Young Leaders in FIRST

[Libby K]

Get ready for the ultra-long post, y'all.

Long before 1923 even exsisted, I had been begging my school to let us start an FRC team. I was in 8th grade, and the school was, at first, very cooperative. As my freshman year approached, things were looking up for 1923, and I couldn't wait to finally be on a team. It was what I'd been waiting for since I was very very young. However, since I was to be a freshman, and the administration needed upperclassmen to 'run' the team [noone would listen to a freshman...=P], Some seniors who expressed interest in it were appointed the leadership positions.

This would have been fine & dandy if they got FIRST. The seniors, as was predicted, didn't quite listen to some suggestions I made, and, as a result, goofed up what could have been some really good local sponsorships. However, sponsorship worked out just fine in the end [hooray for second chances and NASA grants!], and build season began.

Here came the biggest problem: the school I had had so much hope for in becoming a FIRST school...decided we were too much to handle. The long hours and lack of a reliable advisor pretty much got us booted out of our school. Once again, build season was looking pretty bleak.

Fortunately, my family's close connection with FIRST led us to team 25. I'd known them for a while & known about their RINOS program. They helped us make it through. I really can say they made sure 1923 happened. If we hadn't gotten their help, 1923 would have been competing with a kitbot.

WELL, enough with the story of my team. The moral of it is, keep pushing for your dream, and it'll happen. That's what I did, and 1923 happened. Thanks, FIRST!

p.s. if you want the even HAPPIER ending, we're working with the school to give us some shop space! & maybe a better advisor! yays!

p.p.s. oh, yeah, and i'm attempting to get our middle school's FLL team in gear/caring about FIRST. even longer story. don't get me started.

p.p.p.s. WOOT! 100th post!