left FIRST, we were given the chance that most students wish there have, and until next year when we see each other volunteering at regional and the WORLD championship.

GO FIRST

[Joe Matt]

I wonder, do you think colleges take "I wanted to fail so I could be on robotics again!" as a valid excuse to repeat the senior year again....

and again....

and again....

and again....

For those who don't know, I have been in FIRST sort-to speak since the 8th grade. I have seen the highest of times, the lowest of lows, and I wouldn't trade the world for the memories, experience, and inspiration I have taken in while on J.R. Tucker Tigers/Sparky/Sparky 384. Anyone remember Sparky 3.0 v. MOEhawk? Sparky 2.0 scoring 625 points aligned with 71? Sparky 4.0 winning two regionals? I do, I never will forget.

Will I move on? Will I leave 384? I don't know. We are chaining, good or bad, I don't know, but we are chaining. I don't think we'll see another Sparky 4.0 team again, which is sad, but I know there will be some cool things happening in the future. Well, I guess in the end I will have to leave 384 as I head to the University of Dayton, a good 7 hours away from my Jingletown of 384. I'll have to leave, it's what is needed.

To run, to run away. To find, what you believe. I'd leave behind this motorcade of lies. I've lost my faith, my faith to this, this town that don't exist. I run, I run away. The lights of masochists.

Will I come back, back home? Maybe, but I need to run away first. To another team. To a rookie. To a vet. It all depends upon me. I'm looking at teams, I'm looking at 341's Team in a Box. Right now I need to do some soul searching before I make my decision on where to start my next chapter in FIRST. I doubt it will be on 384, I doubt it will be in Virginia. But don't doubt the fact that it will be in FIRST.