UFH: Ellery Wong

[CD47-Bot]

Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Ellery Wong.



Name: Ellery Wong
Date Honored: 03-31-2006
Years involved w/FIRST: 7
FIRST Team(s): Xerox Corporation &, Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School (0191)
Role: Engineer, Leadership
Quote: “Fear not your friends; for they can only lie to you; Fear not your enemies; for they can only kill you; Fear only the indifferent who allow the liars and killers to walk safely on earth.”
Bio: Ellery Wong is Team #191's do-it-all mentor from the Rochester, NY area. Described as 'living and breathing FIRST', Ellery has helped the X-Cats reach hew heights in his last 7 years as a mentor. Ellery described his complicated team role for us: "I have been involved since 1999 when I first started working at Xerox. I started on the team as one of the youngest mechanical sub-team mentor on the team and was later nominated to join the leadership team at the end of my first FIRST season. My responsibilities as one of the 6 X-CATS team leaders has included design direction, drives sub-team leader, facilities, team finances, fundraising, off-season seminars, and community involvement. Basically I have be called the “Go to guy” for a lot of reasons involving the program here in Rochester. I have extended my work to the Finger Lakes Regional team development and Rochester Ruckus planning committees as well. FIRST has been so ingrained in me since my initial year that I went ahead to start teams 1126 SparX and1450 X-Q Robotix and continue to link in 1425 Wilsonville Robotics to extend the XEROX FIRST Program."

Ellery also had a very touching FIRST memory to share with us. "My favorite FIRST memory was when I had a couple of my students ask me to be their big brother the very first year I was involved. Being the youngest in my family I had always wanted to have a younger brother or sister and this was a dream fulfilled. Ever since then I had always tried to keep in touch with as many students as possible to satisfy my role as a big brother, mentor and friend by keeping them eternally in my life."

When asked about his accomplishments in FIRST, Ellery gave us an impressive list. "In addition to 1126 and 1450 as mentioned earlier, I helped start about 8 rookie teams in 2005, was nominated for Woodie Flowers Award in 2005, and fulfilled my personal team goal of winning at least 1 robot competition since our team has never won a Regional prior to 2005 in the first 13 years of existence. I just had to break that “drought” to give the team the proper skills and a little boost in morale. Winning that at the inaugural Finger Lakes Regional that we hosted made it even sweeter."

Ellery also had a great description of FIRST to share: "FIRST is professional training, community service, a growing family, and an enriching life experience rolled up into one. It has the effect like an energy drink you can chug like a soda!"

Lastly, we asked Ellery to give some advice to his fellow FIRST peers. "My advice to FIRST-ers is to contribute to your hearts content while maintaining a balance in your life. Don’t burn yourself out so you can continue to contribute for generations to come and grow your legacy in your FIRST family tree. Like any program such as FIRST, participate with a passion and excitement so that all who you come in contact will gain and share the same."

Congratulations to Ellery Wong, our next Unsung FIRST Hero.

Nominated By: Koko Ed

[Amanda Morrison]

Congratulations to Ellery Wong, our next Unsung FIRST Hero.

[Greg Needel]

I have known Ellery for a long while now and not only is he a great robot builder he also builds lives. The time and effort he puts into the program for the kids is unparalleled in my opinion. If you really want to see the good that this xcat has done all you have to do is look on any of the current or past student's faces; that light in their eyes is proof that he and team 191 are doing very well.

To a very deserving friend of mine, congratulations Ellery!

[rees2001]

Congratulations Ellery, you are hands down one of the most dedicated & best FIRSTers I know. You are very deserving of this & more. When I thought about a list of people I would want for my all-star mentoring team. Your name was the first one I came up with.

[tiffany34990]

Congradulations! This is a great honor and truly belongs to people like you. Thank you for all you do!

[Hiteak]

Congratulations Ellery, you really deserve this honor. Youreally helped me and my team out this year. I dont know where we would be without helping us start off at the begining of the team formation.

[Koko Ed]

Ellery is the glue that holds the X-Cats together. He practically lives at the site constantly maintaining it. He's the one who helps contact the teams in the area when they need help and he is the one who takes the lead on the off season projects. The team would be in disastrous shape without him.
Congrats Ellery.

[Jay Trzaskos]

Congratulations Ellery! Not only do you affect those you mentor first hand, but also anyone that meets you. Just talking to you at FLR '05, Ruckus, and FLR'06 has had a profound impact on my life. It has been an honor to know you as well as compete against you in the past and I know that you will continue to be an inspiration to me and others in the future.

[KathieK]

Congratulations, Ellery! Your wonderful advice is going up on the wall at work (which is getting filled with great advice to live by, from fellow FIRSTers). Thank you for sharing your passion with all of us!

[Tim Delles]

Congrats Ellery. You deserve this completely.

[Alex Cormier]

Awww it's Ellery! aka. Muscles. Good Job and we shall see ya down in ATL!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Congratulations, Ellery.
Your dedication to the teams of Rochester shows. When Greg and Ed can speak highly of you, you know you are doing something right. Keep up the good work!

[rachakate]

Yay! Ellery! Ellery's such a dedicated person. I'm so happy to see him now "Sung".

[Adrienne E.]

Congrats Ellery! I can't believe it was almost 8 years ago that we were rookies on 191 together. You've been a complete inspiration and amazing mentor in my life. When I think about all the people that helped me stay on track and become the person I am today you are one of the few on the very top, and I know I'm not the only person that can say that about you. I am so happy you are being recognized! See you in Atlanta

[Koko Ed]

When I first submitted Ellery to be the UFH I had no idea that his lovely wife Rebecca (pictured next to him. They were married last summer. You should all congratualte them for that as well) would be our Woodie Flowers nominie this year(Ellery was our nominee last year). Now I wish I would have waited so maybe I could submit husband and wife to be the UFH (every FIRST couple should have his and her Woodie Flower awards )