Nostalgic & Happy Moments At The World Championship In Atlanta Over the Past 7 Years

[JaneYoung]

As we say goodbye to Atlanta as our generous and gracious host for the World Championship - please share some of your happy memories. I've read some poems and thoughts in Facebook already, and hope they make their way to Chief Delphi. Perhaps they will find their way to the kind folks in Atlanta.

Jane

[alicen]

Even though I'll be off to college next year, I'll definitely be sad not to be able to welcome the world's best and brightest into my backyard.

It's been great the past seven years (both volunteering and competing) and I hope that I'll make it out to St.Louis or see you all back in Atlanta one day

More on topic..
There isn't a single moment these past four days that I didn't enjoy, but the highlight of my championship experience had to be talking to all the people who stopped by our pit and saw our robot I got many compliments on it, and it has to be the best robot our team has ever built.

We hope to be able to see a lot of you again at off season events!
We're going to discuss 3: IRI, TNT, and our state's (2nd year) GRITS
It would be really cool if some better known, out of state, teams looked into coming back to Georgia for a little off season fun. For more information, you can PM me

[kbonsell]

Since this is my only year that I have the opportunity to participate as a student in FIRST I am glad to have made it to Atlanta in the first place. Aside from just being in the presence of thousands of people who share my enthusiasm for FIRST, I especially enjoyed the moment when my team won the Motorola Quality Award. Winning that award made up for my disappointment from having lost in quarterfinals, and it made me very happy. The feeling of surprise and joy when the the words "black and gold" and "penguins" were mentioned as well as seeing the same emotions in my fellow pit crew and drive team members is unforgettable (I was on the Dome floor with them for the duration of division finals and Einstein). I feel even more proud because the previous day Mr. Shaeer (our instructor) had said that our chances at winning the award were slim. The whole experience was absolutely amazing.

[The Cyborg]

I'm really going to miss Atlanta. It was practically my second home!
I've been to the Championships down there for 5 out of the 7 years that it was there, including the very first year it was held down there in 2004. I loved the venue, I loved the city, and I loved the all around friendly atmosphere that Atlanta had. I really enjoyed FIRST night at the Georgia Aquarium, touring CNN, riding on the MARTA, the after party at Centennial park, and tons of other things. I loved seeing FIRST banners around the city welcoming the participants, and I loved seeing the excitement and enthusiasm that the city workers had for the competition. Such an atmosphere made me and everyone I was with feel welcomed and at home, and I really appreciated the amount of effort that the city put into this event. Like I said, I'm really going to miss this place.
I hope St. Louis would be just as fun as Atlanta, if not more. I look forward to going there for Championships next year.

[kwojcik]

Seeing the picture of the drivers from 870(two guys in red in the middle), one of the drivers from 2775 (on the left), and myself(tall guy in the back) on almost every sign and banner in the pits and lobby, as well as the program guide and some posters. It was from Galileo when we won the semifinals last year, I think (not sure exactly when, but sometime during eliminations). Since everyone on 1717 only has 1 year on the team, it was extremely nostalgic to come back as a mentor and be completely reminded of driving for the team in 2009.

[jblay]

As a junior 2 years ago, I took the field in the Georgia dome for the fist time. When I walked through the tunnel, stepped onto the field, and then looked up my jaw dropped. Having kids do something like be on the field of a football stadium is an amazing experience and I will miss the great times I had every year in Atlanta.

[GaryVoshol]

There are two visual images that will always stick with me.

The first is that outdoor escalator with hoards of excited students ascending and descending.

The second is the sight of the stadium as you enter from the tunnel. That's something that most people don't get to experience - only drive teams and volunteers like myself. It was always fun to watch the FLL kids' expressions as they entered the stadium for the first time; I'm sure it's the same for the FRC and FTC teams.

There have been so many great encounters with wonderful people over the years that are just too numerous to list.

[Josh Goodman]

Watching 177 somehow manipulate themselves onto Einstein year after year after year.

The practical joke played in 2006 about switching the green light sensor colors to red, blue and green.

"It's like WWF, but for smart people."

Suffering through the two FIRST songs and the FIRST rap.

Watching the amazing Atlanta drumline.

FIRST Finale in Olympic Park. So many great memories, fireworks, activities, cold food.

Again, the first experience walking into the Georgia dome from 15 minute walk tunnels.

So many amazing team memories such as winning the judges award and inside jokes. You will be missed Atlanta. I'm excited what St. Louis has to offer.

[woody]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

There are two visual images that will always stick with me.

The first is that outdoor escalator with hoards of excited students ascending and descending.

The second is the sight of the stadium as you enter from the tunnel. That's something that most people don't get to experience - only drive teams and volunteers like myself. It was always fun to watch the FLL kids' expressions as they entered the stadium for the first time; I'm sure it's the same for the FRC and FTC teams.

There have been so many great encounters with wonderful people over the years that are just too numerous to list.

So true, Gary!

-I'll always have fond memories of the tunnel (especially the cheap pop ; )
-Playing soccer/frisbee in the courtyard
-Seeing the Georgia Dome from above as we flew into Atlanta (the only time we did) my sophomore year
-Having Woodie Flowers kiss our robot, and then winning our match immediately afterward
-All the good times we had in the two biggest hotels I've ever seen
-Running through the fountains in Centennial Park

[elemental]

I'll miss Atlanta so much!
I only went twice 2008/2009 but I won't forget it!
The first time I was able to go was when I was in FLL.
Highlights were:
- Meeting so many people from everywhere that were obsessed with FIRST as I was
- Walking onto the floor of the Georgia Dome
- Meeting Scott
- Eating Ice Cream, hanging out with my team, playing soccer with a team from Jordan, and finding out we got a call back interview in the span of an hour
- Walking back to my team's hotel
- Winning the 1st Place Teamwork Award and going crazy


2009
- just being able to meet so many great teams in our division
- having one team member getting left behind because he was talking to the CIA
- The weather (What I'll miss most about Atlanta. Well that and only having to drive 6hrs.)
- Before the Awards Ceremony on Sat. night seeing the Techno Tick's mascot and feeling sorry for her...then they won Chairmans!

Atlanta has been great!

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by elemental

- Before the Awards Ceremony on Sat. night seeing the Techno Tick's mascot and feeling sorry for her...then they won Chairmans!

That is one of the images that will shine brightly in my memory forever and a day. I remember all of the teams who have won the Championship Chairman's and have been invited to grace the stage in recent years and they all stand out with their team personality and smiles. The TechnoTicks mascot was a vision of fun, grace, and quiet respect. How that mascot pulled that off, I will never know and will never forget.

The Daisy headbands are going to be right there in the old memory bank as well. Wonderful.

Jane

[Al Skierkiewicz]

One of my fondest memories is sitting in the stands as John Abele read through the Chairman's description and my wife's nails were gouging into my palms. When he ended with "for the team that's never done" a reference to our video response to Beatty's 2006 video, I knew we had made it at last. Our students were crying and jumping up and down and everyone was hugging us and the emotion was overwhelming. I watch the video every now and then to see the emotion on the mentor's faces, and the surprise on the faces of the new parents who were present.

[Koko Ed]

It was nice having my family hang out at the event and to stay with them (even though it was really scary and stupidly dangerous to walk back to my car at night back at the abandoned Georgia Dome after hours to go back to their house).
Next year I'll have to stay in a hotel like everybody else does.

[David Brinza]

I really enjoyed the celebration by Team #3158 (Tecbot) after winning the Championship Rookie Inspiration Award. I saw their genuine outpouring of emotion after winning the Rookie All-Star Award in Arizona.

The pure joy exuded by the Tecbot team was contagious!!

[Isaac501]

This was my second Championship; My only in Atlanta, and first since 1996 in Epcot (which was awesome in its own way).

The best thing about Atlanta to me was getting off the plane in one of the biggest airports on earth and being surrounded by FIRSTers everywhere, and on the MARTA on the way in ... Incredible... and the banners on every single lightpost!!?!? Amazing. FIRST loves the ATL and the ATL loves FIRST. Simply the best competition I've been to in all my years.