FIRST Unknown

[irishninja]

I was looking through different timelines of robotics and its history. I went through several pages of google looking for information on this. I found plenty of listings on Battlebots, Robotica, and other robotic combat shows, but not a single timeline had an entry on FIRST! I was a bit shocked, amazed, and to tell the truth, a bit disappointed. So, although I know there are plenty of challenges like this out there, and Dean's Homework involves this, spread the message. Bring a friend to the competition, put on shows. It isn't too hard to get some of your old robots and drive them around. Advertise. FIRST is a great organization, and it has impacted me in many different ways from living at school, to deciding to go into engineering. I know I am not the only one who has been impacted by this great experience, so please tell people about FIRST. Point them to different FIRST websites. Bring them to competitions. Put on shows. Start new teams, FRC, FVC, or FLL. It doesn't matter. But I know that being on the robotics team has given me some of the best memories of my life, and I wouldn't want anybody else to miss out on that.

[Koko Ed]

That is hardly true.
FIRST has been featured numerous times on the national level and just because it's not on the tip of every persons tongue hardly makes it a failure than more of a niche. Just check this page out to see all the national media coverage it has gotten.
In this ADD riddled world of fast food media FIRST will never claim the national conscience. It's too much of a straight shooter to do so and personally I like FIRSTs place in the world. We may not be at the top of the mountain but we are making steady progress and touching lives all the way and never quitting. I think we are doing great.

[rangersteve]

I agree that FIRST should expand. Everbody who is in FIRST is greatly affected and it changes many people's lives. If FIRST were to grow just a little and gain 1, just 1, more member, it would make a world of difference for that person. That one person would be worth hours of effort to help them that much. Every body in FIRST comes out a changed person wit lots of great memories, I dont know where i would be without it. Sorry i'm really tired so this is probally written horribly.

[rufu5]

irishninja, I know exactly what you are talking about. One of the main reasons for this is that Battlebots, Robotica, and Robot Wars were all made and designed to be television shows (bottom line: make money). FIRST on the other hand is made to change lives. The games in FIRST are not TV Friendly (ie smash kill, ADD, here is your winner, here is a loser robot on fire, next match, AXE commercial), the game rules are more complicated and need explaining (to most people more than once).

I agree with KokoEd, I like the place FIRST occupies right now, making steady progress and changing lives. On the other hand the "tons of national coverage" I would say is a bit of an overstatement ... go get lost in Aruba and see what "tons of national coverage" really is ... ...

We need a lot more FIRST evangelists, the kind of people who can sell oily sprockets to old ladies wearing white gloves, to spread of the message for FIRST to the American public!

[Robyn Needel]

As we all know, FIRST is an amazing program and everyone involved gets a lot out of it. I talk to everyone I meet about FIRST and its impact on young people and our culture. Since I mostly encounter adults, if I know they have kids, I usually start out talking about the scholarship money. That gets their attention! We seem to get a lot of resistance from school administrators and teachers and the only thing I can figure is that they don't want to spend the time and/or the idea that students learn by doing and can understand quickly scares them-plus they are uncomfortable when their set ideas are challenged. The peole in industry have more of a feel for why FIRST is important and are more likely to embrace the program. I think that what each student and mentor in FIRST should shoot for is to bring two people into the organization - one to replace them when they move on and one to help FIRST grow.