After I graduated high school on Friday, I honestly wanted to just bolt out. I was felt like I was completely done with the campus, school, and wanted to just drop all of it like a hot potato. But I was stopped. I was stopped by my mentors over the years from two teams I have been a part of, and I was stopped by my recruits, trainees, and peers on the robotics team. I was greeted by students I have been working with for years, and 1st years who I just started to teach in the shop. After giving their congrats, each of them thanked me for what I have taught them over the years. It was just then when I truly realized what FIRST was able to give me in 4 years time. FIRST gave me the opportunity to discover my passion for engineering and help others realize what they are passionate for as well.
In my 4 years of FIRST, I’ve been on a National Chairman’s Award Team, a “Rookie” team with a retired number, multiple teams as a member for support or assistance, and even team-less due to loss of mentors. I have learned about all the effort, drive, and gracious professionalism that goes into the Chairman’s Award and even at one point was “Chairman’s Girl” standing at the Hall of Fame Booth in Atlanta to answer questions. And through being moved on to a new team, I’ve learned about the hard work that it takes to start with new members, mentors, and a completely new identity. I understood how hard it was to set up support and structure to make sure it goes on another year. I have been a “team mom” / “big sis” / “big gear” to my peers through all of the ups and downs that the teams have been through. I know what it’s like to have to carry other’s weight whether it be a mentor or students.
Year after year I feel like I’ve learned about FIRST, my peers, advancements in math and science, and most importantly myself. I was exposed to some of the most inspiring people I’ll ever meet in my lifetime. I cannot even begin to name all of the people who I know I have learned so much from. I was honestly, your “stereotypical” robotics girl coming into FIRST, I joined merely because I had not much to do and they told me I could do team spirit stuff. I didn’t like science, and me getting grease on my clothes just did not sound fun at all. But after a few months, I found myself in the shop. I truly wanted to learn how to machine more because the whole idea of coming up with your own design, and actually creating something you can hold enthralled me. Not to be cheesy, but it lit up a flame of inspiration in me. 
I now want nothing more but to be an engineer (as well as a fashion designer mind you :P) and will be an inch closer to my goal when I start my studies at Purdue in the fall. 4 years later with years of volunteering behind me, a former student ambassador, and tour guide to elementary school students at Regionals as for as Connecticut, I have taken all I can from the program, and have given all I can back as well as to others.
The intention of sharing my story to the Chief Delphi community is to tell those who are still in high school to appreciate the program and take advantage of all the amazing opportunities that are given to you. 4 years is a long time to be able to make even a little change in your community and to learn a great deal about yourself.
I’d like to thank all of you who have ever given me advice and/or have helped me over the years because you have helped me get to where I am today. Really, I cannot even describe in words how much I’ve grown from this program and all of the people I’ve met through it.
Thanks to all of those in FIRST, and may you all inspire many more students like me!
